School superintendent interviews start Monday

The Whitefish school board will interview finalists for the district’s top administrative position next week.

The board will interview three candidates for the superintendent’s position on three successive nights starting Monday.

All interviews begin at 8 p.m. at the Lodge at Whitefish Lake.

Trustees chose the finalists from a pool of applicants screened by McPherson & Jacobson, an Omaha, Neb.-based recruitment and development firm.

The finalists are Kathryn Orozco, associate superintendent of the North Platte, Neb., school district; Robert K. Gratz, superintendent of the Hackettstown, N.J., school district; and J.T. Stroder, superintendent of the Ingram Independent School District in Ingram, Texas.

One of the three is expected to replace Jerry House, who will retire June 30 after 11 years as superintendent of Whitefish schools.

Each candidate will spend a full day in Whitefish, starting with coffee with business and community leaders in the morning in the school board meeting room. From there, candidates will meet with administrative staff, tour school buildings and meet with staff and students.

Candidates are scheduled to meet with parents and community members from 4:45 to 5:30 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday in the board meeting room.

Formal interviews take place following dinner with school board trustees at the Lodge at Whitefish Lake.

Trustees will interview Orozco on Monday, Gratz on Tuesday and Stroder on Wednesday.

The school board will make its decision by April 12.