Dundee names new interim superintendent

DUNDEE—The Dundee school board appointed Laurie Hopkins-Halbert, the current elementary school principal, as an interim superintendent effective January 2014, during their workshop and special meeting Thursday, July 25. This comes as a response to Superintendent Kathy Ring’s recent announcement to retire next year. Hopkins-Halbert’s term as interim superintendent is set to expire in June of 2014.
“The decision was made that Laurie would become the interim effective Jan. 3,” Ring said. “In the meantime I was directed to begin a search to advertise for the position of superintendent as well as begin the search for an interim elementary principal.” Ring said there was not an interim elementary principal decided upon at the meeting. She said the notices for each position went out Friday, July 26. Ring said the board is still in discussions as far as what qualifications a candidate would need to be selected.
“They are in the process of really narrowing that down,” Ring said. “We had a workshop following the board meeting where they were talking about what their priorities were and what the qualities and characteristics of the incoming superintendent should be. That is a work in progress.”
Ring said Hopkins-Halbert is welcome to apply for a permanent appointment to the position, with the board being open to promoting within the district. She said while there are many benefits to doing that, the board felt they needed to start a search to see who would make the best administrator and can offer the most to the district.
Ring said the board wants the newly appointed permanent superintendent to be selected by July of 2014. She said the interim appointment is a first step and the board still has time to look at their options before selecting a permanent replacement for superintendent.
In other business:
• Casey Allen was appointed as a health and vocational skills teacher for a probationary period of two years starting Sept. 1.
• Anne Verdino was appointed to the position of speech pathologist for a probationary period of three years starting Sept. 1.
The next meeting of the Dundee school board is Thursday, Aug. 8 at 6 p.m. in the public meeting room.