USC board to hire search firm for superintendent

Published 12:00 am Thursday, January 9, 2003

WELLS &045; After filling its interim superintendent position, the next step for United South Central School District is to find a new full-time superintendent.

The school board is trying to rebuild the image of the district after difficult contract negotiation between the district and teachers was followed by the investigation of the former superintendent, Frank Lorentz, for undisclosed matters. After the investigation was complete, Lorentz resigned, and the district now has some rebuilding to do.

An interim superintendent has come in to work through the rest of the school year, but the search for a full-time superintendent is in the beginning stages.

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A committee to hire a superintendent includes board members Ron Korn, John Skare and Corey Olson. They met on Tuesday night for the first time and decided to get some outside help in their search.

&uot;We’re going to use a search firm,&uot; Korn said. &uot;We decided to go with a firm, rather than doing it ourselves. These kind of people do best in these situations.&uot;

The board has not yet hired a consulting firm, but Korn said they plan to look for firms at next week’s Minnesota State School Board Association’s convention.

Korn said they hope to start advertising for the position soon. He said he’d like to start preliminary interviews in March.

The full board will get involved when the applicant pool is cut down and interviews begin, according to Korn.

Hopeful of getting the new superintendent on board before the end of the school year, Korn said he’d like to have both the interim superintendent, Donald Berkland, and the new one work together. Berkland has 28 years of experience as a superintendent in districts similar in size to USC.

&uot;Our goal, at least mine personally, is to get someone who could work with Don,&uot; Korn said. &uot;He is very experienced and can show the new guy the ropes.&uot;

Korn hopes that Berkland can provide the district with some great leadership and help them to get adjusted. &uot;He’s there to help us get through the school year and I think he’s going to help us get through the search.&uot;