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School board names Kirk Pavelich Richfield Elementary principal; board also appoints interim assistant principal
Summary
At a July 18 special meeting, the school board approved the hiring of Kirk Pavelich as principal of Richfield Elementary and named a longtime educator as interim assistant principal; both actions passed on roll-call votes after trustees praised the candidates' experience.
The school board on July 18 voted to appoint Kirk Pavelich as principal of Richfield Elementary School and to name an interim assistant principal, actions the board approved by roll-call vote at a special meeting.
Board members said Pavelich brings prior experience leading neighborhood elementary schools and described him as well-regarded by former colleagues. “I think we’ve hit a home run. I’m really excited to welcome Kirk Pavelich to our district,” a board member said during the meeting.
The board also approved the appointment of an interim assistant principal identified in the meeting as Mrs. Smith, whom trustees and references described as “boots to the ground” and a problem solver. A board member said Smith has “38 plus years of experience in education, including being a superintendent,” and noted she helped a short-term interim principal navigate a challenging year at an elementary building in Madison.
Trustees discussed reference checks and specific examples from each candidate’s background. One speaker described Pavelich’s work in a district that consolidated three neighborhood elementary schools into a single building, saying Pavelich spent a year visiting the other campuses, meeting teachers and administrators and planning for the transition. The speaker acknowledged there were “some road bumps along the way” but said colleagues praised the outcome.
On the interim assistant principal, trustees cited multiple references: a former superintendent who said a two-month interim assignment extended to a full year and union leadership who recounted Smith stepping in to address student behavioral challenges. “She’s a problem solver. She knows what she’s doing,” a board member said.
Board members thanked district staff for the recruitment and vetting work. During the meeting one speaker said, “Mr. White and his team have really spent a lot of time trying to figure this out,” and the board welcomed the new administrators to the district.
The meeting concluded with a motion to adjourn after the appointments were approved.
