The Benton Harbor Area Schools Board of Education has moved into the next phase of its superintendent search, officially naming six candidates to participate in first-round interviews beginning Saturday, June 14.
Five of the six candidates come from school districts in Illinois, while one has previous ties to the local district, having served as a former principal at Benton Harbor High School.
The list of first-round candidates includes:
- Mr. Jeff Dase, Deputy Superintendent, Rock Island-Milan School District (IL)
- Dr. Simone Griffin, Regional Director, Learnwell Educational Services (IL)
- Dr. Stephanie Jones, Director of Special Education, CCSD 168 (IL)
- Dr. Dallas Lee, Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services and Opportunities, Elementary School District 159 (IL)
- Mr. Donald Pearson, Former Superintendent, River of Life Christian School; Former Principal, Benton Harbor High School (MI)
- Dr. Rena Whitten, Assistant Superintendent of Student Services and Equity, Thornton Fractional High School District 215 (IL)
The Board met over the weekend with executive search firm Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates (HYA), which is guiding the recruitment and selection process.
“With the phenomenal support of Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates, the Board of Education has selected six viable and transformative candidates whose professional experiences are in alignment with our district’s mission, vision, and goals,” said Board President Dashuna Robinson. “We are both excited and impressed with our current candidate pool, and strongly encourage attendance and feedback from all community stakeholders at our upcoming candidate interviews.”
The six candidates will participate in interviews on Saturday, June 14, beginning at 10 a.m. During the same special meeting, the Board also plans to select an Interim Superintendent to lead the district during the final stages of the hiring process.
The formal search timeline continues with second-round interviews and a public Meet & Greet event for finalists on Tuesday, June 24 at 6 p.m.. Background checks will be completed between June 25 and July 7, with the Board planning to announce its final selection on July 8, pending contract negotiations.
Community members are encouraged to stay engaged throughout the process, particularly during the interview and meet-and-greet phases. Additional information and updates are available on the district’s website at www.bhas.org/superintendentsearch.
