Thursday, March 28, 2024

Byron poised to choose new superintendent

Byron’s school board members are expected to decide on who they want to be the district’s next superintendent on Friday.

Last week the board chose five finalists from 13 applicants for interviews.

The five candidates include:

Theodore Ihns, superintendent, Howard-Winneshiek Schools, Cresco, Iowa

Craig Ihrke, superintendent, Caledonia Area Schools, Caledonia, Minn.

Dawn Lueck, principal, Winona Public Schools, Winona, Minn.

Shane Monson, principal, Morris Area Schools, Morris, Minn.

Michael Neubeck, principal, Mahtomedi Public Schools, Mahtomedi, Minn.

Candidates chosen for a second interview will meet with the board at a special meeting beginning at 11:55 a.m. Friday.

Following the interviews board members will further discuss the finalists and, if appropriate, will decide on their choice for superintendent.

Board members have said they would like the superintendent search and a contract offered by Monday, May 3. The board has scheduled a work session, a special meeting and a closed meeting for that day.

A final decision is dependent on successful contract negotiations with the candidate.

The Friday meeting, and the work session and special meeting on Monday are all open to the public. Because of guidelines from the Minnesota Department of Health, the boardroom will have reduced capacity for attendance.

The new superintendent will replace Dr. Joey Page who will leave the position at the end of June to assume new duties as the superintendent of the Austin Public Schools.

It has been a busy time for board members as they not only search for a new superintendent and also prepare for a bond election scheduled for Tuesday, May 11.

The district is asking voters to approve two separate questions.

The first question authorizes the district to issue general obligation bonds in an amount not to exceed $29,700,000 for improvements to accessibility and safety at Byron High School; electrical, mechanical and building updates and replacements at the District Administration and Community Services Building; addition and equipping of classrooms at Byron High School; updates to Byron High School and Byron Middle School athletic facilities; updates to kitchen facilities at Byron Middle School, Byron Intermediate School and the District and Administration and Community Services Building and renovation of facilities for Community Education and Early Childhood Programs.

The second question asks for authorization to issue general obligation bonds not to exceed #11,785,000 for the addition and equipping of an auditorium and related facilities at Byron High School.

The two questions total $48,485,000.

In order for Question 2 to pass voters must first approve Question 1.

The district has been holding public information session on the election for several weeks.

Those sessions will continue with two meetings scheduled for Thursday, April 29, one from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. and the second from 6:45 to 7:45 p.m. Both meetings are at the Byron Middle School Auditorium.

Three sessions are scheduled for May. There will be a session from 7:30 to 8:15 a.m. on Tuesday, May 4; 5:45 to 6:45 p.m. on Thursday, May 6 and 12 to 12:45 p.m. on Monday May 10. All three meetings are in the boardroom at the district offices.

The combined polling place for the vote will be at the Byron Middle School, 601 4th St. NW, Byron. Ballots may be cast from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. on May 11.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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