Four candidates were interviewed on Saturday, May 3 by
the Eagle Valley School Board, Superintendent Stephen Twitchell and
Elementary Dean of Students Duane Motzko.
The four candidates interviewed were: Mark Lundin,
Dianne Hedburg, Jennifer Backer and Brenda Blackmore.
According to Twitchell, after the interviews he was
authorized to offer the position to Jennifer Backer pending the results
of a background check.
Backer was offered the position and declined. The
board will do second interviews which will take place at a special
meeting tentatively scheduled to be held on Tuesday, May 6 at 6:30 p.m.
in the elementary school early childhood room.
There were a total of 43 applicants.
Following is a listing of the candidates highlights:
Mark Lundin, Special
Education Teacher at Eagle Valley Public School
Three years as special education teacher at Eagle
Valley.
Nine years as unit coordinator/admissions supervisor
at Mille Lacs Academy in Onamia.
Five years as classroom teacher in the Onamia Public
Schools.
Three years as classroom teacher at the Warren Public
Schools in Warren.
Lundin has extensive committee involvement, coaching
experience, fundraising experience, as well as officiating experience.
Dianne Hedburg, most
recent experience as Intern Principal at Jedlicka
Middle
School/Currently a teacher at Proctor Public Schools
Twenty years experience as an elementary teacher in
Proctor.
Three years as a substitute teacher in Proctor.
Five years as an elementary teacher in the Minneapolis
Public Schools.
Additionally, Hedburg is active in several
professional activities including the Proctor Learning Community.
Jennifer L. Backer, Assistant Principal, Worthington
Middle School
Three years as assistant principal and activities
director at Worthington Middle School.
Five years experience as activities director,
community education coordinator and teacher at Wabasha-Kellogg Jr./Sr.
High School in Wabasha.
Three years as the dean of students at Mounds View
High School in St. Paul.
Three years of experience as a behavior intervention
specialist at Forest Lake High School in Forest Lake.
Backer also has experience in coaching and was
nominated as assistant principal of the year. She has a detailed listing
of her leadership activities including the facilitation of several
programs in education.
In Wabasha she managed a budget reduction process. She
also participated in the facilitation of a $3.5 million school
renovation project.
Brenda Blackmore, Special
Education Supervisor,
District 742 in St. Cloud
Five years experience as special education supervisor
in secondary programs for St. Cloud area schools, District 742. She is
also the supervisor for summer school programming for the district.
In the Spring of 2006 she served as adjunct professor
at St. Cloud State University where she taught a class on behavioral
theories and practices.
Six years as a special education teacher in the areas
of emotional and behavioral disorders for District 742.
Four years as an EBD, special education teacher at
Redwood Valley Schools in Redwood Falls.
Blackmore also has some experience in mentoring and
training.