Albert Lea superintendent 1 of 6 to be interviewed for Duluth superintendent job
Published 9:16 pm Thursday, March 12, 2020
Albert Lea Area Schools Superintendent Mike Funk this week was named as one of six candidates selected to be interviewed for the position of Duluth school district superintendent.
The candidates were chosen from 20 applications and approved Tuesday by the Duluth School Board to bring in for interviews, according to information provided on the school district’s website.
Applications were reviewed and candidates were pre-interviewed by search firm BWP & Associates. The board on Tuesday reviewed candidate qualifications, education and experience, and names of the candidates were released on Wednesday.
“We have a strong slate of candidates and look forward to meeting them and hearing from them next week,” said board Chairwoman Jill Lofald on the website.
In addition to Funk, other candidates invited to interview are the following:
• James Wagner, superintendent of schools for Johnson County School District in Buffalo, Wyoming
• Fabby Williams, school support officer and area superintendent for Guilford County Schools in Greensboro, North Carolina
• Greg Pilewski, deputy superintendent of Queen Anne’s County Public Schools in Centreville, Maryland
• John Magas, associated superintendent of continuous improvement for Green Bay Area Public Schools in Green Bay, Wisconsin
• Ron Wagner, associate superintendent of Minneapolis Public Schools in Minneapolis
Interviews are tentatively scheduled to take place March 19 and 20.
Following the first round of interviews, the board is expected to select two or three candidates for additional interviews March 24 through March 26.
The board is searching for a new superintendent after current Duluth Superintendent Bill Gronseth in March 2019 announced he would not seek another contract after his contract expires in June 2020.
He said he announced the decision early to give the board ample time to engage in a thorough search process for a new superintendent.
He had served in the position since early 2012.
Funk has served as superintendent in Albert Lea since 2009.
He started his career in the Dover-Eyota School District as a social studies teacher and then served as principal at Pepin High School in Pepin, Wisconsin, and superintendent of BOLD Schools in Olivia before coming to Albert Lea.
Funk said as the longest-serving superintendent in the Big Nine, he is often contacted by recruiters about opportunities. The vast majority of them he does not consider, but he said “Duluth is a district with great potential searching for a strong leader, and presents a significant professional growth opportunity.”
“We have done great things in Albert Lea, as we have built a quality leadership team of administrators and teachers throughout the district,” Funk said. “We also have a very good school board under the leadership of Dave Klatt. I am comfortable interviewing for this position as we have postured the district for future success regardless of the outcome.”