Interim superintendent will get first crack at top job

Interim Superintendent Jeannie Dwyer will get a chance to apply for the top job in May.

After a motion was made to appoint Dwyer during the March 12 meeting was voided, when it was presented out of the context to agenda item 6 and in violation of open meeting laws, a special meeting was held on March 21, to clear up the motion.

During the March 21 meeting, a motion was made to move forward with the hiring of a new Superintendent and to create a procedure in doing so.

Trustee Doug Englekirk made a motion to go through the process of interviewing 13 candidates who have already applied for the position and if the board disapproves of the applicants, then a national search firm will be considered.

In addition to Englekirk’s motion, trustee Wagstaff amended the motion by suggesting that Dwyer have an opportunity to apply and be interviewed at the next board meeting in May before the other candidates.

The amendment was seconded by trustee Carey Kangas and approved 4-3 with Kangas, Wagstaff, Gilkerson, and Englekirk in favor. Trustees Susan Jansen, David Burns, and Katherine Dickerson opposed.

A hearing on a records lawsuit against the school district is scheduled to be heard in district court today.

The lawsuit was filed in August seeking emails between four trustees.