The Whitefish School District Board of Trustees unanimously voted on Thursday evening to negotiate a contract with Dr. Jenny Fee for the position of superintendent.  

Fee’s extensive experience, broad base of knowledge, student-based approach, and overall fit with the district were cited as reasons for the choice.  

Hailing from Grand Rapids, Michigan, Fee brings over 30 years of experience in education. She has been the assistant superintendent of Instructional Services for Kent Independent School District since August 2024.  

Previously, Fee was the superintendent of St. Joseph Public Schools for three years, leading through the pandemic. Fee also taught middle school math and social studies in Michigan, Florida and Colorado. 

Whitefish Board Chair Elizabeth Pitman extended gratitude towards the three outstanding candidates they had to consider. 

“It’s always neat to see other professionals who love their profession,” Pitman said. “The decision wasn’t easy.”  

Prior to the vote, Whitefish High School Principal Kerry Drown noted the significance of a personality match. 

“We need a personality that’s going to stabilize the district, help us grow, and who can step in and perform that role from the beginning,” Drown said. 

Pitman said the public’s feedback was crucial to their decision.  

The board held interviews in conjunction with community meet and greet sessions for each candidate on March 4 and 5 prior to making their selection. 

“This is why Whitefish is great, because people care,” Pitman said. “People love Whitefish and we love our schools, and we want it to continue to be an amazing place.” 

The district also utilized the services of consulting firm McPherson and Jacobson LLC, who helped initiate the search and narrow down finalists.  

Pending negotiations and ratification by the board at a future meeting, Fee will assume the role of superintendent on July 1, following the retirement of current Superintendent Dave Means. 

“The Board and the administration of WSD would like to thank all staff and families for your involvement and support through the superintendent search process,” said Whitefish Human Resources Director Sarah Krumm in a statement. “Your inputs were invaluable in ensuring we identified a well-qualified candidate with the right fit for the district.” 

Whitefish Pilot editor Kelsey Evans can be reached at 406-862-3505 or [email protected].

This story is part of the Whitefish’s coverage of community news affecting the Whitefish area. Independent local journalism depends on readers who believe their community deserves strong reporting. If you value this kind of reporting, please support it at whitefishpilot.com/support.