Tulsa School Board Narrows Search To Two Finalists

The Tulsa Public Schools' search for a new superintendent is now down to two candidates.<br><br>The School Board met Saturday to select two finalists from among five interviewed last week.<br><br>The

Saturday, July 15th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

The Tulsa Public Schools' search for a new superintendent is now down to two candidates.

The School Board met Saturday to select two finalists from among five interviewed last week.

The finalists are Dr Joan Kowal, most recently superintendent of Palm Beach County, Florida Public Schools, and Dr David Sawyer, head of Brevard County, Florida Public Schools.

Kowal was the first candidate who visited the district last week.

The Palm Beach County School board did not renew her contract last year, citing irreconcileable differences.

Kowal says it had more to do with changing board membership.

Sawyer has been at his present job for seven years and the board voted to renew his contract, but he declined.

He did not say spcifically during his visit here why wants to go.

Tulsa School Board members say they focused on objectives gathered from community input on a new superintendent... and that made the choice clear.

"This person, again, must have a piece of all the board members, to represent all our constituencies, to represent every area of Tulsa Public Schools, and then it came down to the two," says Tulsa School Board Member Michael Pierce.

Sawyer will return to Tulsa Tuesday for more interviews and a closer look at the district.

Kowal is scheduled to do the same on Friday.

The following week the board will visit both candidates' school districts.

Both Sawyer and Kowal say they're pleased to make the final cut, and look forward to the next stage of the process.