MCC board to interview 5 for superintendent including high school principal Tuka

MCC High School Principal Jeff Tuka

By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief

SCOTTVILLE — The Mason County Central School District Borad of Education will interview four candidates next month as the district moves forward in selecting its next superintendent. Included in the list is MCC High School Principal Jeff Tuka.

The board received 12 applications for the position and has invited four finalists for interviews, according to a press release issued in coordination with the Michigan Leadership Institute.

Interviews will take place Monday, May 4, and Tuesday, May 5, at Mason County Central High School, 300 W. Broadway St., and are open to the public.

The schedule is as follows:

• Monday, May 4
  • 5 p.m.: Amy Cockburn, principal, South Haven High School
  • 6:30 p.m.: Jason O’Dell, principal, Evart Middle School
  • 8 p.m.: Shannon Harvila, former superintendent, Bristol Bay Borough School District, Bristol Bay, Alaska.
• Tuesday, May 5
  • 5 p.m.: Jason Lundin, academic coordinator, Lansing Public Schools
  • 6:30 p.m.: Jeff Tuka, principal, Mason County Central High School

Board President Oscar Davila said the district received a strong pool of applicants with varied experience, including current and former superintendents, central office administrators and principals.

“We are grateful for the candidates interested in becoming the next leader for the Mason County Central Schools,” Davila said in the release. “The applicant pool has many candidates who may be the right fit for our school district and community.”

Davila said the board encourages community members to attend the interviews and provide input as part of the selection process.

The search comes as longtime Superintendent Jeff Mount prepares to retire June 30 after 20 years in the role and 27 years with the district overall. MCC has only had six superintendents since it was formed in 1955 (Superintendent Arnold O. Carlson had been serving as superintendent of the Scottville district since 1934 when he became MCC district when it was formed through consolidation).

The board hopes to have the district’s seventh superintendent in place by July 1.

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