SANDPOINT — The Lake Pend Oreille School District has announced three finalists in the search for a new superintendent.

Sandpoint High School principal Tom Albertson is among the trio selected for interviews next week, as was Dr. Paula Vincent of Sagle, and Paul Peterson of Scappoose, Ore.

“We had so many really good, qualified people from all over,” said LPOSD board chair Cary Kelly on Thursday. “... I am really enthusiastic about it, because out of the three, I know we are going to get a great superintendent.”

On a tight deadline following the resignation of Superintendent Shawn Woodward in April, LPOSD officials retained the services of consultant McPherson and Jacobson, LLC, to assist in the search. The consultants reviewed, screened, and conducted background checks on 27 applicants, which board clerk Kelly Fisher said is “huge” for the timeline they were working with. In addition, the 27 applicants represented 17 different states, she said.

Kelly said it was a difficult decision for him and the other board members as they considered each of the 27 applicants on Thursday, landing on six or seven before finally narrowing it down to the three finalists.

“It was really a great process,” he said. “The consultants did a great job ... It was really tough to whittle it down to three.”

Each candidate will spend a full day interviewing with district officials and meeting with stakeholders and community members next week. Peterson is scheduled to interview on Monday, followed by Vincent on Tuesday and Albertson on Wednesday. Numerous stakeholder groups will have the opportunity to meet the finalists and submit input to the board about each one. The board will then meet in executive session on Thursday, June 20, to make a final decision.

Albertson has served as the SHS principal for the past five years and, before that, was an assistant principal at the school for five years as well. Albertson recently completed his educational specialist degree from University of Idaho, and holds a master’s degree in educational leadership, as well as a bachelor’s degree in secondary education also from UI.

Vincent was the chief administrator for the Heartland Area Education Agency in Johnston, Iowa, from 2010-2017. Prior to that, she spent six years as the superintendent of the Clear Creek Amana Community School District in Oxford, Iowa, and six years as an associate superintendent for Cedar Rapids Community Schools in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. She holds a doctorate in educational planning, policy and leadership, a master’s in secondary and special education from the University of Iowa, as well as a bachelor’s in elementary and special education from McPherson College.

For the past year, Peterson has served as superintendent of the Scappoose School District. He was also the district’s superintendent from 2006-2011. From 2011-2018, he was the assistant superintendent for the Northwest Regional Education Service District in Hillsboro, Ore. Peterson holds an educational leadership degree from George Fox University, as well as a master’s degree in education administration from Heritage University, and a bachelor’s degree in English from Washington State University’s Spokane campus.

“They are all just terrific people,” Kelly said. “I think, at least looking at them on paper, any one would do a great job.”

During next week’s interviewing process, there will be community/parent “Meet the Candidate” stakeholder meetings on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday for each individual, from 1:30-2:15 in the commons at Sandpoint High School, in order to give the community a chance to give feedback to the board.

Mary Malone can be reached by email at mmalone@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow her on Twitter @MaryDailyBee.