McMinnville School Board to discuss superintendent position

McMinnville School Board members will discuss the superintendent position when they meet in a special work session Tuesday, Dec. 2.

The meeting will start at 6:30 p.m. in the district office, 800 N.E. Lafayette Ave., McMinnville. It also will be available via Zoom.

Board members will discuss whether to conduct a full search for a new superintendent or use a different method for choosing the district’s next leader.

The board dismissed former superintendent Debbie Brockett in April, and Stefanie Frost, the human resources director, became interim leader for the remainder of the 2024-25 school year.

That allowed time for the district to conduct a search for an interim superintendent for the 2025-26 school year.

The board hired Kourtney Ferrua as interim starting July 1. Ferrua previously was a teacher, principal and, more recently, curriculum instruction and assessment director for the district.

In November, the board evaluated her performance in an executive session.

On Tuesday, the board could choose to offer Ferrua the permanent position, skipping the full search. Or it could open a full search during which she could apply along with candidates from other districts. It also could delay a decision.

In June, the company contracted for the interim search offered services for a full search at the cost of no more than about $18,000. It provided the interim search for $3,000 plus expensese, a total of about $5,600, and would discount a full search by $1,500, half the original search cost. The board also could hire a different firm this time.

For more information and a Zoom link, call the district office, at 503-565-4000.