Casey

PENDLETON — Four months into its superintendent search, the Pendleton School District is down to two candidates.

On Thursday, March 31, the district will host Kevin Headings, the principal of West Park Elementary School in Hermiston, and Kim Casey, the principal of Grandview High School in Grandview, Washington, to introduce themselves to the community. Each finalist will get 45 minutes to talk about themselves and field questions from the public 3:30-5:15 p.m. at the district office, 107 N.W. 10th St.

Headings got his bachelor’s degree from Bethel College in Kansas, where he also started his teaching career as a middle school teacher. He soon transitioned his education career to Oregon, working as a teacher in the Lebanon School District and for Western Mennonite High School in Salem.

Headings started his career in public school administration as a K-6 principal in Stanfield in 2005. Headings ascended to the superintendent position in 2009 and led Stanfield for several years before moving to West Park in 2013, where he’s remained ever since. He holds a master’s degree in educational leadership from the University of Oregon.

Casey is based out of Grandview, a town of nearly 11,000 people situated halfway between Kennewick and Yakima. She got her start as a high school business education teacher, but also taught at the postsecondary level through stints as an adult education teacher at Yakima Valley College and as an adjunct professor at Eastern Washington University.

Casey transitioned to administration in 2013 when she became principal of Compass High School, Grandview’s alternative high school, and then took over Grandview High School two years later. She holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Central Washington University, a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Phoenix and is working on her superintendent credential from Washington State University.

The Pendleton School Board will deliberate about the candidates following the final round of interviews and could make a decision on April 1 at the earliest. The board expects to formally hire a new superintendent at its April 11 board meeting.

Both Headings and Casey are vying to replace Superintendent Chris Fritsch, who announced his impending retirement in November. The new superintendent is expected to start their position on July 1.