Three candidates will be interviewed for the superintendent position at Mackinac Island Public School Monday, December 7. The finalists were selected from a field of 22 applicants by interim Superintendent Michael Bootz and approved by the board at a special meeting Monday evening, November 30. The interviews will be open to the public.

"Before I recommended anyone, I did a very thorough background search," Mr. Bootz told The St. Ignace News. "Their backgrounds checked out very well and their experiences were what we were looking for. In the event that one of these three will not work out, we will repost it and go at it again."

To be interviewed is Carl Sztuczko of St. Louis, Michigan, the elementary principal at St. Louis Public Schools. He has been a middle school principal and a special education director and is involved in many community activities, said Mr. Bootz, including the Knights of Columbus. His interview begins at 4 p.m.

David Waaso of South Haven is the central office administrator working directly with the superintendent at South Haven Public Schools. The former elementary principal has been an assistant principal, teacher, and athletic director both at the high school and middle school levels. His interview begins at 5:30 p.m.

Steven Vernon of Rapid City, South Dakota, is formerly from Michigan and hopes to move back. He is the dean of students with the Rapid City South Dakota School District. He has been an assistant principal, a summer school principal, and a teacher, and his father, Don, is the superintendent at Tawas Area Schools, said Mr. Bootz. His interview begins at 7 p.m.

The candidates will be interviewed by the full board.

Island resident and former Island school superintendent Richard Bolander told The St. Ignace News he suggests a school board committee visit the school districts of the applicants and meet with members of their communities before a hiring decision is made.

Mr. Bootz said he expects the board will consider the possibility of either he or some of the trustees traveling to candidate communities, although any decision would come after the Monday interviews.