Board Members to Begin Selection Process for Superintendent in May

After a year of training, vying for district superintendent are scheduled to begin interviewing for the position at 5 p.m. May 21.

The interviews are public meetings and will take place at the located on 's campus.

Each candidate will received about an hour and a half for interviewing purposes according to Board President Mike Hawkins.

Hawkins said the reason board members chose to seek a superintendent internally was because of one very important intangible.

"There’s one intangible that we all agree is one of the most important and that is ownership in the district," Hawkins said.

Hawkins added some of the superintendent candidates were born and raised in Trenton and others have made their careers here.

"They have working knowledge of the people in the community and the students," Hawkins said. "(We want) someone who understands our schools, our community and our kids."

When asked why board members did not seek a tested and qualified superintendent from outside the district Hawkins said the answer is weaknesses.

"When you think of more qualified people or people outside the district the disadvantage is you really don’t know their weaknesses," Hawkins said. "Internally, we know their strengths and their weaknesses."

Only one candidate will be selected for the position, and Hawkins said the district can't lose.

"We can’t make a bad choice," Hawkins. "I don’t think we can go wrong with any of these candidates."

Trenton is one of the only districts using this "internship" style to select a superintendent.

See what approaches other districts are taking in selecting a superintendent.