Chester superintendent search narrows
<span>After months of meetings, the search for the next Chester District 139 superintendent is in its final stages.</span>
<span>Interim Superintendent Rick Goodman said two candidates selected for "additional conversations" are Tony Whiston and Kevin Blankenship.</span>
<span>Both made official visits to the district last week.</span>
<span>"They have energy," Goodman said on what the board generally likes about the candidates. "They're very good as far as what's going on in the district."</span>
<span>Whiston is superintendent of Gardner Central Consolidated School District 72C and principal at Gardner Grade School in Gardner, Ill., which is 30 miles southwest of Joliet.</span>
<span>Blankenship is superintendent of Bluffs District 2, a rural district that serves about 250 students in Scott and Morgan counties.</span>
<span>"I think they've been out in the community, asking questions about the school district," Goodman said. "I think both of them are people persons so, there's a lot to it other than filling out paperwork while sitting in this office.</span>
<span>"There's a lot of areas to cover."</span>
<span>Whiston and Blankenship are part of an original list of six final candidates to make it to the interview process out of 21 who applied in November.</span>
<span>"Either one of these guys would be a good fit in the district," Goodman said. "I think they're both very good candidates."</span>
<span>Goodman told the Herald Tribune that of the list of six, one of the candidates dropped out on his own and the remaining three could still be in play.</span>
<span>The Chester school board is anticipating to make a final decision at its Jan. 21 regular meeting.</span>
<span>"Although the field has been narrowed down to two, the other people aren't necessarily out of the running," Goodman said. "It depends on different factors that could happen."</span>
<span>The school board is scheduled to meet again Wednesday to discuss the superintendent search in a closed-door session.</span>
<span>"A lot of districts prefer that, but they don't always require it," Goodman said on whether the applicants were required to notify their current school districts about their candidacy. "The professional thing is, in my opinion, once I was seriously considered, I would inform my school board as a professional courtesy."</span>
<span>Goodman started his position on Jan. 1 as the second semester superintendent, taking over for first semester superintendent Bill Riley.</span>
<span>Goodman said Riley is sticking around to help Chester through the completion of the superintendent process.</span>
<span>"He didn't have to do that, he could have just walked out the door and disappeared," Goodman said. "But he's not that kind of guy."</span>
<span>After three years away from the superintendent's role, Goodman - who has been a consistent presence at Chester functions the previous six months - touched on his impressions of the Chester district.</span>
<span>"When I started, I didn't know what to expect, but I'm very impressed," he said. "Chester has it going on, to be honest with you.</span>
<span>"They're student-focused, they take care of their facilities. It's a great community that supports the schools and I'm very lucky for six months."</span>