Dist. 204's Daeschner headed back to Indiana

Monday evening's 90-minute Indian Prairie District 204 school board meeting was a little shorter than usual -- Superintendent Stephen Daeschner had an early morning flight to catch.

Daeschner, named the lone finalist for the vacant superintendent job at the Greater Clark County School System in southern Indiana, will be back in the district's headquarters in Jeffersonville, Ind., Tuesday afternoon for a series of three meetings with students, staff and the community.

Daeschner on Monday confirmed - for the first time - he is the district's lone candidate for the post, but has not yet decided whether he would accept an offer.

"That's what I understand, but I have not decided anything," Daeschner said Monday. "I'll get down there and see tomorrow. First, I've got to talk to the board. They still have a decision to make, so we'll go down there and see what's happening."

According to his schedule, which is posted on the district's Web site, Daeschner will meet with selected high school students from 3:30 to 4;30 p.m., with district staff members from 5 to 6:15 p.m. and with community members at an evening reception from 6:45 to 8 p.m.

"It will be nice to meet all those folks, but we're taking things one day at a time," he said.

When asked whether a contract was being negotiated, Daeschner said "We're always working on it. I think we're close, not too far apart."

Greater Clark also has a special meeting posted for 8 a.m. Wednesday with "personnel" being the only agenda item. Local observers believe Daeschner will be hired and named superintendent at that time.