HELENA — Helena School District trustees have chosen the top two candidates to become the district’s next superintendent.
The school board held online interviews with five semifinalists Wednesday and Thursday. After the last interview, they unanimously selected two finalists:
· Kevin Aten, superintendent of the Bayfield School District in Bayfield, Colorado
· Rex Weltz, principal of Rossiter Elementary School and former superintendent of the Polson School District
Board chair Luke Muszkiewicz said trustees had good interviews with all the semifinalists, but they felt Aten and Weltz were the strongest candidates to lead the district.
“I’m happy with where we are,” he said.
The district initially named five semifinalists: Aten; Weltz; Keith Brown, superintendent of Taylor Independent School District in Taylor, Texas; Joseph Koch, deputy superintendent of the School District of Waukesha in Waukesha, Wisconsin; and James Wagner, superintendent of the Johnson County School District in Buffalo, Wyoming. Muszkiewicz said Brown withdrew his name before the interviews, and Koch was interviewed on Wednesday but withdrew on Thursday.
Both finalists will be in Helena next week for the last part of the selection process. Aten and Weltz will meet with district staff and students on Thursday, then speak in an online community event that night. They will have their final interviews with the board Friday morning.
Muszkiewicz said the schedule and other information for the community event and interviews will be posted on the district website once they’re finalized, and everyone is invited to participate.
Current superintendent Tyler Ream is stepping down in June, after three years on the job. The school board is working with the firm Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates to find his replacement.
