SUN PRAIRIE RISING

By Andy Schoenherr

Editor, Sun Prairie Rising

Sun Prairie Area School District residents and staff will have an opportunity to meet the three finalists for superintendent during a series of school visits and public sessions scheduled for April 13 and 14.

The district has organized a “Day in the District” on Monday, April 13, allowing staff, students, families, and community members to interact with each candidate and provide feedback as part of the selection process. District officials are encouraging attendees to remain for the entirety of any session they choose to attend.

The names or backgrounds of the three finalists has not yet been anounced.

School Tours and Daytime Meetings

April 13th will begin with school tours from 9 a.m. to 11:45 a.m., with each finalist visiting three different schools for approximately 45 minutes each.

• Finalist No. 1 will visit Prairie View, Sun Prairie West, and Meadow View
• Finalist No. 2 will visit Westside, Central Heights, and Sun Prairie West
• Finalist No. 3 will visit Sun Prairie East, Patrick Marsh, and Eastside

In the afternoon, all three candidates will participate in a series of 45-minute meetings at Sun Prairie West High School with high school students, principals, and district administrators.

Later in the afternoon, from 4 to 5:30 p.m., each finalist will meet separately with district employees during staff-only sessions.

Evening Community Sessions

Community members will have a chance to hear directly from the candidates during evening sessions at Central Heights Middle School, beginning at 6:30 p.m. and running until approximately 8:40 p.m.

Each finalist will rotate through 40-minute meetings with three groups: parents and community members, outgoing Superintendent Brad Saron, and Sun Prairie Education Association (SPEA) leadership. The parent and community sessions will take place in the school auditorium.

Final Interviews Scheduled for April 14

The process will continue Tuesday, April 14, with finalists spending the morning learning more about the district and community. Activities include meetings with the Business-Education Partnership group, a district-wide driving tour of all 15 school buildings, and a session with Sun Prairie Chamber of Commerce staff.

Formal interviews with the School Board will take place that evening at Central Heights Middle School, beginning at 6 p.m. Each candidate will be interviewed for approximately 50 minutes. While the public is welcome to attend, only School Board members will ask questions. The interviews will also be streamed live on the KSUN website.

Community Input Helped Shape Search

The superintendent search has been guided in part by community feedback gathered earlier this year. HYA, the consulting firm assisting the district, conducted more than 60 focus groups and an online survey to identify key priorities for the next superintendent.

HYA senior associate Pat Neudecker presented the findings to the Board of Education on March 9, noting that themes were largely consistent across staff, students, families, and community members.

You can view the entire the 61-page HYA Superintendent Leadership Profile Report here. The HYA Superintendent Leadership Profile Report presentation that Neudecker gave on March 9 can also be viewed here.