CHIMACUM — The Chimacum School Board will interview six finalists for district superintendent on Saturday, with the intent of hiring for the position by the next Friday.
“We hope to have this all over, if not by the end of next week, soon after that, if we can,” said board member Quentin Goodrich of Port Ludlow.
The new superintendent will succeed Mike Blair, who is retiring in June after seven years at the helm of the district that serves about 1,130 students.
Narrowed field
The School Board narrowed the field from 12 to six candidates Wednesday night, Goodrich said, adding there were 26 total applicants.
Interviews of the six semifinalists will take place from 8:45 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday in the Chimacum High School Library, 91 West Valley Road.
The public is invited to the interviews.
The six semifinalists are:
• Clayton Mork, assistant superintendent in instructional support services at Bainbridge Island School District. Mork holds a doctorate.
• Mellody Matthis, executive director of human resources at Oak Harbor School District. Matthis also holds a doctorate.
• Larry Johnson, superintendent of Darrington School District, northeast of Seattle.
• Mike Johnson, director of teaching and learning, special programs and human resources at South Whidbey School District.
• Craig Downs, Woodland School District assistant superintendent.
• Tom Churchill, Hood Canal School District superintendent.
After each candidate undergoes an hour-long interview Saturday, the board will select two or three finalists.
Those candidates will visit the district Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday next week.
On the day each one visits, the finalists will tour the campus from 10 a.m. to noon, when they will share lunch with the district staff.
They will meet administrators from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. and meet with secondary staff at 2:30 p.m.
At 3:30, they will meet with elementary school staff.
At 5 p.m., they will meet with the community at the high school library.
The School Board will conduct a final interview in closed executive session at 6 p.m. at Nemo’s Restaurant at the Inn at Port Hadlock.
The board may schedule a special meeting after the final interview Thursday, but that has not been decided.
The district has a $11.5 million annual budget and 68 certificated staff and 79 classified staff.
________
Port Townsend-Jefferson County Editor Jeff Chew can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at jeff.chew@peninsuladailynews.com.
