MONROE - Cory Hirsbrunner will take over as the next superintendent of Monroe schools, the Monroe school board announced Tuesday afternoon.
Hirsbrunner, currently the district's director of curriculum and instruction, was selected from two finalists; Jennifer Thayer, dean of Blackhawk Technical College's Monroe campus, was the other finalist.
The two were selected from an initial field of 16 candidates and were named finalists after the board whittled that number to four semi-finalists. The district appointed an 18-person advisory committee, comprised of students, parents, community members, staff and administrators, to interview those four and provide feedback.
The two finalists were interviewed by the board Monday night.
"It was a tough choice," board president Bob Erb said Tues-day night. Both candidates were "very strong" and would make "excellent superintendents."
The board was in an enviable position in that it had worked with both candidates before, he said.
Thayer served previously as the district's director of curriculum and instruction for eight years before leaving three years ago to become assistant superintendent for the state Department of Public Instruction. She was in that position for two years before being named dean at BTC-Monroe last summer.
Hirsbrunner, a 20-year veteran of the district, replaced Thayer as curriculum director. Prior to that position, Hirsbrunner was principal at Northside Elementary School for nine years and had worked as an elementary teacher for eight years prior to that.
"Both have done a lot of great things for the district," Erb said. "There are a lot of good feelings for both of them."
Ultimately, Erb said, Hirsbrunner brings a "strong sense of continuity" to district initiatives, such as the district improvement plan Monroe has been working on for several years.
He added "that's not to say with Jennifer" those initiatives wouldn't have also been carried forward.
Business manager Ron Olson also said that continuity was a factor in the board's decision.
"Cory's experience with the district and the fact that she is working currently with many of the initiatives (and could) pick that up and carry that forward were part of the decision-making process," Olson said.
Erb stressed the benefit of having first-hand experience with both candidates. The other two semi-finalists were from school districts elsewhere in Wisconsin.
There can be a "tendency to be enamored by outside candidates," he said. But while a candidate can look good on paper, that doesn't always translate to a good fit in any given position.
"I think with both of these candidates, what we knew is very real ... how will they do the job, day in and day out," he said. "We know what we're getting. In both cases, this was only an advantage."
Because Hirsbrunner's husband Dave Hirsbrunner serves as the district's athletic director and is also a teacher in the district, there could be a potential for a conflict of interest by naming Hirsbrunner to the district's top spot. However, both Erb and Olson said any potential conflict of interest will be handled as it is would be with any other employee who supervises a relative.
Olson said the district has a policy to address such situations; when necessary, the supervisor would defer and another administrator would step in. He added he could only speak for himself, but he does not foresee a problem.
The announcement culminates a two-month search to replace Larry Brown, who is leaving June 30 after five years to become superintendent in the Rice Lake district. Hirsbrunner will take over July 1.
Olson said he and Joe Monroe, director of student services, "facilitated" the search process by conducting background checks and coordinating questions. They gave input, but the decision was the board's, he said. The board reviewed all applicants, determined who was to be interviewed and selected and offered the position to Hirsbrunner.
As superintendent, Hirsbrunner will earn $130,000; her current salary as director of curriculum is $106,000. Brown's salary is $136,500.
Hirsbrunner has a Ph.D. and the state-required district/ superintendent license, Olson said. She was the only internal candidate for the position.
The school board will vote Monday, May 14 to finalize Hirsbrunner's hiring.
Hirsbrunner, currently the district's director of curriculum and instruction, was selected from two finalists; Jennifer Thayer, dean of Blackhawk Technical College's Monroe campus, was the other finalist.
The two were selected from an initial field of 16 candidates and were named finalists after the board whittled that number to four semi-finalists. The district appointed an 18-person advisory committee, comprised of students, parents, community members, staff and administrators, to interview those four and provide feedback.
The two finalists were interviewed by the board Monday night.
"It was a tough choice," board president Bob Erb said Tues-day night. Both candidates were "very strong" and would make "excellent superintendents."
The board was in an enviable position in that it had worked with both candidates before, he said.
Thayer served previously as the district's director of curriculum and instruction for eight years before leaving three years ago to become assistant superintendent for the state Department of Public Instruction. She was in that position for two years before being named dean at BTC-Monroe last summer.
Hirsbrunner, a 20-year veteran of the district, replaced Thayer as curriculum director. Prior to that position, Hirsbrunner was principal at Northside Elementary School for nine years and had worked as an elementary teacher for eight years prior to that.
"Both have done a lot of great things for the district," Erb said. "There are a lot of good feelings for both of them."
Ultimately, Erb said, Hirsbrunner brings a "strong sense of continuity" to district initiatives, such as the district improvement plan Monroe has been working on for several years.
He added "that's not to say with Jennifer" those initiatives wouldn't have also been carried forward.
Business manager Ron Olson also said that continuity was a factor in the board's decision.
"Cory's experience with the district and the fact that she is working currently with many of the initiatives (and could) pick that up and carry that forward were part of the decision-making process," Olson said.
Erb stressed the benefit of having first-hand experience with both candidates. The other two semi-finalists were from school districts elsewhere in Wisconsin.
There can be a "tendency to be enamored by outside candidates," he said. But while a candidate can look good on paper, that doesn't always translate to a good fit in any given position.
"I think with both of these candidates, what we knew is very real ... how will they do the job, day in and day out," he said. "We know what we're getting. In both cases, this was only an advantage."
Because Hirsbrunner's husband Dave Hirsbrunner serves as the district's athletic director and is also a teacher in the district, there could be a potential for a conflict of interest by naming Hirsbrunner to the district's top spot. However, both Erb and Olson said any potential conflict of interest will be handled as it is would be with any other employee who supervises a relative.
Olson said the district has a policy to address such situations; when necessary, the supervisor would defer and another administrator would step in. He added he could only speak for himself, but he does not foresee a problem.
The announcement culminates a two-month search to replace Larry Brown, who is leaving June 30 after five years to become superintendent in the Rice Lake district. Hirsbrunner will take over July 1.
Olson said he and Joe Monroe, director of student services, "facilitated" the search process by conducting background checks and coordinating questions. They gave input, but the decision was the board's, he said. The board reviewed all applicants, determined who was to be interviewed and selected and offered the position to Hirsbrunner.
As superintendent, Hirsbrunner will earn $130,000; her current salary as director of curriculum is $106,000. Brown's salary is $136,500.
Hirsbrunner has a Ph.D. and the state-required district/ superintendent license, Olson said. She was the only internal candidate for the position.
The school board will vote Monday, May 14 to finalize Hirsbrunner's hiring.