The Crookston School Board had a special meeting on Tuesday afternoon at the Crookston School District office conference room to discuss the Superintendent search planning meeting with Lee Warne of the Minnesota School Board Association. Warne and the board covered a wide variety of topics in the over two-hour meeting.
The meeting started with Warne reviewing the process by going over the Minnesota Statutes and other information regarding the search. “I think the board’s in a really good position right now in terms of their timing and looking for candidates. They’re early in the process,” said Warne. “The district has a great reputation, and I think they’re going to do really well as far as getting candidates for this position.”
The next item was to make a timeline for the search and hiring process and Warne said he likes where Crookston is at as far as timing. “I think the timing will work out well. By the time they make a decision, it’ll probably be the end of February or thereabouts,” said Warne, a former Superintendent. “That allows plenty of time for an incoming superintendent to locate housing and make plans for moving either themselves or their family. And it’s just a nice transition. It’s not a hurried or rushed process. The timing is excellent.“
TIMELINE-
November 25-December 16 – Public input survey open online and in hard copy
December 2 – January 20 (2026) – MSBA posts the opening on local, regional, and national websites, advertises position vacancy, receives applications, and responds to applicants’ inquiries.
December 2025 – TBD – MSBA holds search preview meetings with district leadership and staff
January 5, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. – Board meets for interview training and to discuss public input report, interview questions, and procedures
January 20 – Application deadline
January 21 – TBD – MSBA conducts screening, preliminary verification of references, and pre-interviews of recommended applicants.
January 22 – TBD – Board members review applications
February 2 at 1:00 p.m. – Board meets to determine finalists, interview questions and procedures, MSBA reviews interview training in the District office conference room
February 10 and 11 at 4:00 p.m. each day – Board conducts first round of interviews
February 13 at 4:00 p.m. – Board conducts reference checks and holds second round of interviews. The board selects the lone finalists and sets the negotiation process.
TBD, 2026 – Board designee begins negotiations of employment contract
TBD, 2026 – Board meets to approve the employment contract
July 1, 2026 – New Superintendent reports to work
Warne said the school board has done a lot of work, and the public will be involved in the process. “I think the board has done an awful lot of planning. There are several upcoming meetings, and a lot of information will be posted on the district website, which they’re more than welcome to review. All meetings related to this process are open, so they are also welcome to attend,” said Warne. “The community will be given the opportunity to respond to a multi-page survey to be able to share their ideas with the board about the expertise and skills and personal traits that they feel their next superintendent ought to have. Also, to answer some open-ended questions to share their feelings about how things are going, and what they want to see down the road. This is a great opportunity for the community to share their feelings with the board, and I hope everybody takes advantage of it.”
STARTING SALARY –
The board received the current salaries of area superintendents and decided to establish a salary range of $155,000 to $175,000. (The salary range is now required by the state)
Former Superintendent Randy Bergquist was scheduled to make $154,000 this school year (2025-26).
Area superintendents are earning the following wages –
Roseau – $179,687
Thief River Falls – $171,000
East Grand Forks – $168,000
Barnesville – $162,427
Bagley – $156,950
Crookston – $154,000
Warroad – $153,339
The benefit packages aren’t included in the salary and would be negotiated with the successful candidate.
OTHER STEPS/ACTIONS –
The board will have Tim Dufault, its chairman, as the board spokesman.
Warne went over what the board can and can’t do in the process.
Marilyn Wahouske, Administrative Assistant at the Crookston School District office, will be the in-district contact.
The board also selected screening priorities that they would like applicants to address in their applications.
