Royal Valley to make offer to "top candidate" for superintendent's job

After interviewing three candidates for the Royal Valley superintendent position, the USD 337 Board of Education on Friday (following a special meeting that day) reportedly gave board president Pat Tuck the authority to negotiate a contract with the candidate identified as the “top candidate.’’

It is expected that another special meeting will be called soon to formally hire a new superintedent.

Board members interviewed Dr. Kelly Arnberger on Wednesday, Jerry Hodson on Thursday and Aaric Davis on Friday to replace longtime current superintendent John Rundle, who has served in that role since August 2001.

After the board’s final interview on Friday, the board returned to executive session to discuss the candidates. Back in open session, the board unanimously agreed to have the board president negotiate a contract with the “top candidate’’ identified.

Before any of the candidates can accept an offer from Royal Valley as superintendent, they must first resign from their position in their current district, it was reported.

The top candidate must resign from his position in his district and his resignation must be approved by that district’s board of education before he can accept any offer from Royal Valley, according to current Superintendent John Rundle.

Dr. Arnberger works as the superintendent at Bucklin USD 459, which is 30 minutes southeast of Dodge City.

Hodson is currently the superintendent in Rawlins County USD 105 in Atwood, which is located 30 miles north of Colby in northwest Kansas.

Davis is the principal a Hartford Jr./Sr. High School. The school is located in Lyon County and is a part of Southern Lyon County USD 252.

Davis previously worked at Royal Valley for 12 years. Davis served as the principal at Royal Valley Middle School from 2011 to 2013 and was the assistant high school principal at RV from 2008-2011. Prior to that, he taught math at the high school for seven years.

During the 2014-2015 school year, the superintendent’s salary at Royal Valley was $117,119, which included benefits, it was reported.