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Kennewick board conducts preliminary superintendent interviews with three candidates
Summary
The Kennewick School District board held its scheduled preliminary interviews for superintendent candidates. Three finalists outlined priorities including local decision-making, fiscal strategy, school safety and career-technical partnerships; board members asked about parental rights, discipline, and use of federal COVID-era funds.
The Kennewick School District Board of Directors conducted preliminary interviews with three superintendent candidates during an evening meeting, allotting roughly 45–50 minutes for each candidate to respond to questions from the five-member board.
The interviews brought forward candidates' priorities for the district and repeated themes across candidates: (1) local control and community partnership in implementing state requirements; (2) dealing with funding pressures and long-term fiscal planning; (3) strategies to support student behavior and safety; and (4) workforce and career-technical programming to improve postsecondary outcomes. Board members asked questions about the recently enacted parental-rights measures, collective bargaining, school safety and the district’s use of one-time ESSER funds.
Dr. Castilleja, who identified himself as a longtime Eastern Washington educator and former principal and superintendent, told the board he favors local decision-making and an inclusive leadership style. He summarized his approach simply: “They listen more than they speak,” and said his strength is to “lead complex…
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