Blue Earth Area (BEA) School District could be looking for a new superintendent.
Mandy Fletcher and three other candidates will be interviewed on March 26 for the superintendent vacancy at Albert Lea Area Schools (ALAS).
ALAS School Board screened and narrowed a field of 14 applicants to five on March 18, but one dropped out after committing to a new position.
BEA School Board member Mark Franta says he was “not really” surprised that Fletcher applied for the job.
“She didn’t tell me that she was applying, but others may have known,” he says. “She let the board know that she was invited to interview.”
According to the job opening posted on the district’s web page, a second round of interviews will be conducted on March 31 and the person hired is scheduled to start on July 1.
The starting salary range of $175,000 to $195,000 is negotiable depending on experience.
ALAS has a total enrollment of 3,220 students, 292 licensed staff members, 261 non-licensed staff, seven full-time central office staff, seven district buildings, seven principals and one assistant principal.
The other semi-finalists include:
- Beth Giese, superintendent of Kenyon-Wanamingo Public Schools;
- Dr. Steven Heil, superintendent of St. James Public Schools;
- and, Michael Neubeck, superintendent of Byron Public Schools.
Fletcher is currently earning an annual salary of $143,020, but the Blue Earth Area School approved a new three-year contract in January that increases her pay to $153,00 for the 2025-26 school year, $162,000 in the second year and $166,000 for the final year.