Kuehl to succeed Schares as Clear Creek Amana superintendent

The Clear Creek Amana school board has tentatively selected Tim Kuehl as the district's new superintendent.

Board members and the district's legal counsel are working on developing a contract for Kuehl, who is currently the superintendent of the Gladbrook-Reinbeck Community School District and principal of the district's Reinbeck Elementary School. Board President Eileen Schmidt said Kuehl's multi-level administrative experience  -- he's also served as principal at Waukon High School and Forest City Middle School -- made him an especially attractive candidate as the school system's student population is projected to have one of the state's largest growth rates over the next five years.

"Our district is growing," she said. "It's just a good fit."

Approval of the agreement, pending a background check, is slated for a board vote at the Wednesday, May 15 meeting.

Details on Kuehl's pay and benefits are not yet available, but he is scheduled to begin his new position on Monday, July 1. He will take over for retiring superintendent Denise Schares, who is in her third year as the Clear Creek Amana School District's top administrator.

The school board interviewed five candidates for the vacancy and selected two individuals, Kuehl and Cedar Falls High School Principal Rich Powers, for second interviews. The board voted unanimously to offer the position to Kuehl.

"We were looking for our best qualified person because we were making a decision that not only affected our community, our administration, our staff, but the biggest (group) it would affect is our children and the education they would receive," Schmidt said. "We have a lot of bridges to build here."