The Baltimore City school board is reaching out to the community for input in the search for the next district leader.

Current schools' CEO, Dr. Sonja Santelises, will step down next June at the end of the school year after a decade of leadership.

The school board is hosting a series of meetings to ask the community what they want in the next district CEO. They will develop a candidate profile based on input from community members.

"The next CEO would want to concentrate on retention efforts, the students who are not in school, and I think this CEO and this administration did a good job getting students back in school," said Baltimore resident Ori Shabazz.

The school board wants to know what qualities, experiences, and priorities they expect in the district's next leader. The board is partnering with the Alma Advisory Group to manage the search.

"Our community is looking forward to having a leader who is going to take the baton from Dr. Santelises and run with it." Baltimore City schools board chair Robert Salley said.

The new CEO will be appointed by July 2026.

Wednesday's session, held at Patterson Park High School in Southeast Baltimore, was all about public engagement.

Community members split into breakout groups to talk about what they would like to see for the future of Baltimore City schools.

"We're excited because we're getting a chance to participate in something unique. We're going to have our voice heard," said Baltimore City Public Schools Commissioner Kwame' Jamal Kenyatta-Bey.

The meetings allow parents, students, and staff to lend their voices and help shape the future of the school district.

"The board is changing, we're changing leadership, but we're changing culture, and we're growing," Kenyatta-Bey said.

With more forums on the schedule, Ori Shabazz says that showing up at the forums is one way everyone can support the youth.

"We have to show that we care about them, and then we'll see a response in terms of their achievements and their behaviors," Shabazz said.

Community members still have the chance to show up at forums Thursday evening at Baltimore Polytechnic Institute, Friday at Furley Elementary School, and Saturday at Calvin M. Rodwell.

Baltimore City school leaders seek community input on CEO search