SPS superintendent finalist named

The top finalist to replace outgoing Springfield Public Schools Superintendent Norm Ridder is scheduled to tour the district early next week.

John Jungmann, the current superintendent at Liberty Public Schools, an 11,500-student district near Kansas City, will visit Springfield March 3. The SPS Board of Education has scheduled several community meetings for that day, allowing district employees, as well as business and community leaders, to meet with Jungmann, according to a news release.

Following his visit, the board anticipates finalizing an employment offer and contract with a July 1 start date.

"We are excited about the skill set Jungmann brings to our district and we look forward to working with him as SPS moves forward in our commitment to provide personalized learning for all students," SPS board President Kris Callen said in the release. "His statewide reputation and influence as a respected educational leader will support us in our pursuit of that goal."

A southwest Missouri native, Jungmann served as superintendent of the Monett R-1 School District for four years before taking the job in Liberty.

The SPS board hired superintendent search firm McPherson & Jacobson in November to find a successor for Ridder, who has served in the top post since 2005 and last year informed the school board he would end his tenure with the district June 30.

SPS spokeswoman Teresa Bledsoe said Jungmann was narrowed down from an initial applicant pool of 13. She declined to disclose other finalists.