Meet the Semi-Finalists for ISD 518 Superintendent: Discover the Future Leaders of Education!

WORTHINGTON — During a special meeting on Monday night, the ISD 518 Board of Education selected three candidates to interview for the position of superintendent. The candidates are Joel Heitkamp, the executive director of operations for the St. Cloud Area School District; George Nolan, elementary principal at Hopkins Public Schools; and Douglas Van Zyl, former superintendent of Lakeville Area Schools. The interviews are scheduled for Friday.

Barb Dorn, from the Minnesota School Board Association, noted that ISD 518 received seven applications in total and chose to interview the three candidates based on MSBA’s advice. “This is an exciting time for your superintendent search,” Dorn mentioned during the meeting.

The board decided on the interview questions, reviewed candidate information, and set the interviews to start at 10:15 a.m. The public is invited to attend.

Board members discussed the selection process, particularly the administrative experience of Heitkamp and Nolan. After deliberation, the board voted to go forward with the three candidates recommended by MSBA. The motion passed with a vote of 5-2, with Lori Dudley and Ann Mills opposing it. Board member Erin Schutte Wadzinski expressed confidence in the recommendations before the vote.

Next week, after interviewing the candidates, the board will decide who to invite back for a second interview on Monday. They aim to finalize a contract and detail negotiations on that day. The finalists will also tour the district, and an audience survey will be conducted by ten appointed district staff and community members to gather feedback on the candidates’ interviews.

Dorn will be present in person during the interviews and advised the board to brace for feedback and communication from the community once the candidates’ names are released. “Prepare to have some thick skin,” she said, highlighting the interest in the process.

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