With New Superintendent on Board, Other Hirings Become Priority

The hiring of Lisa Elliott as the new superintendent should set off a chain reaction of administrative hirings within the Greenfield School District over the next 7-8 weeks.

Interim Superintendent David Ewald said the district would now shift its focus to hiring a business manager, principals at Glenwood and Maple Grove elementary schools and two coordinators now that Elliott has agreed to replace Conrad Farner, starting July 1.

“(Lisa and I) have talked about it. We recognize that we are crossing paths,” Ewald said. “I have to make sure we don’t mess it up in preparing for her. … We look forward to giving her a good start.

Ewald said Elliott would participate in some of the hiring activities for the five key positions before her official first day.

“As she builds the team she’ll be working with to make Greenfield the very best it can be, we will include her in hiring process,” he said.

According to a timeline Ewald provided the School Board on Monday, hiring a new business manager to replace Kristin Kollath, who resigned in February, is the top priority along with finding new elementary school principals.

The district hopes to interview candidates for the business manager opening by May 6 and approve the contract for a candidate by May 20.

May 20 is also the day the district hopes to approve contracts for two building principals: Dan Carr, who is retiring from Glenwood at the end of the school year, and Melissa Yow, who announced her resignation from Maple Grove last month after one year at the school.

In addition, the district data and assessment and the 6-12 curriculum coordinator positions should be filled by June 10. The data and assessment vacancy was created earlier this month with the sudden departure of Emily Greiber. In November, Diane Eckes was named interim 6-12 curriculum coordinator and will remain in that role through the remainder of this school year.