Internal search for new superintendent

“Open to anyone within the district with administrative experience”

After functioning for more than half a year without a permanent superintendent, the Gunnison RE1J school board has decided to conduct an internal search to fill the position.

The district’s business manager, Jon Nelson, has assumed the position of interim superintendent since past superintendent Steve Marantino tendered his resignation last spring. Marantino had held the position for just one year.
School board member Terri Wenzlaff said recent changes in state requisites for school superintendent positions allow the board to offer the job to anyone they feel is qualified. Therefore, the board decided to conduct an internal search to fill the position.
“It’s open to anyone within the district with administrative experience,” said Wenzlaff.
According to Wenzlaff, the decision to conduct an internal search was due partly to advice from a Colorado Association of School Boards (CASB) consultant who has worked with the district. “Bob Cico from CASB recommended we do an internal search,” she said.
Wenzlaff said the district has several qualified people; however, she said that as of now she was unaware of any applicants. “If we can’t find anyone from within the district, then we’ll open it up (to an external search),” she said.
Wenzlaff said she hopes the board will be able to fill the position permanently because it was difficult for the district to operate without a business manager. “I think it has been hard on the business office,” she said.
According to Wenzlaff, the board will appoint an ad hoc search committee comprised of district staff, school board members and public-at-large members to evaluate the position applications. “We’ll review the applications in mid-January,” she said.
The application deadline is January 9, and the school board is offering the successful applicant a minimum salary of $92,000 with benefits.