Four finalists, two of them local and two from the East, bring a wealth of experience and talent as they vie to be Utah's next state school superintendent.
The state education office released the names of the top candidates Monday. They are: Bryan Bowles, superintendent of Davis School District; Nicholas Fischer, former superintendent of Fall River (Mass.) Public Schools; Richard LaPointe, director of International Education, Higher Education, at the U.S. Department of Education in Washington, D.C.; and Larry Shumway, deputy superintendent of the Utah State Office of Education.
The Utah State Board of Education will interview the candidates May 29. The top choice could be announced as early as the end of that day or when the board holds its regular meeting June 5.
The new superintendent will replace Patti Harrington, who announced her resignation in March, effective June 30.
Here's a brief look at the candidates:
Bryan Bowles
Bowles, of Bountiful, who is also a member of the Weber State University board of trustees, has led Davis School District since 2002.
Bowles, 56, said he wants to be state superintendent because he can positively affect the learning of more children in that position and contribute to "the future and economic well-being of the state I love."
He has been principal of Bountiful High School, an assistant principal at Millcreek Junior High School in Bountiful and a teacher at Bountiful High. He also has worked as a district administrator dealing with curriculum.
Bowles spent seven years as vice president of the Polynesian Cultural Center in Laie, Hawaii. He sees the main challenge and opportunity in Utah's schools as successfully meeting the needs of the "growing and more diverse population of children."
Bowles has a doctorate in education from the University of Utah and teaches educational leadership there as an adjunct faculty member.
He was Utah's Superintendent of the Year in 2007. He was named Principal of the Year by the Utah Association of Student Councils in 2001.
Nicholas Fischer
Fischer, 63, of Fall River, Mass., has led Fall River Public Schools since 2005. He earned a doctorate in education from Harvard University.
Previously, he has served as assistant superintendent for Fairfax County (Va.) Schools; superintendent of Christina School District in Newark, Del.; and associate commissioner for the Massachusetts Department of Education.
He also has been on the Fall River Chamber of Commerce's board of directors.
While academics is important, the school system also has a responsibility to prepare students for real life after graduation, Fischer said. "Students need the skills to become successful adults," he said.
Employers complain that graduates can't write or communicate verbally. The graduates need creative problem-solving skills. "Students should be challenged to achieve at a higher level," Fischer said.
Fischer has 40 years of education experience. He has worked in multiple states and has a diverse perspective on rural and urban issues. He said, however, that he has learned kids are kids, regardless of the geographic area. "The key is to tap into their talent," he said.
Richard LaPointe
LaPointe, 66, of McLean, Va., said he would love to be part of Utah's education system. He has adult children living in the state. "I have a deep affection for Utah and Utah's schools," he said.
He has worked at the U.S. Department of Education since 2002, serving as deputy assistant secretary for career, technical and adult education until 2007, when he became director of international education.
Previously, LaPointe was superintendent of public instruction in Virginia and superintendent of Contra Costa County Schools in Pleasant Hill, Calif. He was also, at different times, a consultant to the Education Finance Council, Oracle Corp. and the World Bank.
LaPointe has a doctorate in education from the University of California at Los Angeles. He was a Fulbright Fellow and W.W. Kellogg Foundation National Fellow.
Larry Shumway
Shumway, 55, of Stansbury Park, has been the state education office's deputy superintendent since 2008.
"We have great teachers. We need to support them so they can provide high-quality instruction for every child every day," he said.
Shumway has worked at the Utah State Office of Education as the director of educator quality and as licensing coordinator of the Carson Smith Special Needs Scholarship Program since 2005.
Shumway was superintendent of Tooele School District and director of alternative schools and programs for Davis District.
He has taught school in Arizona and Idaho. He was the vice principal at Pine View High School in St. George and principal at North Sevier High School in Salina.
"Knowing all parts of the state is valuable," he said.
Shumway has served as an adjunct faculty member at Brigham Young University. Originally from Boise, he has a doctorate in education from University of Nevada at Las Vegas.
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