The Snohomish School District School Board is interviewing five candidates this week to be the next superintendent.
Longtime Superintendent Bill Mester is retiring at the end of the school year, ending a 43-year career in education. He earns a $234,820 base salary and $284,813 in total compensation.
The school board scheduled interviews three Washington hopefuls and two candidates from other states Wednesday and Thursday. They hope to replace Mester.
Among the hopefuls are Marysville School District Superintendent Becky Berg, Executive Director of Schools for the Bellevue School District John Harrison and Lake Chelan School District Superintendent Rob Manahan.
The board has also brought in Duluth Public Schools Superintendent Bill Gronseth from Duluth, Minnesota, and Helena Schools Superintendent Kent Kultgen from Helena, Montana.
After the interviews, the board is expected to narrow the five candidates to three finalists.
It tentatively plans to hold public forums so people can meet the finalists during the week of March 21. Once they are selected, the district will schedule the meetings based on their availability.
The district has an annual operating budget of about $113 million. It serves more than 10,000 students and has a graduation rate of about 84 percent, according to data from state superintendent’s office.
The district includes two high schools, an alternative high school, two middle schools and 10 elementary schools.
Amy Nile: 425-339-3192; anile@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @AmyNileReports.
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