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Brainerd board to interview five MSBA-recommended semifinalists for superintendent

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Summary

The Brainerd Public School District board approved MSBA’s recommendation to interview five semifinalists for superintendent; interviews are scheduled for early February and in-depth background checks will be run on finalists only.

The Brainerd Public School District board voted to advance five candidates recommended by the Minnesota School Boards Association to round‑1 interviews in the district’s superintendent search.

MSBA told the board the pool included 20 applications from five states, with 10 applicants having superintendent experience and seven holding doctorates. "First of all, you did have 20 applications in total," MSBA consultant Barb Dorn said while summarizing the pool and the service providers' vetting process.

Director DJ Donnelinger moved to accept MSBA’s five recommended semifinalists; Director Stephanie Ederman seconded the motion. The board voted to advance the group and MSBA then read the five individuals that will be interviewed in round 1 by name: Brian Masterson; James Wagner; Charles Campbell; Michael Nubeck; and Chip Rankin.

The board also discussed optional in‑depth national background checks described by MSBA—criminal checks and credential verifications priced at $395 per person—and agreed to run those checks only on the finalists (expected to be two or three candidates) rather than all semifinalists. "Background checks, if they are in-depth, are $395 a person," MSBA said.

Board members confirmed the interview schedule: round‑1 interviews are set to start the week of Feb. 2 (board called to order at 11:45 a.m., first interview at 12:00 p.m.), with additional interview days and finalist activities planned for early February. MSBA said it will contact selected candidates and issue a press release with additional information.

The board expressed general confidence in the recommended list, with Director Sarah Spear saying, "I feel really confident that we've got our next superintendent on that list."