Madison School District will receive assistance from a local organization to find a successor to Superintendent Angela Smith. The district’s School Board recently agreed to enter into a contract with Educational Service Center of the Western Reserve to help in the search for a new superintendent. Smith announced in August that she will retire at the end of the 2024-25 academic year. Educational Service Center of the Western Reserve “will assist with the entire superintendent search process, ensuring that the most qualified candidates are identified and considered,” Madison School District stated in an announcement on its website. “This collaboration reflects the district’s commitment to transparency, community involvement, and finding a leader who aligns with Madison’s mission and values,” the district stated. The ESC of the Western Reserve, which is based in Concord Township, provides a multitude of services for area school districts. One of those functions is assistance in searching for education administrators, such as superintendents and treasurers, when immediate of future vacancies arise. Madison School Board President Shawn Douglas said he and his fellow panel members are excited to work with the ESC of the Western Reserve on such an important endeavor. “The Educational Service Center of the Western Reserve has a proven track record in successfully guiding school districts through leadership transitions, and we are confident they will help us find the right person to continue the great work happening in our schools,” Douglas said, in the district’s announcement. Representatives of the ESC of the Western Reserve will meet with staff, parents and community members to gather input on the desired characteristics and qualities for Madison Schools’ next superintendent. Input from each group of stakeholders “will help shape the profile for candidates and ensure that the final selection reflects the community’s involvement,” the district stated. The search is expected to unfold over the next several months, with the goal of having the new superintendent in place by Aug. 1. Madison Schools “encourages all community members to stay informed and participate in opportunities to share their perspectives during this important process,” the district stated. Smith has served as the school district’s superintendent for the past nine years. She replaced Roger Goudy, who resigned to become president of the Amateur Athletic Union. Before being named superintendent in 2015, Smith served as Madison Schools assistant superintendent. She joined the district in 2002 as assistant principal at Madison High School and held that position for four years, until she was named the district’s director of curriculum. From there, she moved up to assistant superintendent, and then was chosen from a field of 25 applicants as district superintendent. Smith made a public announcement in August, at the start of the 2024-25 academic year, about her intention to retire. “I have made this decision with my family to enjoy the next act in life,” she wrote, in a letter to the community posted Aug. 16 on Facebook. In that same letter, Smith said her service to Madison School District was an enjoyable experience. “I am filled with gratitude for the career that I have had here and the friends and family I have made,” she wrote.