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posted March 13, 2023

After conducting screening interviews on Thursday, March 9, the Cardinal Community School District Board of Education has named three finalists in its search for the district’s next superintendent. The finalists are Gary Benda, James Craig, and Steve Noble.

Currently, Benda serves as shared superintendent of Starmont and West Central Community School Districts. In this role, he has developed and implemented in-service training to district staff in positive behavior intervention and supports, professional learning communities, and gradual release of responsibility practices. Benda began his administrative career in Keokuk CSD, serving as the high school associate principal and middle school principal. He is pursuing an Ed.D. degree from the University of Northern Iowa, to be completed summer 2023.

As superintendent of the Sibley-Ocheyedan CSD, Craig has revamped the salary schedule to retain staff, led multiple facility improvements, and facilitated the Self-Assessment of MTSS Implementation model to help special education students address achievement gaps. Craig also serves as vice president of the School Administrators of Iowa Northwest Region and is a member of the Representative Council. Craig was previously principal and 504 coordinator at Southwest Valley High School.

Noble is the junior/senior high school principal in the Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont CSD, where he is responsible for curriculum development, system integrity, teacher evaluation, and professional development planning for grades 7-12. He holds a master of public administration degree from the University of Michigan-Flint and has completed the superintendency advanced studies certificate program at the University of Northern Iowa. Previously, Noble served as principal of Ubly Junior-Senior High School in Ubly, Michigan.

Board members have been working with Grundmeyer Leader Services to conduct the search. As a next step, the board and stakeholder interview teams will conduct final interviews with each of the finalists on Thursday, March 23. The board will then discuss the candidates and reach a final decision soon after the formal interviews.

The new superintendent will officially begin leading the Cardinal Community School District on July 1, 2023.

From our first interaction with the staff at Cardinal schools, we felt at home. The entire staff is amazing and we feel that we have a trusted partner in our children’s education. The greatest testament to their success is that our kids love going to school. There is nothing more welcoming as a parent than to have a school that you trust to take care of the most precious thing in your life. Cardinal School District does just that.
Ellis and Barbara Codjoe · Cardinal Parents
Cardinal School District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age (for employment), socioeconomic status (for programs), religion, disability, creed, national origin, marital status (for programs), sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity in its educational programs and employment practices. There is a grievance procedure for processing complaints of discrimination. If you have questions or grievance related to this policy, please contact the district’s equity coordinator, Cindy Green.

The Cardinal Community School District offers career and technical  programs in the following service areas:
Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources
Health Science
Human Services
Business, Finance, Marketing, and Management

Cindy Green - cindy.green@cardinalcomet.com
Middle School Principal/Director of Curriculum & Instruction, Equity Coordinator
4045 Ashland Rd.
Eldon, IA 52554
(641) 652-7531

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