Lyle board to interview former Alden-Conger administrator

Published 11:04 am Thursday, February 23, 2012

There’s only one candidate for the interim superintendent job at Lyle Public Schools, according to the Lyle Public School board.

The board met Wednesday night to prepare interview questions for Joe Guanella, former Alden-Conger superintendent. Guanella left Alden-Conger in May 2011 after eight years with the district and is looking to get back into some superintendent work, according to board chairman Jerry Sampson. Sampson set up an interview with Guanella during the meeting after board members revealed he was the only candidate contacted to express interest in the position.

The board will interview Guanella Thursday at 6 p.m., asking some basic questions about his experience, his ability to handle stress and other information.

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Board members aren’t sure what terms to offer him for a new contract, however. Depending on Guanella’s interest, the board may enter into closed session Thursday to negotiate a contract, if necessary. They may cancel Saturday’s planned special session meeting as well.

The district has about $33,000 to $36,000 left in its budget to pay for a full-time superintendent/principal, according to board member Carl Truckenmiller. The board doesn’t look to be rushing into things, as it scheduled a meeting next Tuesday at 6 p.m. to approve a superintendent’s contract should the interview with Guanella go well.

Sampson said there was a potential candidate from Austin who had expressed interest in the position but hasn’t been scheduled for an interview. Board members agreed that candidate was a fall-back.

The board will look to fill the superintendent position by March 1, as superintendent Jim Dusso will leave the district on Feb. 29 after serving less than a year as superintendent. A school district with a high school must have a superintendent in order to operate legally, according to state statute.

There doesn’t appear to be any penalties if the board cannot find a superintendent by March 1, however. The state statute that mandates a superintendent for school districts with secondary schools doesn’t list any ramifications if a district goes without a superintendent for a period of time, according to Greg Abbott, communications director of the Minnesota School Board Association.

“In that statute there’s nothing that says … there’s a penalty or anything,” Abbott said. “It’s just a statute that says if you have a high school you need a superintendent.”

Dusso previously spent two years as principal at Lyle school. The board and specifically Dusso was under fire over the past several months for perceived missteps and disagreements in leadership.