Four of the five finalists for new Wayland Union Schools superintendent are women, but only one currently is a superintendent.

The Wayland Board of Education Monday night selected the five candidates among 29 applicants who will be interviewed Saturday, June 6, to succeed Norman Taylor, who will retire July 1. The interviews will be held beginning at 10 a.m. that day at Wayland Union High School. The plan is to do face to face interviews, but virtual interviews will be conducted if required.

The five finalists, and the times for their scheduled interviews are as follow:

• 11:05 a.m. — Pat Velie, Wayland Union Schools assistant superintendent of finance and operations since 2016. She previously was director of administration and finance, Medford Public Schools, Medford, Ma., for three years; accounting supervisor, Hingham Public Schools, Hingham, Ma., for seven years and accounting assistant for 11 years.

She has a bachelor of science degree from the University of Phoenix and a masters in management and human resources from University of Phoenix.

10 a.m. — Christina Hinds, Mattawan Consolidated School, assistant superintendent of student services & curriculum since 2018.She was director of special education and student services in Mattawan for three years, special education supervisor for Van Buren Intermediate School District for four years, and she taught special education for six years.She has a bachelor of arts degree from WMU, a master’s degree from Grand Valley and an EdD from Michigan State University.

• 12:50 p.m. — Christine Robertson, Ed.D., Muskegon Public Schools, director of specialized instruction since 2017. She previously was special education supervisor/principal for three years in Grand Rapids, service area director for three years in Traverse Bay Area ISD, and a certified school psychologist for 11 years at Northview.

She has a bachelor’s degree from University of Notre Dame, a master’s from Regis University, educational specialist of education from Western Michigan University, and a doctorate of education from WMU.

1:55 p.m. — Matt Goebel, Hastings Area School System, Assistant Superintendent of Student Achievement since 2013. He was elementary principal at Muskegon Orchard View for three years and high school assistant principal there for three years, special education teacher in Grandville for six years.
He has bachelor’s, master’s and educational specialist degrees from Grand Valley State University.

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3:00 p.m. — Dorothy Blackwell, Vassar Public Schools, Superintendent since 2016. She was an academic consultant for Ingham ISD, director of curriculum for Waverly Schools in Lansing, elementary principal in Waverly, elementary principal in Lansing, assistant principal, and an elementary teacher for six years.

She has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan, a master’s from Eastern Michigan University and educational specialist degree from University of Michigan-Flint.

The board, which has used the consultant services of Dr. Rod Green from the Michigan Association of School Boards, expects to appoint a new superintendent to begin July 1.