Star Journal Staff

Three finalists have been named in the search for the next School District of Rhinelander Superintendent.

The finalists are:
• Maggie Peterson, School District of Rhinelander Director of Learning Support

• Eric Burke, Principal at Port Washington High School

• Patrick Devine, Superintendent at Waconia School District, Minn.

The candidates will be interviewed individually, beginning at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 28, during a staff and community session at the Superior Diesel Advanced Learning Center (tiered classroom) at Rhinelander High School. Following these interviews, each candidate will be interviewed by the school board during a special board meeting in the Professional Development Center in the Administration wing of the high school. At the conclusion of the interviews the board will meet in closed session to consider the candidates and may choose to hire one. If there is no consensus, another interview session with the school board only will take place Tuesday, Feb. 4.

In August the school board hired consultant Bruce Miles of the Big River Group in Minnesota to assist in the hiring process. Miles will be facilitating the interviews Jan. 28.

To get to the three finalists, Employee Relations Committee chair Duane Frey said candidates answered series of written questions which the entire nine-member school board would review and rank, followed by more questions and review by board members.

Earlier this year current superintendent Kelli Jacobi announced her retirement, effective June 30. Jacobi has served as district superintendent since 2013.