Ironwood enters superintendent contract talks

IRONWOOD — While the details still need to be hammered out and the paperwork still needs to be signed, it appears the Ironwood Area Schools is concluding its superintendent search.

A little more than a week after narrowing the field of candidates down to two finalists, the district’s board of education interviewed Travis Powell for a second time.

Powell is the principal of Lake Superior Elementary School in Ashland, Wis.

The other candidate, Ewen-Trout Creek Superintendent Alan Tulppo, declined the offer for a second interview.

Prior to answering the board’s questions, Powell gave a brief presentation on his plans if he was hired.

The presentation included a brief summary of his background, as well as what he would like to accomplish in the first 30 and 90 days — which included listening sessions with various district stakeholders and reviewing a number of district documents to get an idea of where the district is.

He said he planned to update the board regarding his one-, three- and five-year goals at the end of the 90-day review period.

During his presentation he stressed the importance of branding and praised the district’s touchtone and mission statement.

“I love this. These concepts, what stands out to me most of all is it’s about being good people,” Powell said. “Sometimes you read mission statements and they’re really dry, or they’re talking all about achievement or something that’s just not the human factor — I really liked this.”

Ultimately he said his goal was to, “Have the Ironwood Area Schools be the school of choice in the western (Upper Peninsula).”

“I think it’s doable, I think it’s kind of exciting,” he said, adding that increasing enrollment creates a sustainable funding increase compared to grants, which are generally project-specific.

Following the presentation, Powell answered questions on a variety of topics — including budgeting, leadership philosophy and what motivates him.

“(My grandfather) imparted in me this belief that if something’s worth doing, it’s worth doing well; and I just can’t shake that,” Powell said. “When I take on a task, I want to do it right and do it well and … I hate settling for a mediocre result — I just loath that. We can do better; whatever it happens to be, we can do better.”

Following the interview, the board moved into closed session so it could begin discussions on the offer it would make Powell to begin the contract negotiation process.

Ironwood’s current superintendent, Tim Kolesar, is retiring at the end of the school year after leading the district since 2010.