We’ve written here before that school board members are facing a public crisis of confidence. In recent months multiple administrative failings have come to light — from a slipshod approach to the district’s transportation contract to a possibly criminal bungling of its response to lead contamination in water at Summit Elementary School.

In the aftermath the board hasn’t been shy about lambasting former administrators for their failings — and in the short term, that’s actually quite refreshing. But board members are fooling themselves if they believe trashing former employees will restore public confidence.

The good news for board members is that their ongoing superintendent search presents a fantastic opportunity to mend the district’s relationship with the public.

To do that effectively the process must remain public and transparent. Here’s how that can be achieved.

Board members should let Templeton Advantage produce a selection of candidates. Those candidates should then be trimmed down to a list of finalists, whose names should be made public. The finalists should then be invited to public meetings to answer questions from the community.

If that seems like too much of a circuslike atmosphere, there are good reasons for doing things this way.

First, it hinges upon a concept that teachers and students should be very familiar with: showing your work. If this is to be a nationwide search for a new top administrator, board members need to demonstrate what criteria they followed in winnowing down the pool of candidates.

Members have spoken a lot about the qualities they prefer in candidates for the position. That’s a good start, but how are those intangibles going to be balanced against more objective criteria, like curriculum expertise and administrative experience?

The public won’t know — or trust the process — unless it is open and honest.

Second, involving the community in the search is vital, but appointing a select committee and calling it public engagement won’t get the job done. There’s no reason the process can’t be open to anyone who is interested in participating. And there’s no reason committed finalists for the position should be unwilling to engage with the community in which they want to work.

In fact, to get the most participation possible there’s no reason the district can’t solicit direct feedback using its website. What qualities do district residents most value in a school administrator? Post an answer form online now and report the results as the search process continues.

The final decision in this matter falls to board members. But the selection of a top administrator for the district has a trickle-down effect on everything from academic excellence and community relations to employee morale. Nearly everyone has a vested interest in the process.

The district has a leadership and communication problem to overcome. Board members seem to understand that, and are off to a strong start with meetings and public conversations about this process. But finishing strong is what really matters.