St. Johns school board narrows superintendent search to four finalists

The St. Johns County School Board voted unanimously to advance four applicants to finalist interviews in its search for a new superintendent, approving a finalist pool that includes applicants 11 (Scott Schneider), 15 (Dr. Brennan Asplin), 17 (Dr. Mary Anne Simon) and 20 (Dr. Kyle Dresbach).

The vote to approve the finalist pool was moved by Miss Barrera and seconded by Bev Slough and passed by voice vote with the board indicating unanimous support.

Board members framed the decision as the culmination of a months-long national search. Miss Messina, the search consultant facilitating the process, told the board it had received input from “over 200 citizens” and described the next public steps: public interviews with the full board on May 13, a community meet-and-greet that evening at First Coast Technical College from 6 to 7:30 p.m., and individual one-on-one meetings with board members on May 14. Out-of-area candidates will arrive on May 12, Messina said.

Board discussion before the vote highlighted two recurring concerns. Several members said district-level experience and knowledge of Florida’s education finance and legal environment were important. One board member summarized the board’s view of the position’s demands as “responsible for 52,000 students, parents, and the finances of this district.” Other members argued that strong internal leadership and the district’s administrative staff can support a superintendent who brings other strengths, such as instructional leadership.

A member of the public, Deborah (Deb) Cook, urged the board to prioritize student outcomes, social-emotional supports and instruction rather than focusing primarily on candidates’ familiarity with Florida funding rules. “We need someone who will drive our children and their future forward, help lead our teachers so that they are inspired to teach,” Cook said during public comment.

The board used a ranked selection of semifinalists collected in recent meetings. Messina reminded the board that on April 10 the search firm and board identified 10 semifinalists, and by April 18 nine submitted written and video responses. Each board member read aloud the applicant numbers they wanted to advance; four candidates received multiple board endorsements and four total advanced.

After the vote the board approved an interview schedule that lists the finalists in numerical order (applicant 11 = Scott Schneider as Candidate A; 15 = Dr. Brennan Asplin as Candidate B; 17 = Dr. Mary Anne Simon as Candidate C; 20 = Dr. Kyle Dresbach as Candidate D) and noted logistical details: May 13 public interviews 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m., community meet-and-greet 6–7:30 p.m., and May 14 one-on-one sessions roughly 8:15 a.m.–3:15 p.m.

No formal selection occurred at the meeting; the board will conduct public interviews and additional meetings before selecting the superintendent at a later date.

Closing remarks reiterated appreciation for applicants and for public input. Messina and board staff asked members to report any scheduling conflicts within 24 hours so the one-on-one interview timetable could be adjusted.