The Search: How FHSD Paid $250K for Almost-Superintendent Mike Dominguez Not to Take the Job (Superintendent Debacle, Part II)

Post I regarding the #DominguezDebacle offered important context surrounding board dynamics leading up to Dr. Dominguez’s hire. In Post II, we examine the search itself.

After FHSD’s well-liked and respected superintendent, Dr. Ken Roumpos, unexpectedly announced his resignation a year early in December 2024, the school board was faced with two paths: (1) appoint an interim and launch a thorough search (a process that can often take up to a year (2) fast-track the selection (most firms recommend no shorter than four months and will decline to support a shorter window). While the fast-track option would allow a new leader an opportunity for some transition time with Dr. Roumpos, the self-imposed deadline had an added bonus for the majority—it ensured selection of a new superintendent before the April 8, 2025 election. Fast track it was:

• Day 1 (December 18): Randy Cook proposed, and the board approved (6-1, with Director Owens voting no), a $30,000 contract with Exec Connect, to include up to $18,000 in expenses—67% higher than FHSD’s previous contract with a search firm. (Note: Typically, districts lean on the Missouri School Boards’ Association to assist with searches, but the FHSD5 has shown a deep distrust of most professional education associations.)

• Day 16 (January 2): Exec Connect presented a basic search plan, to include a community survey (open for one week) and focus groups for a variety of stakeholders. Their contract included a line item for an extra $800 for an extensive background check.

• Day 21 (January 7): Stakeholders are notified of the dates for the focus groups on January 21-22. The official times were added to the Superintendent search page sometime later, but as far as we can tell, no specific email update to stakeholders.

  
  

• Day 34-35 (January 20-21): At noon on January 20, a reminder is sent to staff that their focus group will begin at 4:30 p.m. that day. (Some campuses—including most elementary schools—release at 4:05, with dismissal duty extending until students are safely on their way home.) Attendance was sparse for both focus groups, with just over a dozen stakeholders in attendance for the open forum for community members.

  
  

• Day 41 (January 27): Exec Connect presented their findings from 1,370 survey respondents and 81 focus group members. The feedback revealed stakeholders’ top concerns and priorities: board politicization, fiscal mismanagement, lack of trust, and a need for inclusive leadership. Based on these findings, the firm presented a public profile for candidates that called for cultural competence, leadership in high performing systems, crisis management, and commitment to excellence. During the presentation, Director Cook extensively questioned equity-focused priorities, speaking for nearly a quarter of the presentation time and showing open disdain for community input.

  
  

Near the end of the meeting, an exchange between Director Puszkar and members of the firm highlighted the challenge of the short timeline:

Director Puszkar: “This was done at warp speed.”

Consultant Kevin Omara: “We’re feeling that, too.”

Consultant Diane Robertson: “We are under the gun to start with, and we are on a very short timeframe.”

• Days 72–78 (February 27-March 5): Closed meetings were held as the board reviewed the pool of candidates, narrowed their selections, and likely conducted interviews.

• Day 86 (March 13): The board approved the new contract for Dr. Mike Dominguez in a 6-1 vote. Director Puszkar voted no.

• Day 91 (March 18): Dr. Mike Dominguez was announced as FHSD’s newest superintendent; a social media post including his bio touted his work in Garden City Public Schools—where he oversaw less than half of FHSD’s student population and a much smaller budget. Some speculated that the candidate pool may have been lacking for this level of experience to rise to the top.

Director Cook would later confirm these fears, telling the Post Dispatch in August that Dominguez was the “candidate with the most experience.” 

The brief search was complete, but the announcement was barely public before troubling signs began to surface.

• A Red Flag from Garden City (Week of March 20-27): On the Facebook post featuring Dominguez’s hire, a Garden City stakeholder commented “You all have fun with that. I just wish he didn’t cost our district about $500,000 in settlement fees from his first year here.”

• Welcome Speech + Meet and Greet (March 20): In a disjointed, 2-minute welcome speech, Dr. Dominguez seemed to jump from topic to topic, leaving many underwhelmed with his communication skills—especially compared with his predecessor.

• Election Day (April 8): Two FHSD5 board members were replaced by Amy Gryder and Sarah Oelke, candidates who pledged to make board meetings boring again. (Incumbent Randy Cook received the least amount of votes.)

• Dr. Dominguez visits Francis Howell, and red flags fly high (May 7-8): Upon more interaction with Dr. Dominguez, administrators and staff alike began shaking their heads. We spoke with three leaders who wished to remain anonymous but expressed that they found him “totally unprepared,” noting he seemed surprised that he was expected to talk when introduced. Another felt that the general consensus among their group of leaders was he was “completely out of his league.” 

Former superintendent, Mary Hendricks-Harris, shared: “The more people research, the more evident it becomes that there was a reason the severance agreement was necessary. I also know several people who had firsthand experiences with Dr. Dominguez during the transition and believe he was in over his head."

• Dominguez Start Delayed (June 27): The district issued an announcement that Dr. Dominguez’s start had been delayed due to “unforeseen circumstances.” A flurry of closed meetings with lawyers ensued.

• Dominguez Resignation (July 31): The district issued a public statement, stating simply that Dominguez had resigned, allowing him “to pursue opportunities that better align with the current needs of his family.” The vote to accept the separation agreement was unanimous (7-0).

Former Director Cook, like many, was incensed. He took to Facebook almost immediately to question the payout listed in the separation agreement—nearly $230,000!

The resignation set off a flurry of activity. Shocked—and finding no answers from their board—community members and reporters alike began scouring the separation agreement, finding hints at a dispute and settlement (more on this in our next post) but little else. Soon, they began digging further into Dominguez's background. It wasn’t long before concerning allegations surfaced:

• Settlements or NDAs involving women under Dominguez’s leadership.

• A rocky transition in his previous role.

• Controversy over attempted school closings.

• Mismanagement of millions in ESSER funds.

In the weeks that followed, as the community sorted fact from fiction, it became clear that the fast-track had not served us well. Even the consultants themselves admitted the process was rushed and deviated from standard protocols. Superintendent “search season” typically runs October–March, with most candidates well into the interview process before ours even started. The FHSD process (3 months!) was completed in less than half the typical timeframe. Many districts would have named an interim and planned a full search for the fall, but—true to form—the FHSD5 instead prioritized speed over diligence.

Whether it was this timing or the board leanings, we now know that the pool of candidates was, indeed, lacking, and the extensive background check missed pertinent concerns with the candidate’s past performance. 

Next week in Post III: What of these allegations? Are they baseless rumors spun out of an information vacuum—or do they point to deeper issues? Will we ever completely know fact from fiction?