By Jamie Ausk Crisafulli
Ranger-Review Staff Writer
Keith Bausman, the candidate for Glendive Public Schools superintendent who was scheduled to have his second interview next week, has indicated that he does not want to continue with the hiring process.
Joe Brott with the Montana School Boards Association, who is aiding the school district in the search, said Bausman contacted him Tuesday night to say he would not be seeking the position in Glendive.
“He just said this was not the best fit for him at this time,” said Brott.
Glendive Unified School Board chairwoman Jeanne Seifert said the board will discuss how to continue the search for superintendent at its regular school board meeting scheduled for Tuesday, March 21 at 7 p.m.
Meanwhile, Brott contacted board members individually with options to consider when moving forward. They included reopening the position, looking for an interim who would serve in the position for up to a year, revisiting any internal candidate possibilities and contacting a candidate who had to withdraw because the candidate could not travel due to medical reasons at the time of the first interview process.
Seifert said Brott indicated that it is the board’s consensus that the search will be reopened to new candidates while the board simultaneously looks for an interim candidate for the position.
The position was reposted Thursday.
Brott noted that the district does not want to “get too late in the process” of looking for a superintendent, but added that he does not feel that is the case at this point.
There have been 20 superintendent openings for the 2017-18 school year in Montana, according to Brott.
Class A schools Sidney and Lewistown are among the schools who have had superintendent searches.
The number of superintendent job openings is actually down from the last two years, Brott noted. Also down are the number of applicants for any superintendent job.
“The quantity of applications have dropped off in the last few years, it doesn’t matter the size of the district,” Brott said.
The first job posting for Glendive Schools superintendent resulted in five complete applications. One current Glendive Schools employee applied, but withdrew his or her name before the screening process began. One of three candidates who was chosen to interview withdrew her name prior to the interview process.
The salary range listed for the position is $100,000 to $105,000 per year, plus benefits. The current posting will close April 7 at noon.
Board members have indicated they would also consider hiring an interim superintendent if they are unable to fill the position with a satisfactory candidate. The MTSBA keeps a list of retired administrators who have said they would be willing to serve as interim superintendent in districts needing temporary leadership.
Also a possibility, according to Brott, is a mentoring option.
If there is an individual in the district who is interested in being an administrator but is not fully certified, it is possible to bring in a retired superintendent or someone who is currently employed to mentor that individual.
Reach Jamie Ausk Crisafulli at rreditor@rangerreview.com.