PORT TOWNSEND — Six semifinalists for the Port Townsend superintendent position will be interviewed by a community panel on Saturday.
Late Monday, the Port Townsend School Board announced the six names.
They are:
• Thomas Churchill, superintendent, Hood Canal School District, Shelton.
• Robert “Rob” Clark, superintendent, Cascade School District, Leavenworth.
• Robert Corley, principal, Montesano Junior/Senior High School, and former superintendent at Evergreen Public Schools, Flagler County Public Schools and Fife Public Schools.
• William Evans, former superintendent, Lopez Island School District.
• Mellody Matthes, executive director of human resources, Oak Harbor School District.
• Jeff Sweeney, superintendent, Fillmore Unified School District, Fillmore, Calif.
They were culled from 26 applications for the position that will be vacated at the end of this school year by Superintendent Tom Opstad, who announced in March that he will lead the Aberdeen School District next school year after five years in Port Townsend.
The semifinalists will participate in a public vetting process at 9 a.m. Saturday at the Blue Heron Middle School, 3939 San Juan Ave.
Parents, teachers and students have been invited as active participants.
The public will be allowed to watch the interviews, although they will not necessarily be allowed to ask questions or provide feedback at that time.
After Saturday’s interviews, the board will convene in an executive session and cut the applicant field in half.
The remaining three will meet the public before the expected final selection on May 17.
The district’s search consultant, John Fotheringham of Northwest Leadership Associates of Mount Vernon, said both a high number and a high quality of applicants are seeking the post.
Last month, he had predicted that about 20 people would apply.
Fotheringham, who has eight people in his firm, contacts potential candidates and encourages them to apply.
He said he was acquainted with all of the applicants, and favored some over the others.
The School Board met in closed session at 5 p.m. Monday to hear Fotheringham’s candidate preferences.
On Monday afternoon, board members Bobby DuBois and Beth Young were poring over the applications in the superintendent’s office.
After an hour DuBois said he had “barely made a dent” in the material.
“I think the quality of the applications will become clear and we will be able to determine the best candidates after the board has discussed their qualifications,” DuBois said.
Opstad’s last day with the Port Townsend district will be June 30, and the new superintendent is expected to be in place the following day, July 1.
The names of the six semifinalists were to be posted on the district’s Web site, www.ptschools.org.
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Jefferson County Reporter Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at charlie.bermant@peninsuladailynews.com.