St. Louis County Schools Board Narrows ISD 2142 Superintendent Field

The seven-member St. Louis County Schools board has selected four semi-finalists to replace Superintendent Reggie Engebritson, who is retiring June 30. Public interviews were held at the district office in Virginia as the districts move to finalize a leader before the July 1 transition.

Named semi-finalists include Brian Masterson, superintendent at Hinckley-Finlayson Public Schools in Hinckley, Minn.; Tara Lere, superintendent at Plummer-Worley Joint School District in Plummer, Idaho; and Brad Johnson, superintendent at Renville County West Public Schools in Renville, Minn. The board’s announcement references a fourth semi-finalist whose name was not included in the materials provided to the public. The district office is at 1701 Ninth Avenue North in Virginia.

Interviews with the four semi-finalists were conducted at 4 p.m. Monday, Feb. 9 and 4 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 12 at the district office. Those sessions were open to the public, but the board said the interviews will not be live streamed or recorded. A second round with finalists is scheduled for a special meeting at 9 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 14 at the same location.

Under a collaboration between the two districts, the Minnesota School Boards Association was hired to guide the superintendent search. The two districts will continue sharing a superintendent, Hilde and Laura Petersen, Mountain Iron-Buhl Public Schools board chair said. Laura Petersen described the applicant pool positively: “The search process is going very smoothly,” Petersen said. “We have some great applicants that I’m excited to interview.”

The board outlined next steps for the hiring process. “With selection of a finalist, negotiations would begin toward reaching a contract, Hilde said.” The board also acknowledged alternative paths: “Without selection of a finalist, a new search could begin or an interim superintendent could be hired, as has occurred at times in school districts, Hilde said.” The district’s timeline remains urgent: “Hopes are to have a new superintendent under contract well ahead of a July 1 start date, Hilde said.”

For residents, the superintendent choice matters beyond administrative leadership. St. Louis County Schools is the largest district in the state geographically, and leadership decisions shape priorities for student services, school health and mental health programs, transportation logistics, and equitable access to resources across a wide geographic area. Continued sharing of a superintendent with Mountain Iron-Buhl raises questions about how roles and costs will be divided as the new leader settles in.

What comes next is clear: the Feb. 14 special meeting will narrow finalists and, if a finalist is chosen, contract negotiations will begin. Community members who want to observe the process can attend in person at 1701 Ninth Avenue North in Virginia, understanding that sessions will not be streamed or recorded. The board aims to have a new superintendent under contract well before the July 1 handoff from Reggie Engebritson.