Price finalist again

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   Three finalists named for Oshkosh schools superintendent

Northwestern Staff

The Oshkosh school board on Friday named three finalists for superintendent of schools.

The finalists are Stephen C. Price, former superintendent in Middletown, Ohio; Donald Viegut, deputy superintendent in Wausau; and Kathleen Williams, former superintendent of East Maine School District 63 in the northern suburbs of Chicago.

The school board brought in six finalists for the position this week prior to naming the finalists. The three finalists will be interviewed during the week of Feb. 15, with the board's selection of the next superintendent expected on Feb. 19.

This marks the board's third attempt at filling the position since March 2008 when former Superintendent Ron Heilmann took a job with the Eau Claire school district.

The district's top candidate in 2008 withdrew his application at the last minute, and the board instead hired Bette Lang, former superintendent for the Stevens Point district, as an interim administrator.

In January 2009, the board abandoned a second search to focus on promoting three April referendums.

The board resumed the search in September.

All three candidates have significant experience as leaders of school districts, including:

Stephen Price

Price ended a seven-year tenure as superintendent of the Middletown, Ohio, school district in July, after signing a separation agreement with the school board. According to published news reports, the separation followed what one school board member called a difference of opinion on substantial policy issues.

Since then, he has taught teacher leadership at Miami University of Ohio. Price began his career as an elementary school teacher in Oxford, Ohio, and rose to school principal in six years. He worked in other administrative positions in other districts before being named superintendent in Masillon, Ohio, a position he held for two years before taking the job in Middletown.

Price said activities like hunting and fishing, and the fact his children like snow, raised his interest in the Oshkosh position. He said the size of the city and district is a little larger than Middletown.

"I believe there's some opportunities that match my strengths and backgrounds," Price said Friday. "It's a community of the size I was looking for, there are good things happening in the community and there are good things happening with achievement. With the types of things I've done in the areas of school finance and raising achievement in all area, it looked like a good fit."

Donald Viegut

Viegut is deputy superintendent at Wausau School District, a position he's held for two years. Wausau is slightly smaller than the Oshkosh district. As deputy superintendent, Viegut evaluates administrators and oversees leadership responsibilities along with the administrative team as they oversee staff professional growth and development.

Viegut, 50, a married and the father of three college-aged children, said he researched Oshkosh and said he has the skills to make a difference in the school district.

"The needs they have are a match for my very strong leadership building skills. I do a lot of work with administrative leadership," Viegut said. "Oshkosh has a very broad economic base that's just ripe for high quality leadership. I work well with people."

A native of central Wisconsin, Viegut has lived in the state all his life.

He began his career as a middle school technology teacher at D.C. Everest School in Schofield. After that he worked as an elementary principal and director of curriculum and instruction for the Merrill School District.

Prior to his position in Wausau, Viegut was superintendent for the Marathon School District. During his tenure, the district passed a referendum and secured more than $500,000 more in community donations.

Kathleen Williams

Williams retired in June after nine years as superintendent of schools in East Maine School District 63, a kindergarten through eighth-grade district in Des Plaines, Ill. The district has six K-6 elementary schools and a junior high school.

She was previously superintendent in Lawrence, Kan. and assistant superintendent of staff operations in Schaumburg, Ill.

She began her career in 1971 as a teacher at St. Hubert's School in Hoffman Estates, Ill.

Williams was not immediately available for comment Friday afternoon, but in her resume she listed achievement highlights that include experience working with ethically and economically diverse populations, work in urban, suburban and rural settings, success hiring highly competent staff, and a collaborative approach to leadership.

Additional Facts

At a glance

The three finalists will follow the same routine over three consecutive days of interviews; Stephen Price on March 15, Donald Viegut on March 16 and Kathleen Williams on March 17. The interview itinerary includes:

E9 to 10 a.m.: Meet with elementary principals.

E10 to 11 a.m.: Meet with secondary principals

E11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.: Lunch and meeting with the OASD executive team

E12:45 to 1:45 p.m.: Tour Carl Traeger K-8 School

E 2 to 3 p.m.: Tour Oshkosh West High School

E3:15 to 3:45 p.m.: Tour Oaklawn Elementary School

E4 to 5 p.m.: Candidate public reception at the Oshkosh Public Library, open to all community members

E 6:30 p.m.: Dinner with Board of Education at Beckett's Restaurant

E7 p.m.: School board interview of candidates.

The school board will hold a special meeting Feb. 19 in closed session to deliberate and select the final candidate.