Mueller and Zanto to be interviewed for Havre Public School Superintendent

The Havre Public School Board of Trustees voted Tuesday evening to interview Interim-Superintendent Craig Mueller and Capital High School Principal Brett Zanto from Helena for the position of Havre Public School Superintendent next week.

Long-time Superintendent Andy Carlson resigned in June, and Mueller, then the assistant superintendent, accepted the position of interim superintendent effective July 1.

Mueller had previously expressed that he had no interest in the position, but he said he was asked to reconsider his decision.

"There were multiple factors that weighed into that decision between January and March," he said this morning.

Director, Policy Services & Senior Counsel at the Montana School Boards Association Kris Goss said three applications, including that of Mueller, were received by the association, which has handled the search for a new superintendent.

Goss said he's been tasked with guiding the board in the process of screening applicants and how that should be done provided standards used are not discriminatory and that board members do not ask Mueller, who was present at the meeting, direct questions in order to avoid the appearance of bias.

He said the board has broad authority over how the screening and interview process is done, but he will be there to guide them through possible ways to go about that.

Among the suggestions he made was for board members to say who they wanted to interview and vote on it when consensus is reached.

Board Vice-Chair Harvey Capellen and Trustee Loraine Larson said they wanted to interview all three candidates, but all other board members only expressed an interest in Mueller and Zanto.

Capellen and Larson argued that the third candidate had sufficient experience for the position, but when a motion was made to interview Mueller and Zanto they joined their fellow board members in a unanimous vote.

Goss said he would handle reference checks and suggested the board discuss how to go about the interview process.

He asked if they would be interested in having the candidates do a meet-and-greet with relevant parties before the interviews took place.

After much discussion the board settled on holding a meet-and-greet next Monday before the interviews which would take place at a special meeting of the board the following day at 5:30 p.m.

Goss said interviews usually take between 50 and 60 minutes.

The board determined that they would, at the suggestion of Goss, segment the meet-and-greet into different sections, with school administration, school staff, and the larger community along with the student body, all meeting the candidates separately beginning Monday afternoon and lasting through the evening.

Trustee Theresa Miller suggested that these meetings be virtual given the COVID-19 pandemic still going on and the board at large agreed.

Goss said he would start working with Havre Public Schools District Clerk Shanna Flores on the arrangements, including a press release with more information.

Look for the press release in a future edition of the Havre Daily News.

Members of the board thanked Goss for his guidance and hard work, and he said he was happy to do it.

The board also unanimously approved personnel issues as written and an 8-mile expansion to a bus route to accommodate a new student.