Superintendent finalists down to 3

Tue., March 21, 2006

By Tom Lutey toml@spokesman.com (509) 927-2179

Freeman School District’s search for a new superintendent is down to three finalists, who will be available Thursday night to meet the public.

Two of the candidates have experience running rural school districts.

The third is a Spokane School District principal.

“The school board was looking for somebody who is good at communicating with the community, obviously. And it was important they be able to maintain progress,” said Kay Frizzell, of Education Consultants, the company hired to conduct the search.

The search to replace retiring Superintendent Bill Thurston attracted 19 applicants, but in the end the final three were all from the area.

The finalists are: Sergio Hernandez, of Tekoa; James Kowalkowski, of Pomeroy; and Roberta Kramer, of Spokane.

Hernandez has been Tekoa superintendent since 1999. He was hired from a district in Walla Walla, where he managed a $2 million program for bilingual education and Title I learning. Hernandez’s title in Walla Walla was director of academic support programs.

Kowalkowski has been the superintendent of the Pomeroy School District for seven years and directs the Rural Education Center out of Pullman.

The center does research affecting 55 rural school districts in Washington and lobbies the Legislature.

Kramer has been principal at Glover Middle School in the Spokane School District for six years. In that district, Kramer is known for building parental involvement and staff unity.

All three candidates will be at Freeman Middle School Auditorium to meet the public from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday.

The three will meet with the public, then separate to answer questions from residents one on one.

Public comment will be taken. The school board will make a decision in the coming weeks.

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