SHS principal search extended

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

AMHERST – Although three applicants were chosen finalists in late January, school officials announced this week that they are extending the search for a new Souhegan High principal through March.

The 13-member search committee, a mix of School Board members, teachers, administrators and school support staff along with two high school students and two local residents, selected as finalists Teri Schrader, principal of Francis W. Parker Charter Essential School, Devens, Mass.; Richard Barnes, vice principal of Kennett High School, North Conway; and Richard Wilson, principal of Skowhegan (Maine) Area High School, but SAU39 superintendent Mary Jennings said in a statement this week that it was decided the search would continue.

Officials had hoped to have a successor to interim principal Jim Bosman in place by late February. Jennings said the extension is necessary because “the original aggressive timeline didn’t give all potential applicants the opportunity to get acquainted with our district and to complete the very rigorous application process,” she wrote in the statement.

According to search guidelines, candidates who are selected finalists are re-interviewed, visit Souhegan for a day, and take part in “meet and greet” sessions at the school. The search committee also visits each finalist’s current school.

A similar situation occurred last year, when officials decided to end the search with no permanent successor to resigning principal Scott Prescott. Instead, Bosman, a former teacher at Souhegan, was named to the interim post for the year.

– DEAN SHALHOUP