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Williams Bay begins superintendent search

WILLIAMS BAY — The Williams Bay School Board appointed a 10-person committee Monday to lead the district’s search for a new superintendent.

The board made its first public action toward hiring a superintendent since it accepted Superintendent Fred Vorlop’s resignation in June. The search panel consists of board members, staff, principals and three community members.

Williams Bay’s first day of classes is Sept. 6. The district hopes to have a new leader in place by then.

Vorlop on June 14 sent an email to school board members notifying them he planned to step down Sept. 1. The unexpected resignation gave the board less than three months to name a replacement.

Whitewater Unified School District, 26 miles northwest of Williams Bay, found itself in a similar position this summer when its district administrator accepted a job in Arizona. Instead of launching a nationwide search that could have spanned several months, the school board opened the position internally.

Whitewater’s search lasted 13 days, ending when the board named middle school Principal Eric Runez its superintendent.

It’s unknown if Williams Bay will consider a candidate from within, but the board’s advertisement doesn’t rule it out. The only requirement: applicants must hold a Wisconsin superintendent’s license.

The board advertised a full-time position but indicated it was willing to consider hiring someone part-time at four days a week beginning this year. That could change beginning in the 2012-13 school year.

The application deadline was Sunday, but board members didn’t say how many candidates expressed interest.

The school district was facing a $600,000 hole in next year’s budget, though the board has spent the last few months identifying where it could make cuts.

Staff was laid off, fees were increased and other cutbacks were implemented to save money. More cost-saving measures could be put in place by the end of the year, Vorlop previously said.

It’s also possible the board could return a referendum to voters next year asking to exceed the revenue cap. A similar referendum was defeated during the spring election.