The second-oldest school for the deaf in the United States, the New York School for the Deaf (NYSD), also known as Fanwood, has announced that it has begun its search for the next NYSD Superintendent.
“A One-of-a-Kind Institution”
Serving students from a 12-county area, encompassing more than 36 school districts, the NYSD community is a diverse one. Of NYSD’s 150+ students enrolled in kindergarten through 12th grade, more than 50% are Hispanic or Latino, and 20% are Black or African American.
NYSD offers student-centered instruction with a focus on bilingual American Sign Language/English education as well as S.T.E.A.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) curriculum and arts programming. In addition to its educational offerings, the school also provides a range of specialized services for students, families, and community members including counseling, health and wellness programming, and American Sign Language classes.
“NYSD is a one-of-a-kind institution, and we are excited to begin our search for the next Superintendent who will lead us into our next chapter,” said Alexis Kashar, NYSD Board Chair. “NYSD Board member, Raja Kushalnagar, will be the Chair of Superintendent Search Committee. We will begin the process of selecting search committee members and designing and implementing the search process from start to finish.”
A Search that Builds Strong Relationships and Trust
NYSD has partnered with Innivee Strategies, Inc., a Deaf-owned and led organization and leadership development consulting business that provides executive search services, to facilitate the search for NYSD’s next Superintendent.
“Innivee Strategies has led several successful searches for the executive leaders at a number of Deaf schools and organizations and we are thrilled to be working with a school as esteemed as NYSD, one of the oldest schools for the Deaf in the United States to look for its next leader”, said Shane Feldman, Innivee Strategies CEO. “The success of the NYSD leader depends on the credibility and integrity of the search process, thus Innivee Strategies will build the Superintendent search on the principle of building strong relationships and trust with its community and stakeholders.”
Next Steps in the Search
Raja Kushalnalgar, the Superintendent Search Chair, shared, “We look forward to selecting the search committee members and announcing them shortly. The NYSD search will involve our school’s parents, students, alumni, and other key stakeholders in defining the profile of the Superintendent who we wish to hire to lead our school.”
The search process begins today, August 27, 2021. The focus group and surveys will be distributed to the NYSD community in the fall of 2021 and the job will be posted by the winter of 2021. The NYSD Board expects the new Superintendent to be hired by the Spring of 2022 and begin their new role effective July 1, 2022. A detailed timeline will be released at a later date.
About Innivee Strategies, Inc.
Innivee Strategies, Inc. provides organizations with systemic frameworks that enable them to build a strong strategic direction toward their desired vision. We engage leaders and stakeholders in collaborating together to choose the best governance model, set leadership, staff, and volunteer expectations, align and optimize resources, and manage change. Innivee Strategies is a leading search firm in the recruitment and placement of executives and leaders of organizations that serve the Deaf and hard of hearing community. Our services also include Effective Governance, Organizational Assessment, Strategic Planning, Change Management, Executive Support Systems, Leadership Development, and Guided Facilitation. Please visit www.innivee.com to learn about our clients and their testimonies about how our services have benefited their organizations.
About New York School for the Deaf (NYSD)
Founded in 1817, the New York School for the Deaf, the second oldest school for the deaf in the United States, is a private non-profit 501(c)3 organization operated in cooperation with the New York State Education Department. NYSD focuses on individualized instruction that continues through elementary, middle school and high school. At all times, NYSD seeks to provide an educational environment that both challenges and nurtures students. This prepares students for adulthood, while also giving them a unique opportunity to socialize with their peers. The mission of New York School for the Deaf (NYSD) is to maximize the whole person potential of each student through comprehensive, rigorous educational programs and services within a communication and language-rich environment. NYSD is also committed to serve as an exemplary resource in the education of deaf and hard of hearing students. As a community and to achieve its goals, NYSD collaborates with families, school districts, agencies, the deaf community, the educational research community, philanthropic sources and other key stakeholders.
