MONROE — School District of Monroe officials, including board president Jim Curran, gathered for the first of a series of listening sessions Thursday night at Parkside Elementary, ahead of the search for a permanent superintendent to guide the district through what many regard as a needed healing process with the community.

The session included an assemblage of engaged citizens, who said more than anything the district needs to bind past wounds over referendum issues, funding, and most of all, communication breakdowns.

Some at the session lauded the district’s apparent decision recently to conduct the search for a new leader on its own, rather than spend as much as $40,000 for a search firm as has been done off and on in the district’s recent past.

Former administrator Rodney Figueroa, who left shortly after guiding the high school referendum across the finish line, was hired by a search firm. Rick Waski, his predecessor, also came to the district in the same manner. 

Still others thought an independent search firm remained a good idea for Monroe and perhaps worth the added cost for the outside perspective on a long history of issues, board members, and superintendents. 

A bridge-builder, innovator, and born leader who is fully engaged with the community and its kids, was a recurring theme of the focus group. The input not only tunes the search, but creation of a permanent job description and evaluation for interim superintendent Joe Monroe or any other superintendent.

“We want someone who will not create winners and losers,” said one attendee.

Another emphasized that future leadership of school policy and budgets must be committed to sharing all available information with the community before key decisions are made that impact students, parents, and taxpayers. Several emphasized that many residents in the district are simply too tapped out to consider any additional tax burden.

“Transparency,” is vital, said the man. “Especially going into this spring.”

That’s when decisions will have to be made — either about reinstating the failed operating referendum in some form; or more cuts on top of the ones made the first year the district faced a more than $1 million funding gap and dwindling state support. 

More sessions and others targeting key interest groups and voters will be held as a decision on the referendum question  looms, likely coming in or by November.

“The community will rally together, if they feel there is trust and communication and caring,” said another participant, who also added that she was an educator.

Meanwhile, Joe Monroe remains a leading candidate from within district leadership ranks, and was roundly praised as a steady hand for district and the schools through many rough waters. And if Joe Monroe isn’t hired to be a permanent superintendent, they all agreed they wanted to see the same passion he has shown for kids; and dedication to the community in whomever else is chosen.

“He (Joe Monroe) has shown he’s willing to be there in the schools, so he knows what’s going on,” said another commenter.

Curran agreed, but said the purpose of the meetings is to consider all possibilities, Joe Monroe very much among them.

“I really want to strike a balance,” he said.