Three vying for superintendent of Harlem schools

The three finalists for Harlem school superintendent will be introduced to the community and interviewed by the school board Wednesday.

The board narrowed down its list to three after initially considering eight candidates for the post being left vacant by the resignation of Rhonda Baker.

The candidates will visit the schools, meet with staff and faculty, take a tour through the community, eat lunch in the cafeteria and be interviewed by the school board.

Then, there will be a meet-and-greet for all three candidates at the high school.

The three finalists are:

• Shawn Smith, who was most recently director of international business relations at a company in Perth, Australia. Before that, she was superintendent of Siuslaw School District, Siuslaw, Oregon, and superintendent of Pine Creek Elementary School District, Pine Creek, Montana.

She has a bachelor’s degree in humanities and speech communication from Colorado Mesa University, a teaching certificate from Regis University and a master's degree in administration from the University of Phoenix.

• Vern Folley is school superintendent in Ekalaka. Prior to that he was assistant high school principal and then principal at Southern Kern High School in California.

Folley received his Bachelor of Education in liberal studies from California State University. His master’s degree in special education came from Chapman University, his master’s in educational administration is from Chapman University. He is working on his educational doctorate from Grand Canyon University in Arizona.

• Doreen Warren is the assistant elementary principal in Harlem, she has been a parent engagement specialist for WORD Inc., and a science teacher for Chicago Public Schools.

Warren received her master’s degree in biology from Loyola University in Chicago. She completed her master’s in education from St.Xavier University in Chicago, and is completing her doctorate in educational leadership from Montana State University.

The board will chose a superintendent after meeting with all the candidates, but no timetable has been set.