McNulty interviews for 2 out-of-state jobs

County district chief eyes cities in West

Charles McNulty, superintendent of the Pulaski County Special School District since 2018, is a finalist for chief executive school district jobs in Nevada and Colorado.

McNulty, 61, is one of five finalists for the superintendent’s job in the Washoe School District in Reno, Nev., a district that is more than 6,000 square miles and home to about 100 schools.

McNulty is one of three finalists in Pueblo, Col., District 60, that serves about 14,500 students in 30 schools. Charlotte Macaluso is retiring after eight years as the superintendent.

“Yes, I am currently in the interview process with both districts,” McNulty said Monday evening in a text message.

In addition to McNulty, who oversees a 12,000-student district, the Washoe School Board is considering two candidates who are Washoe district employees:

■ Joseph M. Ernst, the chief continuous improvement officer for the district, a position he has held since 2021. He has worked in the district since 1996.

■ Troy Parks, chief academic officer of Washoe County School District since 2020. He began a career in education as an elementary school teacher in the district in 1996 and has held multiple positions over time.

Other finalists are:

■ Christopher S. Bernier, most recently superintendent of the Lee County School District in Fort Myers, Fla. He previously served as the chief of staff in the Clark County, Nev., School District and in multiple positions in the Orange County School District in Orlando, Fla., where he worked for 32 years.

■ Elizabeth Fagen, superintendent of Humble, Texas Independent School District since 2016. She previously served as superintendent of the Douglas County School District in Colorado and Tucson Unified School District in Arizona.

The successful candidate is expected to replace Kristen McNeill, who has been serving as interim superintendent since the resignation of Susan Enfield late last year.

McNeill is a former superintendent of the district, according to news reports from that district.

The Washoe County district is being assisted in its search by the McPherson and Jacobson executive search firm. The superintendent candidates are expected to meet with the local board and community members next week.

The Pueblo School District in Colorado is being aided in its search by Hazard, Young, Attea and Associates executive search firm. The finalists for the job are expected to meet with district leaders and community members as well as tour schools today.

In addition to McNulty, the finalists are Shon Hocker and Barbara Kimzey.

A 29-year educator with 17 years of experience as a superintendent, Hocker is currently superintendent of the Coeur d’Alene School District in Idaho.

Kimzey is chief schools officer in Norfolk, Va., Public Schools and had served in different roles in Portsmouth and Hampton City schools, also in Virginia.

McNulty was a candidate for superintendent in at least two districts last year: Charleston County, S.C., from which he withdrew from consideration and the Northshore School District near Seattle, Wash.

McNulty said at the time that the Washington state job was a special opportunity and not dissatisfaction with what he called “amazing work” in the Pulaski County Special system.

“I still love working with the county,” he said at that time. “We have some really good people who care for kids, and we are getting some great achievement results right now despite the pandemic.”

McNulty attended high school and college in nearby Oregon and began his teaching career in another Washington state school district.