Churchill County trustees set March meetings after stakeholder survey narrows superintendent priorities

The Churchill County School District board received an update Feb. 24 on the superintendent search and a stakeholder survey that will guide candidate selection.

Consultant Keith Lewis reported the application period closed Feb. 14 with 13 candidates; five screening interviews had been completed and the remaining screenings were to conclude by Feb. 24 so the search team could present five finalists on March 3. Lewis said the project remains on schedule to present finalists to the board.

Dr. Jensen summarized stakeholder survey results gathered in January 2026: 138 parents and 115 district employees responded. The highest‑ranked priorities were staff recruitment and retention, academic achievement, financial stability and student safety/student well‑being. The survey also emphasized integrity, transparency and recent classroom experience as preferred candidate qualities.

Trustees discussed schedule logistics and tentatively set a special meeting on March 3 at 5:00 p.m. to review applicants and a follow‑up interview day later in March to interview finalists; the board agreed on a later March date to interview five finalists in one day starting at 1:00 p.m. Several trustees discussed retaining flexibility to bring finalists back for additional interviews if needed.

Board members noted the survey's emphasis on rural and classroom experience and said they expect candidate vetting to include reference checks and verification of recent classroom work. Trustees also agreed to provide meeting packets in advance so they can be prepared for the special meeting and finalist interviews.