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High interest in Re-1 superintendent post

Bobby MagillGlenwood Springs correspondent

There could be a long line of applicants waiting to get their shot at retiring Roaring Fork School District Re-1 Superintendent Fred Wall’s job.Even before the job opening was announced nationwide Thursday, Colorado Association of School Boards special projects consultant Bob Cito, who is helping screen superintendent applicants for the school district, said there has been an unusually high interest in the position from all over the country. Cito said it’s rare to receive phone calls before the position is advertised. So far, Cito has received six calls from prospective applicants – one from Kansas, three from Colorado, one from Michigan and another from somewhere in the Pacific Northwest. “They knew they were interested in this position,” he said. “To me, that’s a good indicator” that the applicant pool will be robust. Applicants’ names are confidential, and only the finalists will be named publicly.”Bob told us that being in kind of a resort mountain town to expect a lot of interest, which is what we want,” board member Bruce Wampler said. “We want to find the most qualified superintendent we can. It’s good to have a good pool.”Those who called Cito asking for applications have not yet become part of the applicant pool. Brochures advertising the position nationwide were sent out Thursday. The position will remain open to applications until Feb. 23, at which time the school boards association will know the approximate number of applicants.”In my experience doing these searches, [it’s] always the last four days [when] all the applications come in,” Cito said. “Interest level is high.”He said the search will likely “get interesting” around Feb. 20 when the bulk of applications is expected to arrive. “A lot of seated superintendents want to give a lot of thought to it,” he said. “They don’t want their name to get out there, so they take a precaution of submitting their application at the very last [moment].”Once the application deadline passes Feb. 23, school district officials will begin screening applicants. Interview decisions will be made around March 6 or 7, and the interviews will be conducted March 20 or 21. Portions of the interviewees’ resumes will be made public at that time, Cito said. The school board hopes to name a new superintendent by the end of March. Wall will officially leave his post this summer.