The search for Cheney School District’s next superintendent in underway.
Current superintendent Dr. Deb Clemens, who took over for Larry Keller in 2013, has accepted a job at the North Thurston School District. After her contract with Cheney is finished in June, she will start at North Thurston July 1.
At a March 29 meeting, the Cheney School Board agreed to an open competitive search for Clemens’ replacement. NEWESD 101 will assist the school board in the candidate search.
“We’re going to cast the net wide and hopefully get the best candidate to be the next superintendent,” Cheney School Board vice president Suzanne Dolle said at the meeting.
NEWESD 101 has already posted a full brochure on their website and Cheney School District’s webpage detailing the requirements and challenges for the superintendent position.
NEWESD 101 superintendent Mike Dunn said the information was distributed to every superintendent in Washington state and across the United States. It was also posted on the Washington Association of School Administrators’ website, which lists job openings in school administrations. He added that current Cheney School District staff can apply for the superintendent position.
“Anyone with superintendent credentials who meets the school board’s requirements can apply,” Dunn said.
Some of the requirements for the position include
• a master’s degree and Washington State Superintendent credentials,
• a familiarity with school law, finance, curriculum and school and district improvement, and the legislative process,
• knowledge and understanding of current preK-12 issues and best practices, including knowledge of education reform in Washington state and the nation, and of accountability requirements at both the state and federal levels.
Candidates do not have to have prior school superintendent experience or a doctorate. The candidate chosen for the superintendent position is expected to move within Cheney School District’s boundaries.
According to Dunn, candidates must submit their application by April 25. Once applications are collected, the board, with assistance from NEWESD 101, will narrow down the candidate pool to five semifinalists and invite them for interviews on May 5. Three finalists will be selected and invited to visit the district in May 9, 10 and 12.
“The finalists will have one full day in the community,” Dunn said. “They’ll tour the district and meet with staff, students, parents and community groups.”
Selection of Cheney’s new superintendent and contract finalization is scheduled on the week of May 16. The new superintendent will start July 1.
In a March 31 Cheney Free Press story, Clemens, who was also a finalist for the open Edmonds School District superintendent position, said the reason she sought job opportunities on the western part of the state was because her husband Jeff, accountant manager at SuperValu, has been traveling more frequently from Cheney to the company’s regional office in Tacoma.
“We realized it would be best for our family if we moved to the west side,” Clemens said in the story.
Al Stover can be reached at [email protected].
Reader Comments(0)