Public can attend school interviews
The Central Valley school board reversed last week’s decision to keep the superintendent interviews closed to the public during a special meeting on Wednesday.
The preliminary interviews beginning at 4 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday will now be open to the public. The final interviews will still be conducted behind closed doors in executive session.
The seven candidates:
•James Busey, superintendent, Lake Chelan School District
•Debra Howard, interim superintendent, East Valley School District
•Richard Jones, superintendent, Burlington-Edison School District
•Pete Lewis, superintendent, Clarkston School District
•Mick Miller, superintendent, Deer Park School District
•Ben Small, superintendent, Columbia School District, Burbank, Wash.
•Terrie Vanderwegen, executive director of learning and teaching, Central Valley School District
Both Howard and Lewis are also finalists for the East Valley School District superintendent position.
During last week’s regular meeting, board member Cindy McMullen made a motion to open all the interviews to the public. The motion died after no one seconded it. Board member Anne Long was absent from the meeting and requested the second meeting so she could have some input, McMullen said. The quickly called meeting was announced on the board of directors section of the district’s Web site.
“Anne explained her perspective, which was very similar to what I had said last week,” she said. “As we talked about the focus of the legislature, the Attorney General’s Office and others on open meetings and transparency, we all agreed it made sense to have the preliminary interviews in public.
“I think it had more to do with the fact that we agreed the community should have the opportunity to hear from all the candidates that will be interviewed. I think part of it was we had more time to think about it, too.”
McMullen’s initial motion would have opened up all the interviews, while the board’s most recent decision only opens up the preliminary interviews. “They did talk about it briefly and decided they would leave the final interviews closed,” said district spokeswoman Melanie Rose.
The board received 18 applications and voted to invite seven for preliminary interviews. “We’re looking for an open and collaborative leadership style,” McMullen said. The board also looked at their ability to communicate, listening skills, the ability to make decisions and knowledge of current K-12 issues and best practices. “Things you would ask of any CEO – integrity, honesty, experience that prepares you for this job and a willingness to be an active member of the community.
“We had 18 highly qualified candidates. I don’t know that you can pinpoint any one thing about those who are being asked in for the preliminary round of interviews. It’s a combination of their experience and their approach to the community and the educational issues.”
The board will have a special meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday to narrow the field to three finalists. Each finalist will return for a full day of interviews and tours, set for April 15-17. Community forums will be held each of those days from 5 to 6 p.m. at Central Valley High School, 821 S. Sullivan Road. The public will be able to ask questions during the forums.
The board expects to decide on retiring Superintendent Mike Pearson’s replacement during a special meeting at 7 a.m. on April 18.