Superintendent candidates to run interview gauntlet this week

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Working out the logistics of the interviews for the superintendent's job were Perry school board members, clockwise from left, Director Marjean Gries, President Kyle Baxter, Director Kenia Alarcon, Vice President Jim Lutmer, Secretary Kent Bultman and Director Linda Andorf.

The search for a new superintendent of schools to lead the Perry Community School District reaches a crucial stage this week, with six applicants for the position visiting Perry and answering questions for five separate interviewing committees.

Interviews will alternate with a tour of the Perry community, visits to the district’s schools and meals and informal breaks. The Perry position attracted 17 applicants, according to the school board, which screened the applications and narrowed the number making the first cut down to six.

The applicants’ visits will be spread over three days, Tuesday, March 28, Wednesday, March 29 and Thursday, March 30.

The interviewing committees have spent the last few weeks preparing interview questions. Four of the committees are drawn from within the school system and represent the different divisions of labor within the district: teachers, department heads, administrators and school board members.

The committee of teachers is composed of nine faculty members: Perry Elementary School teachers Jenny Adair, Adam Kealhofer, Cynthia Miner and Julie Elliott; Perry Middle School teachers Charlotte McDonald and Angie Beaudet; and Perry High School teachers Kris Finn, Tami valine and Tina Kenney.

The committee of department directors contains eight members: Rich Nichols from the industrial technology department, Gail McFarlin from nutrition, Kevin McLaughlin from buildings and grounds, Mary Hillman from the PACES after school programs, Tenille Perez from the office and administrative staff, Troy Griffith from transportation and paraeducators Cheri Rinner and Patty Kelleher.

Seven members make up the committee of administrators: Perry High School Principal Dan Marburger, Perry Middle School Associate Principal Carol Ryerson, Perry Elementary School Co-Principals Ned Menke and Joel Martin, Support Services Director Laura Skeel, Curriculum Director Kevin Vidergar and St. Patrick School Principal Eddie Diaz.

The five members of the Perry Community School District Board of Directors compose the interview committee with the ultimate responsibility for offering the position to one of the candidates. The members of the Perry school board are President Kyle Baxter, Vice President Jim Lutmer and Directors Kenia Alarcon, Linda Andorf and Marjean Gries.

A fifth interview committee is composed of community members and parents with a stake in the quality of Perry’s schools and the overall welfare of the community. Paula Nelson and Dean Berkland are co-chairing the community committee, with other members including Connie Saenz, Julie Walstrom, Sven Peterson, Lila Modlin, Karen Einck and others.

Marburger, who has been through five previous superintendent searches, informally advises the community committee on some of the procedural and legal machinery involved in the interviewing process.

The school board is expected to make a hiring decision late this week or next week.

Some members of the committee of community members and parents include, clockwise from left, Connie Saenz, Julie Walstrom, Paula Nelson, Dean Berkland, PHS Principal and committee advisor Dan Marburger, Sven Peterson, Lila Modlin, Karen Einck and Kathrine Vancil. Several other members of the committee were unable to attend Sunday’s meeting.

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