The ongoing search for a new superintendent for the Dunkirk School District was updated Tuesday. At the regular meeting of the Dunkirk Board of Education, President Dave Damico shared that all the results for the surveys are in as of Monday and the district is moving on to the next step.

“(Monday) I forwarded each of the board members the results of the surveys, the community forums and also all the shareholders,” Damico explained. “Applications are now being accepted. What I asked for was if we could get a timeline on paper as next month is going to be awful busy.”

As reported before, the district partnered with Western New York Educational Services when they began the initial process in October. According to Damico, the completed surveys is going to give the board a general idea of what the schools are looking for in a candidate.

“Our head hunters right now are going out and looking for potential candidates; as of the email that I received Monday, there are supposedly five candidates that have already applied,” Damico shared with the OBSERVER following the meeting.

The application period just opened last week and all interested applicants have until Dec. 23. The board hopes to begin the first round of interviews in early January. “We’re looking for quality. I think we have a good idea of what we’re looking for, now let’s see what comes in,” Damico added. “Ms. (Interim Superintendent Sylvia) Root is assisting us through this, so we’re using her knowledge and experience, having been through so many districts in her career. We’re getting a lot of useful knowledge as we’re navigating this process.”