Superintendent Search 2026
Superintendent Finalists Announced and Meet the Candidates Night Information
After completing two rounds of interviews, the Middletown City School District Board of Education is pleased to announce the candidates advancing to the final round of the superintendent selection process. The Board interviewed seven candidates during the first round on Wednesday, April 22, and Thursday, April 23.
“The Board of Education is encouraged and inspired by the strength of our applicant pool. We were fortunate to engage with thoughtful, experienced, and passionate leaders during the first round of interviews, and we are grateful to all who expressed interest in serving as Middletown’s next superintendent,” said Dr. Chris Urso, Board President. “We also extend our sincere thanks to our students, families, staff, and community members who completed the stakeholder questionnaire and participated in feedback sessions. Your voices have been essential in shaping this process and identifying the leadership qualities that matter most to our district.”
The Board of Education has identified the following candidates to advance to the final stage of the selection process. As part of this stage, finalists will participate in a Meet the Candidates Night on Tuesday, April 28, providing an opportunity to engage with a wide range of stakeholders, and will also complete final interviews with the Board of Education. Candidates are listed alphabetically by last name.
Elgin Card—Superintendent, Princeton City School District
Dr. Jaren Finney—Assistant Superintendent of Student Support Services, Covington Independent Public Schools
Dr. Jeffrey Fleig—Transformational Leader, InitiativeOne, Green Bay, Wisconsin
Former Superintendent, Fond du Lac School District
Meet the Candidates Night
Meet the Candidates Night will be held from 5:30–9:00 p.m. on Tuesday, April 28, at Middletown High School in the Community Room. Each finalist will participate in a one-hour session, engaging with MCSD staff, families, and community members. All are invited to attend, and attendees are welcome to participate in any or all candidate sessions.
On Tuesday, April 14, the Middletown City Schools Board of Education selected candidates to move forward to the first round of in-person interviews for the position of Superintendent.
The candidates were identified through a comprehensive search process guided by a leadership profile developed from MCSD staff and community feedback sessions and questionnaires. The sessions, facilitated by K12 Consulting, helped ensure that the priorities and values of the Middletown community are reflected throughout the selection process.
The first round of in-person interviews will be conducted by the Board of Education on April 22 and 23. Following these interviews, the candidate pool will be narrowed to a small group of finalists, who will be publicly announced on Friday, April 24.
The finalists will then advance to the final stage of the selection process, which will include a series of interviews and interactive sessions with stakeholders. As part of this final phase, Middletown City Schools will host a community event, “Meet the Candidates Night,” on Tuesday, April 28, at Middletown High School.
This event will be open to all community members and provides an opportunity to hear directly from each finalist, learn about their vision for the district, and engage in this important stage of the selection process. During the event, community members will remain in the high school’s community room while candidates rotate through interview and engagement sessions.
Additional details, including the event start and end times, will be announced on Friday, April 24, and will be based on the number of finalists selected.
Middletown City Schools appreciates the continued support and involvement of staff and community members throughout this important process.
#MiddieRising
Middletown City Schools Begins Search for Next Superintendent
The Middletown Board of Education has enlisted the services of K12 Business Consulting to assist in the search for a new Superintendent for Middletown City Schools.
On February 2, current Superintendent Deborah Houser announced her retirement, effective July 31, 2026. The Board of Education extends its gratitude to Mrs. Houser for her leadership and service to the district and community.
The Board is committed to keeping the Middletown community informed and engaged throughout the search process. This webpage will serve as a central resource for updates and information related to the superintendent search.
On this page, visitors will find tabs that include:
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Information for interested applicants
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The timeline for the superintendent search process
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A community questionnaire
The questionnaire invites community members to share their perspectives on the strengths and opportunities within Middletown City Schools, as well as the qualities and attributes they would like to see in the district’s next superintendent.
Community feedback will play an important role in helping the Board identify the leadership qualities needed to guide Middletown City Schools into the future.
Updates will be posted here as the search progresses.
