By Lori EhdeSchool Board members met Wednesday night to interview finalists for the Luverne Middle School-High School principal’s position.Out of 30 applicants for the job, the board interviewed six and will now decide between the two interviewed last night.They are Donna Judson, currently the high school principal in Kenyon, and Larry Mischke, the middle school-high school principal in Graceville.Judson is in charge of roughly 500 students in the middle school and high school grades in the Kenyon-Wanamingo School District, located in eastern Minnesota.She received her bachelor’s degree in 1971, her master’s degree in physical education in 1988, and her administrative degree in 2001. She’s been principal in Kenyon for two years, but prior to that she was assistant principal in Fairmont for two years, and prior to that, she taught for 13 years.Mischke is the middle school-high school principal in Clinton-Graceville-Beardsley School District in west central Minnesota. There are more than 300 students in the middle school and high school grades there.He earned his bachelor’s degree in 1979, his master’s degree in 2000 and his administrative specialist degree in 2005. He’s been with CGB since 1982 when he started as a business teacher. He became dean of students in 2001, was interim elementary principal for a short while and then was hired as assistant high school principal from 2002-2004.Luverne School Board met as a committee of the whole Wednesday night to interview Judson and Mischke but didn’t make a decision.A special meeting may be called later this week to make a hiring decision.The middle school-high school principal position in Luverne was vacated by Gary Fisher, who was hired last month to fill the district’s superintendent’s position.Superintendent Fisher said he’s pleased with the pool of applicants for his former job."We’ve had a lot of good people apply," Fisher said. "The team here is pretty excited about it. We’ve got two good people coming in who will be a good fit for our school."He said they come from smaller districts than Luverne, but that only means they have more experience. "The smaller the school the more hats you wear," Fisher said."I feel confident, especially after talking to their references. … I think either one of these could step into the job and get it done."Former Luverne Superintendent Vince Schaefer resigned from the post after six years in Luverne after accepting an offer for the superintendent’s position in the Beresford, S.D., district.
