Teachers, administrators, parents and community members told a search consultant Thursday night want they want in a new superintendent of Austin Public Schools.

During a public feedback forum at Ellis Middle School, about 30 citizens attended to complete surveys and explain that they believe are t he district’s strengths and weaknesses, and what they are seeking in a new leader.

The purpose of the forum, School Exec Connect consultant Kenneth Dragseth of told the audience, is to “find out a lot of information about your community we can use when we go out and look for a superintendent.”

Diversity was a common thread among audience members, who want the district to continue addressing its growing population.

Juliana Peña, a success coach at Ellis, said she would like to have a superintendent who understands diversity, who will “be aware of those differences and respect everything, and I think we are going down that path,” she said. “We just have to continue making progress to help our Hispanic community and our people of color … so we have more integration, and that’s a challenge.”

Bob Vilt, whose son recently graduated, said he would like to see “more diversity in teachers coming in.”

Pastor and professor Marvin Repinski pointed out their meeting was being held at the same time as an immigration forum at Oak Park Mall by “a group that seems to be giving out signals about immigration.”

“The manner of assimilating persons from other cultures is a big challenge in a community,” he said.

Repinski added later that the downtown jail and justice center project, possibly totaling as much as $40 million, “may make it more difficult to raise money for public education.”

One parent, Marsha Pawluk, said she doesn’t not believe the district adequately addresses special education students.

“We’re not meeting the qualifications for these kids,” she said. “We’re doing the best we can, but last year, we had some teachers who left. We have kids who want to go on to college who have special needs.”

Federal standards for education — the No Child Left Behind Act — were debated, with Dragseth explaining that the bar is raised every year for districts; Austin did not make Adequate Yearly Progress this year in all schools but one.

“Federal standards are getting really difficult,” said parent Micah Bremner, who added that fewer than 50 schools made AYP in Minnesota. She said the focus now should be on teaching students and making a difference.

The discussion shifted toward the controversy surrounding the school board, which in the past year has battled differences in opinion regarding the former superintendent and alleged high staff turnover.

“Outside of Austin, how you are being defined is by some things that are unpleasant, unresolved,” Dragseth told the audience, referring to the negative media attention.

When he first met with the board, he told them they were not ready to hire a permanent replacement for Candace Raskin because of the “turmoil;” they should hire an interim first. Bruce Anderson, a retired superintendent from the metro area, is serving a one-year term in that position.

Dragseth said when he asked members recently if they were all committed to work on the board, “their response was, ‘We’re ready to work together.’”

“It doesn’t all go away right away,” Dragseth explained.

No school board members were present Thursday; however, the search consultant is meeting with all of them individually to develop a profile.

After a profile has been developed, a 10- to 15-page document, what Dragseth called “a snapshot in time,” will be presented to the school board at the beginning of October. Advertising for the position will then pick up both regionally and nationwide. Applicants can apply on the School Exec Web site.

Five to six candidates who match what the community is looking for will be interviewed early in December; the board will then narrow that pool to two to three names, who will undergo day-long interviews. A contract will be finalized in January, with the new hire starting July 1.

A confidential feedback form is still available on the homepage of the district’s Web site: www.austin.k12.mn.us.