Anderson Community Schools board members met with members of the public Thursday evening to discuss what they’d like to see when the district hires its next superintendent.
The meeting Thursday evening was the first of five planned town hall-style meetings, each of which will be held at different locations.
District officials said the meetings are meant to provide ample opportunity for residents and ACS staff members to provide input on the qualities they would like to see in the district’s next top leader.
Thursday’s meeting was informal, with board members and about 20 community members sitting side by side and sharing one at a time with the group.
Most of those in attendance said that the new superintendent would need to have a presence at community events and be proactive in getting to know residents both in the district and across Anderson. Many said trust between the district and community members needs to be rebuilt in order to make them feel welcome again.
Others said the district’s next leader should live in Anderson and have a working knowledge of the challenges faced by many ACS families.
Other desired traits mentioned included bilingual ability and an overall comfort with speaking and interacting with people from a variety of demographic backgrounds.
Another topic of conversation centered on the superintendent being more visible at each of the district’s 12 buildings, interacting more with teachers and staff to help them with their needs. Additionally, the next superintendent ideally would have more interactions with the students and build those relationships in a positive manner.
Current Superintendent Joe Cronk has announced his retirement effective June 30, 2027.
He has served in the district’s top leadership post since March 2020, when he was named interim superintendent before being offered the permanent position the following year.
In September 2025, the ACS board voted 4-3 to extend Cronk’s contract through the 2026-27 academic year.
During a meeting in May, board president Mandy Webb said the district had posted an online survey on its Facebook page inviting input as well, which has since been closed. University Search, a free service provided by public universities in Indiana to assist school boards with selecting superintendents, is consulting with the board during the process.
This article appeared in The Herald Bulletin.