There are at least 20 applicants for the middle and high school principal position at Weyauwega-Fremont High School.
District Administrator Scott Bleck said the position was posted following Matt Wilbert’s resignation last month. It is effective June 30.
Wilbert, who has been with the district for the past seven years, will become the principal of Wild Rose Elementary School on July 1.
During the Monday, April 8, meeting of the W-F School Board, Bleck explained the timeline for hiring a new principal.
Applications were due on Wednesday, April 10.
“Primarily, most (of the applicants) are coming in with limited experience,” Bleck said.
Plans call for the district to identify, by April 19, which of the candidates it will interview.
The first round of interviews are scheduled to take place on April 25 and 26.
The interviewing team for the first round will include administrative staff, professional staff, support staff, students and parents, Bleck told the board.
During the first round, each candidate will be asked the same questions.
The second round of interviews will directly involve the School Board, he said.
A date for the second round of interviews will be determined, he said.
Board member Dan Kohl asked if members of the School Board could look at the applications and give feedback.
Bleck said he does not envision board members being involved in the first round of interviews.
Board President Neal Loehrke said he does not see a downside of inviting board members.
Bleck said their presence is warranted.
But, in his opinion, two board members at the most should be involved in the first round, he said.
Otherwise, it defeats the purpose of the second round of interviews, Bleck said.
Last week, about 16 people – including teachers and support staff from both the middle school and high school – were invited to a meeting to talk about the qualities they would like to see in their new principal.
“That will drive the evaluation of the resumes,” Bleck told the board.
He asked the board members to also give their input as to the qualities they are looking for in a new principal.