Finalists selected in super search
Three candidates have been selected to
interview for the Whitefish School District superintendent vacancy.
The School Board of Trustees met Tuesday evening to narrow down the
list of 22 applicants from 11 states based on who most closely
matched criteria set by the board.
Finalists selected include Kathryn
Orozco, Robert Gratz and JT Stroder.
Orozco is the associate superintendent
in North Platte, Neb. There are about 4,100 students in the
district, including 10 elementary schools, two middle schools, a
high school and an alternative high school.
Gratz is the superintendent in
Hackettstown, N.J. There are two elementary schools, a middle
school and a high school in the district that has about 2,000
students.
Stroder is the superintendent in
Ingram, Texas. The district has about 1,000 students in an
elementary school, middle school and a high school.
Board president Pat Jarvi said they are
pleased with the interview process so far.
“It’s been going very well,” Jarvi
said. “We think we have three very strong candidates.”
Some of the board’s criteria used to
narrow down the candidates included experience with curriculum,
21st century learning, school construction and having the ability
to lead strategic planning.
The school district retained the
services of McPherson & Jacobson to assist in conducting their
search. The recruitment company trimmed the 22 applicants down to
six for the board to review at the March 22 work session.
Interviews of the three finalists are
scheduled for April 4-6 and the board will make a selection by
April 12. The new superintendent will assume duties July 1.
Jarvi noted that the public is “more
than welcome” to attend the final interviews.
Superintendent Interview schedule
8 a.m. – Welcome by president Pat Jarvi
(board meeting room)
8:15 - 9:15 a.m. - Coffee with business
and community leaders (board meeting room)
9:30 - 10:30 a.m. - Meet with
administrative staff (board meeting room)
10:45 - 11:30 a.m. - Building tour of
Whitefish High School
11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. - Meet students
/ lunch at high school (band room B16)
12:35 - 1:00 p.m. - Tour of Whitefish
Independent High School
1:10 - 3 p.m. - Tour of elementary
school, community and break
3:00 - 3:40 p.m. - Tour of middle
school, administrative offices
3:45 - 4:30 p.m. - Meet with certified
and classified staff (board meeting room)
4:45 - 5:30 p.m. - Meet with parents
/community (board meeting room)
5:30 - 6:00 p.m. - Break
6:00 - 7:30 p.m. - Dinner with board
(Lodge at Whitefish Lake)
7:30 - 8:00 p.m. - Break
8:00 p.m. - Formal interview (Ballroom
in Lodge at Whitefish Lake)