As Sioux City School Board members carry out tasks towards hiring a new superintendent, 23 people have applied to be considered.
A school district spokeswoman gave that update on Wednesday, after the deadline for applications took place. Coincidentally, 23 applicants is also the same number as in 2022, when current Superintendent Rod Earleywine was hired.
Earleywine will retire on June 30. The consulting firm GR Recruiting will conduct reference checks and screenings of the applicants.
A recommendation on which candidates should be interviewed will be delivered at the school board meeting on January 27. Other details about the superintendent search are publicly shared on the website of the Sioux City School District, which educates 14,500 students.
*Additionally, as former President Jimmy Carter lies in state at the US capitol, Republican U.S. senators from South Dakota and Iowa are highlighting the Democrat’s life of service.
During the memorial service on Tuesday, South Dakota Senator JohnThune pointed to Carter’s faith and work with the nonprofit group Habitat For Humanity.
“He did that literally on numerous Habitat builds, including one back in 1994 in Eagle Butte in my home state of South Dakota. Well into his 90s, he could be found with his hardhat and tools on construction sites doing the practical work required to get families into homes,” Thune said.
On Wednesday, Iowa Senator Charles Grassley memorialized Carter with remarks on the Senate floor.
“There’s no doubt President Carter made an impact on [millions] of Americans.” Grassley said.
“As for this senator, in 1976, I was on the ballot as a congressman for Iowa’s 3rd congressional district, and, of course, Jimmy Carter was on that same ballot.
Now, he and I were bit by different political bugs, but we have a similar foundation - two small town boys, anchored in our faith.
As the only sitting member of Congress today who served under the Carter presidency, I remember him fondly.”
Carter’s remains will be at the Capitol until Thursday morning. He’s set to be buried in Plains, Georgia next to his wife Rosalynn. President Carter was 100 years old when he died on December 29.
*In other news, the confirmation hearing of South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem to become the Secretary of Homeland Security is set for January 15.
President-elect Trump appointed Noem this past November. The hearing is in front of the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
Noem has planned to deliver the State of the State Address to South Dakota legislators the day before on January 14.
Noem must undergo public questioning before a vote is taken. Republicans hold the majority in the Senate.
If Noem is approved by the Senate, Lt. Gov. Larry Rhoden would fulfill the rest of her term as South Dakota governor which ends in January of 2027.
*Additionally, there is a new CEO at Siouxland Community Health Center in Sioux City, with the announcement of Mark Donaldson taking the post.
Donaldson has been executive director of Grand Columbia Health Alliance in the state of Washington.
Siouxland Community Health Center is a federally qualified community health center serving 35,000 patients yearly. The health center officials and Donaldson said they look forward to sound leadership in delivering quality health care.
Mari Kaptain-Dahlen was CEO from 2013 to 2024. For much of 2024, Andrea Buckley, an attorney and health center board member, had served as interim CEO.
