ALPENA — The Alpena Public Schools Board of Education on Monday selected the Michigan Association of School Boards to search for a replacement for Superintendent John VanWagoner, who has accepted an offer to become superintendent at Traverse City Area Public Schools.

The board came to the consensus verbally, as no formal vote was held.

The MASB was one of two in-state firms VanWagoner recommended the board consider. The other firm was the Michigan Leadership Institute. VanWagoner said the board could also consider national firms, but they’re typically three times the price of the in-state firms.

While VanWagoner said either in-state firm would “do a great job,” he noted the board had a relationship with one of the MASB’s consultants, Rich Ramsey, who works part-time as an educational consultant for the Wolgast Corp. and helped APS with its recent bond proposal.

VanWagoner said Ramsey knows the community and would be able to hit the ground running.

“I do think that would speed up your process without losing any integrity of the process, from that standpoint, and it would buy you a few weeks in the aspect of the comfortability,” he said. “I wanted to give you those thoughts, because time is of the essence.”

Board Vice President Steven Donajkowski suggested the board select the MASB because of the group’s familiarity with the district.

“I think they will have the best insight as to what we are in need of and what we are looking for,” he said.

Board Member Stacey Parr said Ramsey would be a good fit, having worked with him closely for the bond.

“For those who haven’t met him or haven’t spent a lot of time with him, he’s very accessible and very easy to talk to, and would be able to take our needs and wants and put them to best use,” she said.

VanWagoner said he is looking at a July 15 transition date and would like the district to have a new superintendent in place in August for the start of the school year. He said the board will have to hire an interim superintendent for a couple of months until a new superintendent can be hired.

“My understanding is there are a couple of folks in the area who may be interested in the interim superintendent position, so that doesn’t need to be a big concern,” board President Gordon Snow said.

Snow asked a couple of board members to join him in talking to the couple candidates for the interim position. Parr, along with Trustee Tom Hilberg, volunteered to help Snow vet interim superintendent candidates.

Snow said that person will have “to hit the ground running,” be ready to answer questions, fill the office, and prepare for the upcoming school year.

“We won’t have any problems finding an interim (superintendent),” he said. “I’m mostly concerned with finding an appropriate, right person to be our superintendent, and my feeling is, the sooner we can get started with this, the better.”

Crystal Nelson can be reached at 989-358-5687 or cnelson@thealpenanews.com.