Fairfield superintendent finalist for Burlington job

FAIRFIELD — The Burlington School District has announced that Fairfield School Superintendent Laurie Noll is one of the three finalists to replace Burlington’s outgoing superintendent.

Burlington School Superintendent Pat Coen is stepping down from his post at the end of this school year, and the school board has been interviewing candidates to replace him. Noll was announced as one of the three finalists, along with Joseph Brown, interim superintendent for the Clear Creek Amana School District, and Robert Scott, director of athletics and activities for Centennial High School in Ankeny.

Trent Grundmeyer, a consultant with Grundmeyer Leader Services that has been structuring the superintendent hiring process for Burlington schools, said the school board will conduct final interviews with the three candidates on Wednesday, Feb. 16. He said the board could reach a decision that night, or wait until its following meeting.

Whomever the board selects will begin their duties on July 1. Grundmeyer said the salary range for the position is $190,000-$210,000. Burlington’s school district includes nine buildings and has an enrollment of about 3,500 students.

Noll spent many years working in Burlington schools before she was hired as Fairfield’s superintendent in 2014. From 2010-2014, she was Burlington’s director of curriculum and instruction. From 2006-2010, she was the district’s alternative high school principal. Before that, she taught 9-12 special education in Burlington.

Grundmeyer said his company is in charge of recruiting superintendents and principals for schools across the state. It structures the hiring process, but the decision of whom to hire is left up to each school board.

Call Andy Hallman at 641-575-0135 or email him at andy.hallman@southeastiowaunion.com