After current Merrick superintendent, Rainer Melucci, announced his retirement at the December school board meeting, the hunt began to find his successor.

The community recently met with representatives from to talk about what they would like to see in a district leader.

Communication, enthusiasm and a firm grasp on budgets were top of mind for those community members that came out to meet with Dr. Charles Fowler, president of School Leadership, the company that will be heading the search.

One parent explained that the current administration does not release a lot of information to the public and school board meetings tend to be hard to follow.

"We get a list, but we don't know what they are talking about because there is no information on it," she said. "The meeting of the board is just not engaging with the community. There is no real approachability," she added.

She explained that she wanted to see a superintendent that was more transparent and would do more to discuss district information with parents, thus making school board meetings more interactive.

Approachability and visibility in the school community were other things that parents were asking for.

"I would like to see someone that wants to get involved in all of the schools," said Eric Strezenec, a parent. "I'd like to see someone maybe a little bit on the younger side so that that position won't be changing over so soon. Someone with zest," he said.

Another request on the wish list of parents more communication with the Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District.

"We are looking for someone who is going to reach out and build relationships with the High School Distict," said one parent.

Parents said that the distant relationships between the two districts tend to cause confusion, but that it would also be beneficial to the students of the Merrick School District to be able to be even more prepared for the middle school experience.

As for budgets, parents are concerned about the 2 percent tax cap and would like to see a superintendent be able to do more with less.

"I would like to see someone who can work a budget like I work my household budget," said one parent.

She added, "I would like to see someone who is familiar with Merrick and can think outside the box to stretch the dollar and someone who knows the difference between a need and a want."

Other qualifications that parents would like:

• Someone that is familiar with the new CORE learning system. 
• Someone that will bring new technology to the district.
• Someone that will work with what Merrick has and not implement unnecessary programs that their old district worked with.
• A leader who is sensitive to the needs of staff and students and can advocate for the needs of the district.
• Someone who brings leadership with a record of success.

Fowler said that he expects a decision to be made by the school board in mid-April.