School Board narrows Port Townsend superintendent candidate list to six

Published 12:01 am Wednesday, February 23, 2005

PORT TOWNSEND — School district directors have narrowed to six the field of superintendent finalists who the board will interview and introduce to the community next month.

District officials scheduled a “brown bag” lunch for superintendent candidates to meet key community members March 4 at noon in the Port Townsend High School library, 450 Fir St.

An open community meeting is also scheduled for 7:30 p.m. the same day in the Blue Heron Middle School commons, 3939 San Juan Ave.

The board narrowed down an initial list of 22 candidates, provided by Gay Selby, a hired Kelso-based search consultant.

Selection by end of March

Following the interviews, the board is expected to make a hiring recommendation either at a special meeting or at the normally scheduled meeting March 28.

The district began its search for a new superintendent earlier this year to replace the retiring Carol Andreasen, who spent the past six years as Port Townsend’s top school administrator.

Andreasen will make $97,245, which board members called competitive statewide.

The median superintendent’s pay for comparable school districts in the state was $97,252 last year.

Candidates for the position are:

* Dale R. Bowen, superintendent of Wishkah Valley School District in Aberdeen.

* Duane Lyons, superintendent of Hamilton School District in Hamilton, Mont.

* John J. Matt, superintendent of Scappoose School District in Scappoose, Ore.

* Yoshihiro “Roy” Okamoto, assistant superintendent of Bremerton School District.

* Thomas Opstad, assistant superintendent of Lynden School District.

* Susanne Walker, executive director of student services for the Shoreline School District.