DEARBORN – This week, the Dearborn Board of Education held interviews with four candidates for the superintendent position and selected the final two Thursday evening.       

 The board came to a decision that Executive Director of Staff and Student Services Glenn Maleyko and Associate Superintendent at Shiawassee RESA John Van Wagoner would be the final two candidates. 

Dearborn Associate Superintendent Gail Shenkman and former Howell and Cass City Public Schools Superintendent Ronald Wilson Jr. were also interviewed for the post.

Trustees held 90 minute interviews with the candidates on Tuesday, June 9 and Thursday June 11.

Assisting with the interviews was the Michigan Leadership Institute, a firm hired to help the district replace Dearborn Superintendent Brian Whiston. Whiston is leaving his post to take on the job as the superintendent of the Michigan Department of Education.

In the search for a qualified superintendent, the Dearborn School Board put together a candidate profile which included all the credentials the district was looking for in a qualified candidate. 

“We sought community input as we were putting together a description of the candidate,” said Trustee Mariam Bazzi. 

Candidates who applied for the position did so in confidentiality. Bazzi noted that the district narrowed down the list to the top four candidates who met their description. 

Bazzi also noted that all candidates were asked about their community relations experience, among other inquires.

Maleyko and Wagoner will participate in another round of interviews with the district in coming days. The final decision will be made either on Thursday, June 18, or at the next Board of Trustees meeting on Monday, June 22.