Principal Julie Synyard sent an email to parents on Friday August 29 announcing that there was a vacancy in the college counselor position.

“Please be assured that we have begun to pursue a suitable candidate,” the email read. “We have posted this position internally, and if within ten days we are unable to find an appropriate person in the district to serve in this role, we will open the position to external candidates.”

According to Assistant Principal Brian Lynch the administration is in the middle of the first phase of candidate searching.

“Per our union process they first offer it to people who are in the same position at the other district sites,” Lynch said. “No one in that same position wanted to make a lateral move, so it’s been opened to those people in the district who want to be promoted, so that closes today [September 9].”

According to Lynch if there is a qualified internal candidate the position will be filled as soon as the person is able. “If we don’t offer it [to an internal candidate], I would imagine we would want to open it to the public for [several] days to make sure we cast a wide enough net to get a qualified person,” he said.

Other staff members have stepped up to get the job done until the position is filled. “Counselors have been asked to cover some early morning time slots for college visits,” counselor Sarah Gordon said. Campus supervisors are also shouldering responsibilities. “Work permits are being handled by Mary O’Leary, the principal’s secretary. Greg Davison is still the School To Careers person [in charge of] internships,” Gordon said.

College representative visits are still being scheduled at the same rate. “Most of our college reps have been visiting for decades,” he said. “I am channeling my previous career, before I was an assistant principal I was a counselor leader and I oversaw the college and career center when I was at Drake.”

For now, counselors are available to students who have questions or concerns about their college applications.