The Vicksburg Warren School District posted an anonymous online questionnaire asking for input from the community as the board of trustees narrows its search for a replacement, following the resignation of Superintendent Chad Shealy.

This questionnaire, in which users were asked to answer several questions about what qualities they value in a superintendent, was made available to the public from March 2 until Tuesday, March 7.

There were more than 300 users who responded to the questionnaire, and from their answers, leadership was one of the most valuable characteristics listed. Other qualities that ranked high on the scale included communication skills and being supportive, caring, knowledgeable and passionate.

On the questionnaire, users were also given the opportunity to be specific with their responses as they pertained to the characteristics and goals of the next superintendent. These responses were also ranked according to feedback from participants.

The 10 top-ranked wants for the next superintendent per the questionnaire are:

“Hold high standards for education, not just graduation or how the district looks on paper but actual learning. Lowering our standards to improve our report card score demotivates students and teachers and devalues the diploma.”

“Integrity — Honesty is always a top priority.”

“Someone with passion in education because they thrive to want better for our student body.”

“Someone who will focus on all aspects of our students’ lives. Creating more after-school opportunities, not just in sports. I think it’s important for kids to have something to do outside of school but still a part of the school because parents can trust the district.

“Care and concern for students and capable of knowledge of the education system.”

“Open communication — parents need to feel confident their voice is being heard.”

“A leader with purpose. He or she should be able to recognize the needs of the district and a path/goal to get there.”

“Ability to effectively communicate with their immediate staff, educators and the community. We have amazing things happening in the district, but we do a poor job of keeping the public informed.”

“Someone who actually cares about student learning and preparedness for college or life after high school. Graduating high school with no skills does nothing to benefit students.”

“Someone to bring consistent and coherent rules to all schools in the district. Each school has its own set of rules that causes disparity among the schools and students.”

Terri Cowart Frazier contributed to this report.