The four finalists for the Montezuma-Cortez School District Re-1 superintendent position met members of the community and school staff on Friday afternoon prior to being interviewed by committees and the school board on Saturday.
Alex Carter, Jody Mimmack. Alex Figueroa and Neil Terhune were in town this past weekend.
The board likely will announce its top selection at its meeting tonight.
There was a mixture of staff and community who visited and met with the candidates at the Montezuma-Cortez Middle School Library from 4 to 6 p.m. on Friday.
Phyllis Lockhart, who works for Re-1, said she came out to the middle school to visit the candidates that were interviewing for the superintendent position.
She said she wanted to hear the candidates philosophies on becoming the next superintendent of the district.
Donetta Dehart, curriculum director for the Re-1, said she showed up for two different reasons to meet the candidates and to help her prepare for the committee interviews that she was going to participate in on Saturday.
I showed up today to meet the candidates and am hoping to get some information on their leadership skills, Dehart said. This is kind of an informal way to meet them.
Stephen Hanson, a sixth-grade social studies teacher for Re-1, said he came out to see for himself what kind of candidates were in the running for the superintendent position.
Its a big position, and we want some assurances that we get a quality candidate, he said. I want to do my own interview.
Kami Oliver, a parent of three children who attend Re-1 schools, said she simply attended the function to meet the four finalists.
I wanted to focus on why they came here and what they have to offer, she said.
Jerry Price, a third-grade teacher at Kemper Elementary, said she wanted to put a face to the names of the candidates as well as have the opportunity to talk to them.
Price said this was the best time to hear their visions and have them answer questions.
Becky Brunk, president of Mesa Elementarys parent teacher organization, said she attended the meet and greet because she had some questions for the candidates.
I wanted to know what they know about the area, and what interest they have in the area, she said. Brunk was one of the teachers who opposed the boards decision to switch back to a five-day school week.
Sabrina Elliott, a parent of three children who attend kindergarten to fifth grade in Re-1, said she wanted to get her own impression on the candidates rather than relying on the feelings of other people.
I wanted to see how they would fit in the community and what they could provide to our students, Elliott said.
Ed Rice, career and technical advisor for the district, said he wanted to meet the candidates because he will end up working closely with the one the board selects.
Michael Maresh can be reached at michaelm@cortezjournal.com
