LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Two of the top candidates to be the next Clark County School District superintendent faced questioning from the district's Board of School Trustees on Monday evening.
You can watch the full meeting here:
Channel 13 anchor Joe Moeller was there to follow new developments in the search for the person who will shape the future of education for thousands of students in Southern Nevada.
Six finalists for the position were announced earlier this month; two have since been cut from the list. As Channel 13 reported, concerns were raised over news reports that one of the candidates, Pedro Martinez, had been fired from a previous superintendent job. Another withdrew from consideration, telling trustees he'd prefer not to relocate from the East Coast.
Who was interviewed?
Monday night, John Anzalone and Jesse Welsh were interviewed. Each candidate was given approximately 50 minutes to make a presentation and face questions from the Board to explain why they would be the best fit to be the 13th superintendent of the district.
Anzalone is a former CCSD assistant superintendent and principal who now works as the superintendent of Camas School District in Clark County, Washington — just across the Columbia River from Portland, Oregon. According to its website, the district serves 7,235 students (CCSD is 42 times larger in terms of the number of enrolled students) and boasts a 91.5% on-time graduation rate.
Welsh currently serves as the chief executive officer of Nevada State High School. According to the school's website, more than 800 students enrolled in 2024-25, and NSHS graduates 98% of its students.
Both candidates were asked how they would deal with issues in the district's budget and how they would work to retain teachers in Clark County.
Another special meeting is scheduled for Tuesday night, where trustees are expected to interview the other two finalists, Jhone Ebert and Ben Shuldiner.
How can I follow along?
The meeting at the Edward A. Greer Education Center on Flamingo Road and McLeod Drive starts at 5 p.m.
Community members aren't able to ask questions but are invited to attend and see the interviews in person. Members of the public will get the chance to engage with the finalists during a public forum scheduled for March 10.
For those not able to attend in person, CCSD is expected to provide a livestream or recording of the meeting. We'll also carry it live here on ktnv.com.
District leaders say they expect to announce their final decision on the next superintendent during a board meeting on March 13.
