Superintendent Candidates Winnowed

Fifty-five people from across the nation have applied to become Central Valley School District’s next superintendent.

Some candidates hail from the East Coast and some are from the South, but the majority come from west of the Mississippi River, said Cynthia McMullen, president of the Central Valley school board.

Only one candidate is from Spokane County: interim superintendent Wally Stanley.

Some people have asked board members why they are conducting a nationwide search when Stanley is eager to take on the job.

“We’re committed to finding the very best superintendent for Central Valley,” she said. “At the time we asked Wally to be interim superintendent, he was not certain he’d be an applicant.”

The search could cost the district as much as $30,000.

PNR Associates, the consulting firm chosen by the board to help with the search, has set a range of $12,300 to $14,500 for its fee. Estimated costs for expenses are $9,000 to $14,000. If board members travel during the course of the search, expenses could go higher.

Last week, the board asked PNR Associates to interview the top 14 candidates. The board will meet with the consultants on Monday to further narrow the field.

Board members will interview candidates early in March. Finalists will be invited in to meet with teachers and the public. The board hopes to announce the new superintendent by April 1.

No salary has been set for the position. Pay will be negotiated with the new superintendent, McMullen said.

As interim superintendent, Stanley is paid $88,000.

, DataTimes