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BREAKING: District releases information on three superintendent candidates
by Gregory R. Norfleet · News · May 19, 2018
Three superintendent candidates remain after Saturday's round of interviews with the West Branch Board of Education, and all three currently serve in superintendent roles at Iowa schools.
Stakeholder groups and the School Board will spend Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday interviewing the three candidates, with a decision possibly coming Wednesday night, School Board President Julie Sexton said.
-- Jody A. Gray, superintendent of St. Ansgar Community School District since 2011. She also served as superintendent of Woodward-Granger Community School District from 2005-2011 and superintendent of Tri-County Community Schools in Thornburg from 2001-2005. According to the Iowa Department of Education, St. Ansgar enrolls about 600 pupils.
-- Marty D. Jimmerson, superintendent and high school principal of Ackley-Geneva-Wellsburg-Steamboat-Rock (AGWSR) Community School District since 2014. IDOE reports 625 enrolled at AGWSR.
-- Timothy J. Salmon, superintendent of United Community School District in Boone since 2015. IDOE reports about 375 enrolled at United.
Interviews ran from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, and School Board President Julie Sexton said the board spent about 1 1/2 hours cutting the list down from six to three.
"All six of the semi-finalists were very good candidates," she said.
She called it "coincidental" that the finalists are all superintendents. She said all six showed strengths in areas that interested the school board, but that the three finalists stood out on curriculum, vision and communication.
"A lot of the candidates said to 'put kids first,'" Sexton said, a common mantra of outgoing Superintendent Kevin Hatfield. "That message was loud and clear."
Each stakeholder group, like community members, parents and students, will pass on their impressions of each of the candidates to McPherson & Jacobsen LLC consultant Gary McAndrew, who will meet with the board Wednesday to review that information, she said.
A decision could come Wednesday night, but Sexton said "coming to a consensus isn't always easy."
"We want to take the time to make the right decision," she said.
Some highlights from the candidate's resumes:
-- Salmon noted that United ranks second in the state "for students reading above National Percentile Ranking" on the Iowa Assessments.
He expanded preschool programing and before- and after-school care, managed a 10-percent increase in enrollment, integrated 1:1 technology, created a dedicated Makerspace Room and increased early intervention support for reading and math.
Salmon states that he "maintained lowest tax rate in Boone and Story counties while improving (financial) solvency," used exising revenues to build a new office area and a single, secure entry point, updated and expanded security following active-shooter training and expanded community usage of facilities.
He also started live-streaming and recording of school events.
Salmon earned his bachelors degree in elementary education and his superintendent certificate from University of Northern Iowa.
-- Jimmerson said he oversaw implementing 1:1 technology for K-12 grades, oversaw the completion of a $7.2 million elementary school and designed and managed a five-year facilities improvement plan.
He also helped the school district cut $300,000 after budget reductions "that resulted in the stabilization of the District's financial position, an improved solvency ratio, and increased unspent authorized budget."
He "actively" participates on the Ackley and Wellsburg Economic Development Committee and is a member of the Ackley Community Foundation.
Jimmerson writes that he "revitalized the use of district webpage, developed a blog, and used social media to better inform community members."
He led the district through active-shooter training and led efforts "in re-vamping and updating the district's emergency management plans."
Jimmerson earned his bachelors of arts degree at UNI and earned his specialist degree in educational leadership at Drake University. He is also currently pursuing a doctorate degree in educational leadership at Drake, and anticipates completing it by July 2020.
-- Gray said she "led $14.6 million referendum ballot initiative that passed with over 66 percent community suport for new elementary and new high school gymnasiums on first attempt," and that the project finished on time and under budget.
She managed a budget with 12 percent or better solvency ratio each year and coordinated a response to a School In Need of Assistance designation of the middle school "resulting in a three-year turnaround and high-performing rating on the Iowa Report Card."
She helped write a grant to land $315,000 to help complete update of outdoor facilities and led an initiative to build a new football complex.
Gray started a pre-kindergarten program and organized active-shooter training for the staff.
She earned her elementary education degree from Simpson College and her education specialist degree in educational leadership from Drake University. She also states she is "on hiatus" from pursuing a doctorate degree in educational leadership from Drake.
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