Sometime this week, the Coupeville School Board will announce a replacement for Bill Myhr, who has resigned as superintendent after five years in the position.

Two finalists are vying to fill the superintendent seat and they spent the early part of the week touring facilities, meeting staff and getting grilled by area residents.

Jay Rowell, superintendent of the La Grande School District in northeastern Oregon, was interviewed Monday night in front of a crowd in the elementary school’s multi-purpose room.

Patrice Page, the current assistant superintendent for the Kelso School District, was interviewed Tuesday evening after the News-Times went to press.

Rowell has worked for the La Grande School District for 10 years and spent five of those as superintendent of the 2,200 student district.

He said he decided it was a good time to move on from his job in Oregon. He had to make tough decisions in his years as superintendent. Funding problems forced the school district to reduce its budget by 25 percent, close two elementary schools and change school boundaries.

Rowell said he was interested because of the supportive residents and the work the district is doing to improve student learning.

“The community seems very supportive of its schools,” Rowell said.

He added that it’s a good time to move for his family since his oldest daughter has graduated from high school and his youngest daughter is entering high school.

Approximately 35 people came out Monday night to question Rowell about his values and experience.

The Q-and-A session started with a query about Rowell’s commitment to art and music education in the schools.

Rowell said that even though $5 million was cut from his budget in Oregon over the years, he was still able to maintain an art and music program at all grade levels.

Other questions ran the gamut from Rowell’s impression of standardized tests to why he would like to live on Central Whidbey Island.

The session wrapped up after about an hour of Rowell answering questions.

The school board planned to meet in an executive session Tuesday evening after Page’s community interview to decide which candidate to select. The board could meet in a similar session today if they don’t make an immediate decision.

Eighteen people applied for the superintendent position and six people were named semifinalists.

The school board winnowed the candidates down to three. However, one of the candidates, Bette Bullock, withdrew her name from consideration Friday and the school board went forward with interviewing the other two finalists.

The candidate the school board selects will replace Bill Myhr, who submitted his resignation last month. He decided to take a superintendent position in Arizona.