Opportunities for public feedback at superintendent interviews

Community members will have a chance to watch interviews with the Blaine school district’s superintendent candidates and give the school board feedback on the interviews on August 10 and 12.

Current Blaine superintendent Ron Spanjer is retiring at the end of the month, and the Blaine school district board of directors is considering three candidates to replace him.

At a public meeting on Saturday, August 10, the Blaine school board will interview each of the three candidates for an hour. That meeting starts at 10 a.m. in the school district administrative office at 765 H Street. A meeting schedule is posted on the district’s website.

Those who watch the interviews can let the board know their thoughts during an open discussion between 2:15 and 3:15 p.m. After that, the board will discuss candidates in a closed executive session from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m., according to a press release from the school district.

Then, at 4:30 p.m., the board will start an open session in which it will announce more information about the second round of interviews, on Monday, August 12.

At that round of interviews, anyone who wants to will have the opportunity to ask the candidates questions during “stakeholder interviews.” The community interviews will last an hour each and take place at 10 a.m., 11:15 a.m., and 12:30 p.m., all in the Performing Arts Center, 975 H Street.

Elsewhere on campus, candidates will rotate through interviews with school staff, administrators and the school board.

At 3:15 p.m., the school board will meet in executive session in the district office to review feedback from the stakeholder groups and consider the candidates. After that, the board could resume an open regular session before 5 p.m. to take action on hiring a candidate, or it may recess after 5 p.m. and resume at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, August 14. The board could also decide to hire an interim candidate and continue its search.

During the August 12 executive session, the board will make announcements periodically about its anticipated timeline for calling an open session, in which it would take action. The board cannot take action in a closed executive session.

For planning purposes, the district is asking members of the public to notify the district office if they plan to attend the interview sessions on August 10 or 12.

For additional information, please contact the district office at 360/332-5881.