Thief River Falls School Board Selects New Superintendent

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Contact: Wayne Nomeland, School Board Chair

Thief River Falls School Board Selects New Superintendent

THIEF RIVER FALLS — The Thief River Falls School Board has voted to select Donita Stepan, Principal, Prescot Public Schools, Prescott, Wisconsin, as the school district’s new superintendent.

“We believe Donita has the qualifications and skills to move the school district forward. We look forward to working with Donita in her new capacity,” said Wayne Nomeland, School Board Chair.

The School Board will be conducting contract negotiations with Donita, and a contract is expected to be approved by the School Board at a May 15 school board meeting. 

The pending start date for Donita will be July 1, 2020.

Four semi-finalists selected for Thief River Falls Public Schools

superintendent position  

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Contact: Wayne Nomeland, School Board Chair

Four semi-finalists selected for Thief River Falls Public Schools superintendent position

THIEF RIVER FALLS — The Thief River Falls School Board has selected four finalists to return for a second interview for the school district’s superintendent position. The semi-finalists are:

• Doug Froke, Superintendent, Detroit Lakes School District, Detroit Lakes, MN
• Michelle Mortenson, Superintendent/Community Education Director, Renville County West, Renville, MN
• Donita Stepan, Principal, Prescott Public Schools, Prescott, WI
• Jim Wagner, Superintendent, Johnson County School District, Buffalo, WY

The semi-finalists were selected from a pool of eleven applicants based on criteria established by the school board. Five applicants were interviewed last week.

The school board has scheduled interviews for the semi-finalists beginning at 9:00 a.m. on May 12. 

Note: Due to the declared health pandemic and the declared state of emergency and pursuant to Minnesota Statute 13D.021, until further notice, all school board meetings will be held by teleconference or other electronic means. These meetings will be held pursuant to Minnesota Statute 13D.021, Subd. 3., which provides for the public to monitor a board meeting remotely to the extent practical. 

These meetings will be recorded. Access to the recording will be made available on the school district’s website as soon as is reasonably possible. Persons may monitor this meeting from a remote location by Zoom. A link can be found on the School District’s Website.

Six finalists selected for Thief River Falls Public Schools

superintendent position  

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Contact: Wayne Nomeland, School Board Chair 

Six finalists selected for Thief River Falls Public Schools superintendent position 

THIEF RIVER FALLS — The Thief River Falls School Board has selected six finalists to interview for the school district’s superintendent vacancy. The finalists were selected from a pool of 11 applicants based on criteria established by the school board. The finalists are: 

• Doug Froke, Superintendent, Detroit Lakes School District, Detroit Lakes, MN 
• Matthew Herrick, Principal, St. Francis Catholic School, Marshalltown, IA 
• Michelle Mortenson, Superintendent/Community Education Director, Renville County West, Renville, MN 
• Jeff Pesta, Interim Superintendent, Hastings Public Schools, Hastings, MN 
• Donita Stepan, Principal, Prescott Public Schools, Prescott, WI 
• Jim Wagner, Superintendent, Johnson County School District, Buffalo, WY 

The school board has scheduled interviews for the finalists beginning at 12:00 p.m., on May 7, 2020 with continuation at 12:00 p.m. on May 8, 2020. 

Note: Due to the declared health pandemic and the declared state of emergency and pursuant to Minnesota Statute 13D.021, until further notice, all school board meetings will be held by teleconference or other electronic means. These meetings will be held pursuant to Minnesota Statute 13D.021, Subd. 3., which provides for the public to monitor a board meeting remotely to the extent practical. 

These meetings will be recorded. Access to the recording will be made available on the school district’s website as soon as is reasonably possible. Persons may monitor this meeting from a remote location via Zoom on the School District’s Website.

Thief River Falls Public Schools Launches Superintendent Search

The search is due to the resignation of Brad Bergstrom, who will become the Sauk Rapids-Rice Superintendent effective July 1, 2020.

The Thief River Falls School Board has established the following timeline for conducting its search for a new superintendent

• The deadline for receiving applications is April 27, 2020

• The applicant screening meeting will be held on May 4, 2020

• The first round of interviews will be on May 7-8, 2020. 

• The second round of interviews will be held on May 12, 2020.

• The new superintendent’s contract will be approved on May 15, 2020.

All board meetings related to the superintendent search, including the first and second rounds of
interviews, are open to the public to listen to the proceedings. Click here for a copy of the position vacancy announcement.