RSF School District interviews superintendent candidates

The Rancho Santa Fe School District board conducted the first round of interviews for its new superintendent on Friday, Jan. 27.

Over the weekend, the board spent social time with the selected finalists, who went on to meet with a stakeholder panel on Saturday, Jan. 28. The panel included three teachers, two administrative team members, the RSF Foundation chair, former superintendent/district consultant Lindy Delaney and five community members appointed by the board.

The panel conducted a highly structured interview of the candidates and would not make any hiring recommendations to the board, only share what they saw as strengths and concerns.

The district is aiming to potentially select a new superintendent in February with a spring or summer start date.

In other leadership news at the school, R. Roger Rowe Middle School started the new year with a new middle school principal, following the departure of Joel Spengler. Kelly Stine, a middle school science teacher, joined the administrative team as principal on an interim basis.

Stine has been at R. Roger Rowe for nearly 20 years and developed the medical sciences curriculum. While she serves as interim principal, her medical science classes and advisory class will be covered by current Rowe staff.

Spengler was with the district for less than four months. The board had been critical of his progress on developing advanced math and English language arts programs. He was not present when the board approved the new advanced program in December and his office had been emptied out before the winter break.