APPLETON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – The Appleton school district will begin the search for a new superintendent in the next few months. Superintendent Judy Baseman will retire at the end of this school year.
After 26 years with the Appleton school district, five of those years as superintendent, Judy Baseman will be retiring from the district. But, she’ll remain in Northeast Wisconsin.
“My husband is a pastor, and he’s been called to serve at Trinity Lutheran Church up in Washington Island,” said Baseman during an interview with FOX 11.
Baseman says with her husband’s new placement and the district being in a solid state makes now the perfect time to transition.
“I feel things are in a really good place just in terms with the team I have in place, our staff is dedicated.”
While her time with AASD has brought many challenges, Baseman says balancing the last two years of working in education during the pandemic have been the hardest.
Both the district and board of education have faced support and criticism for their COVID-19 policies.
“There aren’t any perfectly right answers or wrong answers. It’s navigating it according to your specific circumstances and the best information you have at that time,” said Baseman. “It definitely has been a challenge, but I feel we’ve navigated it very well in a safe way as possible.”
As for what’s next in store for the district, the board of education will meet next week to begin the process.
“I anticipate the board will approve a contract to work with a firm, consulting firm to help with some of the selection services,” said Kay Eggert, AASD school board president.
The board plans to gather input and create a profile of what they would like to see in their next superintendent.
“What are the attributes the community think are desirable and then once we have that profile in place we will take next steps on the search process, but this is early in the process,” said Baseman.
The district hopes to have its next superintendent hired sometime in the spring. The district has not decided if filling the position with an internal candidate will be a priority. They are focusing on getting input from the community first.
