Amityville Union Free School District

Our board selected the services of District Wise Search Firm to lead our district’s Superintendent search. For several board members, this was their first experience with a Superintendent search process. Joann, Bob, and Mark from District Wise proved to be thorough, professional, and accommodating throughout the process. Despite my role as the primary point of contact with District Wise, they made themselves available to communicate with any board member. Their expertise and experience in identifying the most suitable candidates for our district were achieved through their engagement with various stakeholders. They included the board of education, district stakeholders (students, parents, cabinet, administrators, bargaining units, community organizations, and community members), as well as through surveys. I feel this approach resulted in a pool of applicants for our board to consider. Throughout the process, the District Wise team provided advice that improved our understanding of the process. Their insights also brought clarity to our decision-making process. I feel that there were occasions when they went above and beyond their designated responsibilities. Working alongside them has been a pleasure, and I strongly recommend District Wise for a Superintendent search.

Lisa Johnson
President, Amityville Union Free School District

Connetquot Central School District

It gives me great pleasure to share my recommendation for District Wise Search Consultants. The Superintendent hiring process can seem intimidating for a Board, as it is one of their most important responsibilities. Joann, Bob, and Mark provided clear and consistent communication with the Board and expertly guided us through the entirety, from the organization stage to the candidate appointment. They were able to seamlessly navigate the often-differing opinions of the various stakeholders within our District and present us with an exceptional slate of candidates. In the end, the Board appointed a new Superintendent, and thanks to the dedication of Joann, Bob, and Mark, the Board and all stakeholders are confident going into this new chapter. Without hesitation, I highly recommend District Wise Search Consultants for your future hiring considerations.

Jaclyn Napolitano-Furno
President, Board of Education 

Massapequa Union Free School District

District Wise Search Consultants exceeded our expectations in finding the Massapequa School District's new Assistant Superintendent for Business and Operations. From start to finish, their professionalism, expertise, and dedication to our needs were exemplary.

District Wise Search Consultants embarked on this critical task with a clear understanding of our unique requirements and a commitment to identifying the perfect candidate for our school district. Their in-depth knowledge of the education sector, coupled with their extensive network and resources, allowed them to present us with an outstanding pool of candidates.

What truly set District Wise Search Consultants apart was their ability to not only find highly qualified candidates but also individuals who aligned with our district's values, culture, and vision for the future. Each candidate presented to us exhibited a remarkable combination of experience, skills, and a passion for education that made the selection process genuinely challenging – in the best way possible.

Throughout the entire search process, District Wise Search Consultants maintained open lines of communication, providing regular updates and guiding us through each step, from initial screenings to final interviews. Their professionalism and attention to detail gave us the confidence that they were as invested in our success as we were.

Ultimately, thanks to their work, District Wise Search Consultants, we were able to help us secure an Assistant Superintendent for Business and Operations who not only met but exceeded our expectations. This individual has seamlessly integrated into our leadership team and has already made a significant positive impact on our district's financial operations.

Their commitment to excellence, their thoroughness, and their ability to deliver results have been instrumental in enhancing our district's leadership team. I wholeheartedly recommend District Wise Search Consultants to any school district seeking top-tier talent. They truly are experts at what they do, and we are incredibly fortunate to have partnered with them in our search for the perfect candidate. Thank you, District Wise Search Consultants, for your exceptional service and dedication to the success of our district.

Dr. William Brennan
Superintendent of Schools, Massapequa Union Free School District

West Islip Board of Education

It is my please to wrtie a recommendation on behalf of District Wise Search Consultants. As a first time school board president for the West Islip School District, I was presented with an opportunity to hire a new superintendant. During what was an alredy difficult and challanging school year, the thought of such a incredibly important task weighed deeply on my shoulders. Fortulnately, our board met and fell in love with DWSC. Joann, Robert and Mark were such an incredible team. Through thier guidance and leadership we sailed through this process. What I thought would be difficult and stressful, they turned into fun and excitment. There was not one stone they did not turn over. Their ability to communicate and understand what not only the board wanted but the community as well played such a viatal role in this process. When all was said and done, Joann, Robert, and Mark felt like an extended family. We at West Islip Schools are forever grateful for allowing DWSC to help lead the way. It is without any doubt or hesittion I would reuse District Wise. I would ask anyone to reach out to me or any of the West Islip School Board for more if so desired. From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you Joann, Robert and Mark.

Anthony Tussie
West Islip Board of Education

MASSAPEQUA PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Thank you so much for your great work in finding our “perfect fit” superintendent.

It was such an incredible experience working with you, Bob and Mark to find the next leader of our school district. This was our board’s first experience undertaking this enormous task, which was made manageable with your help. You laid out your plan and timeline for us and were there every step of the way to keep us on track and to ensure we would have our new leader on schedule. You were always there to give us updates, help with sifting through the materials, composing questions and evaluating each candidate. You delivered to us several highly qualified candidates. After the interviews, we knew which candidate was the “perfect fit” just as you said we would. 

I am especially grateful for the support you gave to me as I led the board through this process. I always felt supported, you were always there to answer questions, provide feedback and advice.

I miss our daily phone calls, and will be forever grateful for your professionalism, your friendship and your guidance.

I highly recommend District Wise Consulting to any school district looking to hire a superintendent or administrative staff.

Sincerely,
Kerry Wachter
President, Massapequa Board of Education

Herricks Board of Education

On behalf of the entire Herricks Board of Education may I express our most sincere thank you. Using District Wise to conduct our latest superintendent search was an easy decision based on the professionalism your company showed when we did our previous superintendent search in 2015. It was amazing to see how much “growth” there was with your company this time as opposed to last time. The time your team took compiling the “climate reports” to assess what our community expected in the qualities for our future superintendent, along with the Board of Education's expectations, were immeasurable. The “binders” you assembled for us for each candidate provided detailed and relevant information. The insight they provided allowed us to better understand each candidates’ qualities, and was far better than the typical snapshot a resume and writing sample provide. “You got us!-you clearly understood all our expectations and knew who would make the grade and who would not. Working side by side allowed us all to better understand where we were in the process. Using collaboration, compassion, and communication helped us to stay focused and on task. The process made our decision very difficult-which was one of the goals. In the end with your guidance we believe our selection will continue to move Herricks forward in the path our community stated, with our new superintendent at the helm.

In our opinion, there is no finer search firm than District Wise and we would whole heartedly and without reservation recommend your company to any school district planning to do a superintendent search in the future.

James Gounaris
President, Herricks Board of Education

Garrison Union Free School District

To Whom It May Concern,

As a member of the Garrison (NY) Board of Education, I have had the privilege of working with Joann Kaplan and Robert Freier of District Wise Search Consultants, on two separate occasions. In the first, we worked together on a Superintendent search. The appointment in that case was the Board's final decision, though the process involved putting together committees and consulting with the community as a whole. In the second instance, we collaborated on a Sachem search; in this case, District Wise was tasked with assembling a search committee, implementing training for interviewing, and coordinating throughout with the superintendent, all while narrowing down the search and producing a final roster of candidates. On both occasions, Joann and Robert thoroughly impressed me with their professionalism and performance. It was a true pleasure working with them, and we have been thrilled with the outcomes. They delivered excellent finalists in both searches, any one of whom would have been fully capable of leading our district as superintendent or principal. What's more, the chosen candidates in each case exceeded our expectations, providing management experience, curricular leadership, and enthusiasm for the positions. Throughout both searches, I was confident we had Joann and Bob’s full attention and maximum effort. They were comprehensive and thoughtful in presenting candidates; they were meticulous, practical, and warmly supportive in putting together committees; and they were remarkably well-versed in understanding our community - a knowledge that stemmed from their own extensive research and in-depth effort at getting to know us. As a result, both the superintendent search and the principal search were resounding successes. I am delighted to recommend Joann and Bob and District Wise, and I am available for further communication about our experience with them.

Sincerely,
Matt Speiser,
Trustee, Garrison Union Free School District

Garrison Union Free School District

Along with another member of the Garrison (NY) Board of Education, I was tasked with finding a search firm to help us identify a new superintendent. My colleague and I interviewed four search firms recommended by school officials in nearby districts. We chose Joann Kaplan and Robert Freier of District Wise Search Consultants, and, in retrospect, we are delighted to have done so. It was a pleasure working with them, and we are thrilled with the outcome. They came up with five finalists, any one of whom would have been more than capable of leading our district. The chosen candidate exceeded our expectations in nearly every respect from management experience to curricular leadership. From the outset, we always felt we had the benefit of Joann and Bob’s full attention and maximum effort. They were even-handed in presenting the strengths and weaknesses of each candidate and never sought to tilt the process in favor of one candidate. As a result, the final decision is one for which our board can take full responsibility. We “own” it, so to speak, and that’s a good thing as we prepare to embark on a relationship with the candidate we’ve chosen. Because of the pandemic and our need to move in a timely manner, Joann and Bob had to organize probing board interviews with the candidates via Zoom. In less competent hands, this could have led to an attenuated process without a clear outcome. That’s one more reason we are very happy to recommend Joann and Bob and District Wise without reservation and are available for further communication about our experience with them.

Sincerely,
David Gelber,
Trustee (On behalf of the Garrison Union Free School District)
(917) 842-0696

Hastings on Hudson

We are pleased to write this letter of recommendation for District Wise Search Consultants for their support in two superintendent searches over the past three years. In 2017, after a thorough search, we hired a Superintendent who left the district after ten months for reasons outside of District Wise’s foresight and control. The utmost professionals, Bob and Joann made good on their promise to run a second full search for us free of charge in the 18-19 school year. They again brought their full energy and focus to this second search, rolling up their sleeves and working side-by-side with us.

Following are a few of the areas where we found that they truly excelled. 

o   Co-creating the specification with us – We had surveyed our community and had a good idea of what we were looking for in a superintendent. District Wise then conducted community forums to get more nuance around our key requirements. This was a critical step as it helped ensure that people’s voices were heard, allowing us to craft a specification that aligned with community desires. 

o   Strategic use of advertising – District Wise suggested a much smaller advertising budget than we had originally planned. In their experience, a few targeted ads in the right spots successfully signaled that we were looking without wasting time and money. This turned out to be a smart idea. 

o   Thoughtful and proactive candidate search – Rather than sit back and wait for candidates to apply or rely on old lists of known professionals, District Wise proactively networked to find candidates who weren’t looking, but who might be a good fit based on our requirements. This proved to be extremely useful as several finalists came from this proactive outreach. 

o   Board and community interview process – District Wise was very thorough in prepping materials on all candidates, prepping the board for our interviews, and prepping a community panel for their interviews. 

o   Going above and beyond expectations – We had a compressed schedule within which to find a new superintendent. Despite District Wise’s concerns about this, they agreed to accelerate parts of the search, stepping up and delivering above our expectations. They took calls over holidays and weekends and worked through a variety of other challenges to make sure all was executed smoothly and on time. They were true professionals. 

We are deeply thankful for the support and guidance that District Wise provided from start to finish. 

Doug Sundheim
President, Hastings on Hudson Union Free School District 
Board of Education

Resume Writing References

I am so pleased to write this letter to recommend District Wise Search Consultants. Working with Joann Kaplan on crafting my resume was such an extraordinary experience. We started by taking my old resume and delineating the essential from the unessential. Then, District Wise was able to ask questions to guide me in assessing what skills, experiences, education, and training would be most important to include on my resume. Throughout the process, Joann was methodical and meticulous in helping me to edit and compose my resume. This company has an unbelievable amount of knowledge about the education field and what skills and knowledge would be most appealing to a prospective employer.

I was also guided in writing a cover letter to accompany my resume. The experience of working with District Wise helped me to think about the strengths I possess as an educator. This helped build my confidence to begin sending out resumes to apply for a teaching position. If you are looking for honest feedback and guidance, District Wise Search Consultants is the firm to use.

Marie Shanahan,

Teacher

Interview Coaching References

I am writing to wholeheartedly recommend the leadership coaching services of Districtwise Search Consultants, specifically Joann Kaplan. Over the past year, Joann has been instrumental in guiding my journey towards becoming a superintendent. 

From the start, Joann displayed an unmatched level of insight, experience, and dedication. Sheis not only a master of understanding individual strengths and potential but also exceptionally skilled at highlighting areas of improvement and providing actionable steps to achieve growth. Joann challenged me to rethink my approaches, broaden my horizons, and continuously learn, and I am undoubtedly a better leader as a result. 

Her coaching style is a blend of patience, sincerity, and rigor, tailored to each individual's unique needs. Her ability to identify and draw upon my innate skills while cultivating new ones made the learning process not only enriching but also highly effective.  

As a testament to her effectiveness, I have successfully stepped into my role as a superintendent with confidence and clarity. The techniques, perspectives, and tools Joann imparted have proven to be invaluable in my everyday work, and I continually benefit from the resilient leadership mindset she helped me develop. 

To anyone aspiring to a leadership position in education or looking for personalized coaching to enhance their skills, I cannot recommend Joann enough. She provided a caliber of coaching that transcends conventional practices, ensuring you are well-equipped to face the ever-evolving challenges of leadership roles. 

Working with Joann has been a rewarding experience and I am profoundly grateful for her guidance in my journey to becoming a successful superintendent. 

Dr. Christine Criscione

Superintendent of Schools, Mount Sinai School District

I had the pleasure of working with Joann Kaplan from District Wise Consultant for assistance not only with my resume but also with interview coaching and school leadership job application coaching. Joann’s expertise and dedication were evident throughout the entire process.

When it came to my resume, Joann helped me dive into it to update and change the vocabulary, ensuring that it effectively showcased my skills and experiences. Her creative and smart suggestions made a significant impact on the overall quality of my resume. Joann’s attention to detail and commitment to transparency were truly commendable. She was always honest and transparent, providing valuable insights and feedback that helped me present myself in the best possible light.

In addition to resume assistance, Joann also provided interview coaching. Her friendly and supportive approach helped me feel more confident and prepared for my interviews. She shared valuable tips and strategies, and we even conducted mock interviews to practice and refine my responses. Joann’s guidance and feedback were invaluable in helping me navigate the interview process successfully.

Furthermore, Joann offered school leadership job application coaching. Her expertise in this area was evident, as she provided me with valuable advice on how to tailor my application materials specifically for leadership positions. Her guidance helped me highlight my relevant skills and experiences, making my applications more competitive.

I highly recommend Joann Kaplan and District Wise Consultant for anyone seeking resume assistance, interview coaching, or school leadership job application coaching. Joann’s friendly, creative, and smart approach, coupled with her honesty and transparency, truly sets her apart. Working with her was a pleasure, and I am grateful for her expertise and support. Thank you, Joann!"

Matthew Spern

GS Principal at MCC