Community members sought for review panel in LPOSD superintendent search

By Reader Staff

The Lake Pend Oreille School District is asking for community members to get involved in the search for a superintendent to replace Tom Albertson, who is retiring in July.

Albertson’s tenure as superintendent has played out during a fraught time. Appointed in the summer of 2019, it was less than a year before the COVID-19 pandemic upended school operations. Serving through the pandemic has required “tough decisions … that not everyone can agree upon,” he told the Reader after announcing his retirement in December.   

Facilities, personnel and financial management experience; familiarity with state and federal laws; a strong background in education; and no small amount of diplomatic skill are needed to do the job, and that’s why the LPOSD Board of Trustees invites applicants to sit on a committee to review preliminary candidates for the superintendent position.

The board aims to select 12 community members — whether they have students in the district or not — who will join 12 staff members serving on the Superintendent Search Interview Observer Panel.

According to the district, the panel’s task will be to watch preliminary interviews of between six and eight superintendent candidates and provide individual feedback on each to the board.

The interviews will take place Wednesday, March 16 and Thursday, March 17 from 3 p.m. until as late as 9 p.m. District officials stressed the members of the panel must be able to attend the entire session each day.

To apply, go to lposd.org and click on the “Superintendent Search 2022” link, then select “Interview Observer Panel Application.” 

Download, fill out and return the application to the LPOSD District Office at 901 Triangle Drive, in Ponderay, by 1 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 21.

In the meantime, the board of trustees will convene for their regular meeting Tuesday, Feb. 8 from 5-6 p.m. at the Ponderay Events Center, 401 Bonner Mall Way, in Ponderay.

To access board agendas, minutes, meeting videos and other information, go to lposd.org/board-of-trustees.