By Steve Van Kooten

The Clayton Ridge School District Board of Directors will be searching for a new principal for the 2026-27 school year.

At the board’s Feb. 12 meeting, Superintendent Shane Wahls told the board that Middle School and High School Principal Terri Thompson had submitted her resignation at the end of the current school year. He said the decision was to “pursue other professional opportunities.”

The board accepted her resignation, with one board member voting against it.

The district’s administration was already anticipating a shakeup due to Wahls’ impending retirement, effective on June 30 of this year.

The Board of Directors and the superintendent met for a work session on Feb. 5. During that meeting, they looked at two firms that made proposals to the district for the superintendent search.

The two firms are Grundmeyer Leader Services and McPherson & Jacobson.

During the regular board meeting a week later, Wahls summarized the similarities and differences in the services offered by each one.

“We kind of came up with the similarities together, and then I ran through and put together some highlights prior to our last meeting for us to look at that might make one or the other stand out,” said Wahls.

Wahls said the process used by both firms is similar, including determining the compensation package for the position, assessing the desired qualifications, recruiting and interviewing candidates, background checks and offering a transition phase for the new candidate.

Wahls pointed out some differences he and the board ascertained from the comparison.

Cost is slightly different, with McPherson’s fee being $13,150.

“That does not include having a consultant at the table during the actual interview process of the finalists. And they’re going to charge you additional fees for that,” said Wahls.

He said he did not know what the exact cost for that service would amount to, but he had heard it could potentially be thousands.

Grundmeyer charges $13,650 with “somebody in the room” during questions for the finalists. There would not be an additional cost for those services.

Both firms offered a guarantee, but Grundmeyer’s is only for one year, while McPherson’s is for two years.

“If things don’t work out, they’re not going to charge you for the next superintendent search... The one thing we talked about is we might not be satisfied with the search firm in the first place, so a guarantee, I guess, is what it is,” said Wahls.

Wahls also noted Grundmeyer is based out of Iowa and has seven active searches within the state, while McPherson (based in Omaha, Neb.) had none.

The board unanimously voted to go with Grundmeyer Leader Services to facilitate the search for the district’s next superintendent.

Wahls said he will ask about the search for a new principal when he contacts the firms to give them the board’s decision.

The next regular board meeting is scheduled for March 12.

Other business

- approved the purchase of $31,918.28 worth of equipment. Wahls said approximately two-thirds of the cost will be covered by a grant. Nicole DeGidio, a teacher and technology coach at the district, said the equipment included a large printer that prints vinyl banners and decals, an engraver and a solvent printer.

- set public hearings for the 2026 fiscal year’s budget proposal. The hearings will take place on March 25 and April 15 following the regular board meeting (which was moved from April 9 due to scheduling conflicts).

- approved student trips for FCCLA and FBLA.