WORTHINGTON - Independent School District 518 Superintendent John Landgaard is one of six finalists in the search for the next ISD 152 superintendent, the Moorhead Area Public School announced Monday night.
Landgaard said early Tuesday afternoon that District 518 Board of Education members were all previously made aware of his application submission.
He also addressed the release of the news publicly during Tuesday night’s regular board of education meeting.
“It’s in the beginning stages,” the nearly 15-year District 518 superintendent said about his advancement in Moorehead’s superintendent search.
He and the five other candidates are scheduled for interviews by the Moorhead Board of Education beginning at 4 p.m. Friday and continuing at 8 a.m. Saturday at the Probstfield Center for Education Board Room 224, 2410 14th St. S., Moorhead. The public interviews will be conducted by the board and teams of selected community and staff members.
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Landgaard stated to board members Tuesday that he tells his staff that there are two reasons a person looks to move.
“First is family, second is career advancement,” he said about the potential.
Landgaard said he is not necessarily looking to leave, but the Moorhead position would provide he and his wife an opportunity to relocate closer to family.
“There’s more family advantages than career advantages,” he said. “If it doesn’t work, I’m perfectly happy here and love being a part of this community.”
According to The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead, Landgaard - District 518’s superintendent since July 2003 - was one of 18 applicants for the Moorhead superintendent position that was vacated in November.
In December, District 152 Board of Education hired consulting professionals with the Minnesota School Boards Association to screen and verify references for the candidates before announcing its finalists. Other finalists include:
- Randi Anderson, superintendent, Pelican Rapids Schools, Pelican Rapids. She is also a finalist for the West Fargo superintendent opening.
- Melissa Eidsness, assistant superintendent of Learning and Accountability, Moorhead Area Public Schools
- Jon Kringen, superintendent, Long Prairie-Grey Eagle Public Schools, Long Prairie.
- Brandon Lunak, interim superintendent, Moorhead Area Public Schools
- Scott Staska, superintendent, ROCORI School District, Cold Spring.
After this week’s interviews, the board intends to narrow down the number of finalists to three for a second round of interviews March 28. At that meeting the board will decide how to proceed by either extending an offer to the top candidate or deciding to conduct a site visit.