PORT TOWNSEND — The selection of an interim superintendent for the 2010-2011 school year begins today, when School Board Chairman Bobby DuBois is scheduled to discuss the next steps with consultant Dennis Ray.
In a search to replace Superintendent Tom Opstad, the board was interviewing three finalists selected at a meeting May 8, but two withdrew from consideration before the board was able to select a final candidate.
On Monday night, DuBois said the board “did a lot of work on short notice, but in the end we did not have enough time to make a decision.”
DuBois’ call to Ray represents a change in strategy, replacing consultant John Fotheringham, who had shepherded the process so far.
Both consultants work for Northwest Leadership Services, which was selected for the search over two other firms.
The board is contracted to pay the firm $8,000 for the search but has not yet been billed for services.
At Monday’s meeting, school activist Bill LeMaster suggested the new search be more imaginative and perhaps hire two interim superintendents to handle different tasks.
“We have a lot of resources in this community,” LeMaster said. “There are a lot of retired people living here, and we could turn that to our advantage.”
DuBois said he hoped the interim superintendent “will help us move forward as a district and will not just be a placeholder for a year.”
“During this process, I was impressed by the level of the candidates and how the community responded to them,” board member Beth Young said.
This was seconded by DuBois, who said “it brought us all into more contact with the community members, and we are better off for that.”
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Jefferson County Reporter Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at charlie.bermant@peninsuladailynews.com.