The Saline Reporter
A Heritage Newspaper
Weekly Publication
Board to interivew candidates for position
Graden among five prospects for Saline superintendent
By Brian Cox, Staff Writer
PUBLISHED: February 21, 2008
From a pool of 14 applicants, the Saline school board Tuesday night identified five candidates to interview to be the district's next superintendent.
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Scot Graden, Saline's interim superintendent, was selected to be interviewed along with Brian Metcalf, an assistant superintendent for Marshall Public Schools; Robert Glass, executive director for instruction at Birmingham Public Schools; George Przygodski, deputy superintendent for human resources and operations in Avondale Public Schools; and Catherine Ash, deputy superintendent for Okemos Public Schools.
Michael Emlaw, a consultant with the Michigan Association of School Boards contracted by the district to conduct a nationwide search, reviewed the candidates with the board, assigning each applicant a number to ensure confidentiality.
Only one applicant made each board member's short list. Three candidates appeared on six of the board members' lists and one candidate made the cut after some discussion.
"We have a nice pool of candidates," said Board of Education President Lisa Slawson. "I think we're seeing some real good people."
Slawson attributed the low number of applicants to the state's economy and the current demand for superintendents in Washtenaw County.
"I think given the fact that the economy here is so poor, it led people from out of state to reconsider applying," she said.
In conducting the last superintendent search two years ago, the board selected to interview three candidates from a field of 21 applicants.
The school board initiated its search for a new superintendent in November to replace Superintendent Beverley Geltner, who in the face of a controversy and a potential investigation offered her resignation effective June 30 in exchange for remaining on paid administrative leave through the remainder of the school year.
The board named Graden interim superintendent.
To aid in the search, the board enlisted the Michigan Association of School Boards at a cost of $6,500, plus expenses that were estimated to come in below $1,500.
The candidates will be interviewed in forums open to the public March 3, 4 and 5 at the middle school media center.
Metcalf will be interviewed 6:30 p.m. March 3 followed by Glass at 8 p.m.
Przygodski will be interviewed 6:30 p.m. March 4 and Graden will be interviewed at 8 p.m.
Ash will be interviewed 7:30 p.m. March 5.
The school board hopes to make its final selection at its March 25 meeting.
The new superintendent is expected to start work July 1.
Staff Writer Brian Cox can be reached at 429-7380 or bcox@heritage.com.
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