6 finalists for Northshore superintendent

The Northshore School Board has selected six semifinalists for superintendent, five from Washington and one from Colorado.

The district is selecting a new leader at the same time it is dealing with a projected $3.4 million budget shortfall for the 2008-09 school year and plans to close one elementary school.

The district's late superintendent, Karen Forys, died on Sept. 17 while undergoing cancer treatment. Dolores Gibbons, who retired as superintendent of the Renton School District in June 2006, has served as interim superintendent since then.

The six semifinalists are: Larry Francois, superintendent of the Lakewood School District near Marysville; Richard Jones, superintendent of the Burlington-Edison School District in Skagit County; Kris McDuffy, director of educational administration at Western Washington University and former superintendent of Lakewood School District; Tim Mills, superintendent of the Mesa County Valley School District in Grand Junction, Colo.; Rick Shulte, superintendent of the Oak Harbor School District; and Michael Soltman, superintendent of the San Juan Island School District.

The School Board plans to interview each candidate in early March. Finalists will be invited to the district March 4-6 to meet with staff members and parents. No times for the public meetings have been determined.

The board hopes to have the new superintendent begin work on July 1.

The Northshore School District serves 20,000 students in Bothell, Kenmore and Woodinville.

Lynn Thompson: 425-745-7807 or lthompson@seattletimes.com