FAIRFIELD SCHOOL TRUSTEES named Katie Ryan of Rogers as the lone finalist in its search for a superintendent. With a unanimous vote, Fairfield Independent School Trustees announced its selection of a lone finalist for the post of superintendent, giving the nod to Rogers ISD superintendent Katie Ryan.

She has been in administrative posts for 15 years in Rogers, the last five as superintendent.

The superintendent finalist says she applied for the Fairfield job because the school has a good reputation among educators.

"Ya'll have an incredible reputation in the Region 12 area as well as in the state," she declares.

FISD superintendent Tony Price announced in September 2008 his plan to retire at the end of the year and the school board started its search for a new chief in November. Price has continued in his job as interim superintendent.

The search firm Arrow Educational Services of Mabank was contracted to help the district find candidates for the job and narrowed a list of 37 applicants to six that trustees interviewed early this month.

School board president Ossie Outlaw reports that three candidates were contacted for second interviews last week, but only two visited with the board because the third withdrew his application.

After interviewing the two candidates for a second time last week, the board met in special session on Wednesday to announced a lone finalist. A 21-day period must elapse before Ms. Ryan, 41, can be formally hired.

Outlaw also reports that the board is still working out compensation details. The finalist is a native of Waco and graduate of Midway high school. She earned a bachelor of science degree in elementary education in 1989 at Mary Hardin- Baylor University, a master of education administration and mid-management degree in 1994 at Tarleton State University and receive a doctorate in education degree this May from Texas A&M University.

She started her career as a teacher in Troy ISD from 1989-91, taught from 1991-94 in Temple ISD, worked as an educational consultant from 1996-2003, joined Rogers ISD as a principal, overseeing the middle and elementary schools, and was hired as superintendent at Rogers in 2003.

Among the accomplishments at Rogers ISD during Ms. Ryan's tenure as superintendent are the district is the only one in Bell county to receive a perfect score on the Department of Education audit, earned a superior performance ranking on the Texas Financial Ranking System, and was named a recognized district, gold level performance school, model performance school and distinguished performance award winner from Texas Education Agency.

She also helped co-author grants totaling more than $1.7 million for the Rogers district, is recipient of the President's Award for Meritorious Service and shepherded a successful $9 million bond issue to build a new elementary school.

The finalist will start in Fairfield next month with construction underway to build a new intermediate school and expand the senior high school campus.

Ms. Rogers reports that the same architect and construction firm are working on the Rogers school as are working on the Fairfield projects.

"We are fortunate enough to have someone who has the experience as superintendent and as construction superintendent," Outlaw says.

The school board president notes, however, that the decision will be up to Ms. Ryan as to whether she feels she can handled the responsibilities of a superintendent in a new district and overseeing construction.

"She will let us know what she would like for us to do," Outlaw says.

A difference in the two school districts is that Fairfield is classified as a property wealthy school and shares about $15 million in its annual property tax receipts, and Rogers is a property poor district that receives money from other schools.

Rogers also is a Class AA district with 850 students and Fairfield is a Class AAA district with 1,900 students.

The superintendent finalist and husband Jack Walzel have been married 10 years, and Ms. Ryan explains that she uses her maiden name professionally because she started her career with that name.

"I am married and I am very proud of 'Mrs.," she declares. "In my private life its Walzel."

Her husband is a farmerrancher, and with son Heath owns a propane company. His daughter, C.J., is a student at Angelo State University and an avid barrel racer.

Ms. Ryan reports that she and her husband plan to move to Fairfield as soon as possible.

"The next stop is the Realtor's office," she says. "I can't wait to establish roots here."

Community work in which she has been involved are as co-author of a Texas Parks and Wildlife Department grant for a city park in Rogers, member of Rogers Betterment Association, development of Rogers Food Pantry and Clothing Closet, establishing a program between the school district and police department, working with ministers on the city's annual Thanksgiving service and working with ministers on outreach projects.

"I'm very fortunate. I am incredibly spoiled in Rogers and have had a wonderful career there," Ms. Ryan says. "It is nice that I could be selective."

After the 21-day statutory wait, the superintendent finalist will start by working three days in Rogers and two in Fairfield the third week in February, three days in Fairfield and two in Rogers the fourth week, and full-time at FISD in March.

"I do still have commitments to Rogers and it is important to me that ends are tied up," she says.

The regular February school board meeting will be moved to Feb. 12, two days later than normal, to coincide with the end of the 21-day wait. At that time trustees will formally hire a new superintendent and conduct regular business.