The search for the next Richmond school superintendent got off to a slow start last night before a sparse crowd at Thomas Jefferson High School.

The message, more than the number of people on hand to contribute to it, was the important thing, said School Board Chairman George P. Braxton II.

"While the board recognizes that ultimately we are elected to make this decision, we want to hear what the public has to say," he said.

With that in mind, the board scheduled four public forums to solicit input for the search to replace Deborah Jewell-Sherman. She announced last month her intention to leave the school system by the time her contract expires at the end of June 2009.

The key components in which the public can participate, Braxton said, are determining what challenges the next superintendent will face and what skills are needed to meet those challenges, as well as helping determine what the community can offer a new superintendent.

The information gathered at the four sessions will be forwarded to the 15-person search committee Braxton created to help the board find candidates. The committee will begin its work next month.

--Zachary Reid