Columbia Public Schools Seek Community Input in Superintendent Search

COLUMBIA — Columbia Public Schools (CPS) is seeking community input as it searches for its next superintendent. The Missouri School Boards Association (MSBA), hired to assist with the search, hosted a series of public forums this week to gather feedback from parents, staff, and community members. The forums, held at Rock Bridge High School and Douglass High School, aimed to ensure the new superintendent aligns with the community’s expectations and needs.

The district has been without a permanent superintendent since Brian Yearwood retired at the end of December 2024. Chris Belcher, a former CPS superintendent, is serving as the interim leader while the search continues. The MSBA emphasized the importance of community involvement in the selection process. “The school board wanted to make sure there was a lot of opportunity for input from the community,” said Linda Quinley, lead consultant for the MSBA. “It will help them narrow the pool of candidates to find someone who will fit the wants of the community.”

Parents and community members highlighted key qualities they want in the next superintendent, including relatability, trustworthiness, and strong communication skills. Steve Spellman, a CPS parent, stressed the importance of a leader who values input from all stakeholders. “I think the new superintendent should value the input of all stakeholders,” Spellman said. “They should be able to relate to all stakeholders — whether that’s parents or employees.”

Other attendees emphasized the need for academic growth, staff recruitment, and retention. Donna Vandegriffe, another parent, noted that trust is a critical factor. “If the parents feel like they can’t trust you or they can’t talk to you or they can’t go to you with any issues or any problems, then they feel like the school system has failed them,” she said.

The MSBA has already received a strong pool of candidates and plans to present finalists to the school board in the coming weeks. The board hopes to hire a new superintendent by the end of February. In the meantime, the MSBA will continue to gather feedback through an online survey and additional public meetings.

The search process has been designed to ensure transparency and community engagement. School board members were excluded from the forums to allow participants to speak freely. Quinley expressed confidence in the process, stating, “We will wait until we find the right person. We have a high-quality pool. We’re very pleased with the pool of candidates that applied.”