The Shawano School District is playing musical chairs to fill key administrative positions as quickly as possible.
Administrators have candidates for the number two position at the district office and an associate principal position at Shawano Community High School, pending the ratification of the School Board next week.
In late August, Todd Carlson gave his resignation as superintendent, and Steve Linssen gave notice he was leaving the associate principal position. Both took administrator posts in the Gillett School District.
The School Board voted in September to promote Gary Cumberland to superintendent, leaving the assistant superintendent post vacant.
The Shawano Leader learned on Friday that Kelley Swartz, executive director for the LEADS Charter School, is expected to take Cumberland’s old post but under a different title. The assistant superintendent position is being eliminated, and a position of director of curriculum, instruction and assessment is being created, according to Cumberland.
The position will be similar to what Cumberland did, except that Swartz will not be handling human resources issues.
“She will focus on the district’s curriculum, instruction and assessment. That’s what directly affects the students,” Cumberland said.
The decision was made to fill the position immediately in order to keep district operations flowing as smoothly as possible.
Swartz’s move to the district office will require the district to look for a new executive director for the charter school, which is entering its second year.
Rex Wachtel, a counselor at SCHS, will be taking over Linssen’s position on a one-year, interim basis, according to school principal Scott Zwirschitz. Wachtel has 14 years of experience working in various student services positions, including time spent as the district’s summer school principal.
Zwirschitz said the decision was made to make it an interim position in order to see how things go. He noted there are not many educators looking for administrative posts after the start of the school year.
“We knew we had some applicants within our district who would be interested,” Zwirschitz said. “What we thought, because of the quick turnaround, we just wanted to look at it as a one-year position. It could turn into a longer position, but for now, it’s a one-year commitment.”
Wachtel’s promotion will require the district to search for a counselor, who will also be hired on an interim basis.
There is a third administrative position that is also in the process of being filled. Tim Mayer, an associate principal and athletic director at SCHS, is leaving the district and his career in education to work in the private sector.
Zwirschitz said on Friday that the application process is closed, and interviews will begin next week. He declined to say how many applied for the position, noting he still has to look at how many candidates meet the minimum requirements.
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