School board sets timeline for hiring superintendent

By Terry Murry on Tuesday, December 28th, 2021 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories

PENDLETON – The Pendleton School District Board of Directors has set the timeline for hiring a new superintendent. Chris Fritsch is retiring from that post and his last day will be on June 30, 2022.

The position will be posted, and an online opinion survey will open on Jan. 4, 2022. The application deadline will be March 4, 2022, and preliminary interviews will be scheduled for March 29-30. Finalists will be determined and interviewed April 4-6, with the announcement of the final selection on April 7.

The school board has hired Northwest Leadership Associates to assist in the search. Bill Jordan and Sergio Hernandez will take the lead as consultants from that firm. Both of them live in Walla Walla, which provides them first-hand knowledge of the region.

The school board wants the community involved in the process.

“We deeply value and will be seeking input from our staff, parents, and community members,” Chairwoman Lynn Lieuallen said.

The district will post updates on its website and Facebook page as the search progresses.