MANCHESTER — The search for a new superintendent for the state’s largest school district got off to a quick start Monday, with a school board subcommittee voting to send out proposals for firms to assist in the process by the end of the month.

The vote, at the first meeting of the Board of School Committee’s superintendent search subcommittee, followed a presentation from Mayor Ted Gatsas, who said he spent much of the past weekend interviewing officials in Portland, Maine about their recent superintendent search and compiling a packet of materials for the subcommittee.

“I believe this is the most important position not only in the school district but the city,” Gatsas told the five-member panel, adding “the status quo won’t work. We need to do a national search.”

Several members of the committee echoed the need for a national scope for the search for a new district chief after Superintendent Thomas Brennan steps down at the end of this school year.

The school board chose Brennan four years ago after a months-long search that was conducted by the New Hampshire School Boards Association.

Portland hired a recruiting company to conduct its superintendent search last year. The district ended up selecting the assistant superintendent of the Philadelphia district.

Portland’s search cost $58,450, which, in addition to the $24,000 that went to the consulting firm ProAct, included costs such as flying the candidates to Portland and meals.

Gatsas said he believed Manchester’s search could be conducted for about $40,000. He said he was working with foundations and business groups, including the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce, to get outside funding for the search.

Gatsas’ assistance was welcomed by members of the search committee.

“I think we’re going in the right direction,” said board member Art Beaudry, who was on the 2008 search committee, after the meeting.

“We’re going with a national firm. The last one (the school board association) was too collegial. We didn’t get the objective perspective we need in this situation.”

Members of the panel agreed to come up with a list of important criteria for the new superintendent to present at a future meeting.

“I know this was done last time, but I think we need to think about this in light of the challenges we’re facing currently,” board member Erika Connors said.

The district has been struggling since the start of the school year to deal with crowded classes that have prompted Hooksett and other neighboring districts to reconsider sending their students to Manchester high schools.

The other members of the subcommittee are Ted Rokas, its chairman, Roger Beauchamp and Debra Gagnon Langton, who also was on the 2008 search committee.

Beaudry said he already had an idea of the kind of person he wants to take the helm of the district. “We’re going to want someone who is truly going to advocate for their positions and not worry about the political ramifications, somebody who’s going to be wiling to stand on their own two feet,” he said.

Langton, who like Beaudry has often clashed with Brennan, said she also wanted a strong advocate for the schools, “even when that calls for him to say we need more school funding, because I don’t want to see a start of the school year like we’re seeing now.”

tsiefer@unionleader.com