Handelman a finalist for Cheney school leader job

COEUR d'ALENE — Coeur d'Alene School District Superintendent Matt Handelman was announced as a finalist Friday for a position as superintendent of Cheney Public Schools.

The Washington school district made the announcement of its three finalists on social media, and informed its residents that each of the finalists will participate in an individual forum. Handelman, who has been the superintendent of Coeur d'Alene schools since 2013 and has been with the district since 2010, will be in Cheney on Monday at the first of the three community forums.

"I think he has a pretty good shot at it, I really do," said Coeur d'Alene Board of Trustees Chair Christa Hazel. "I think it would be a wise choice if they wanted to hire Superintendent Handelman."

Hazel added that, in general, it is common for employees of the school district to take job opportunities in Washington.

"This is an opportunity for him that he couldn't pass up," she said. "We wish him well and we'll see where this process takes us."

The position in Cheney is the second superintendent job Handelman has applied for this year. In March, he announced he was pursuing an opening with the Edmonds School District, where he started his administrative career as a principal two decades ago.

Handleman said, in a previous article published in The Press, the opportunity "to come full circle" in his career was "hard to resist." He added that he had looked at superintendent jobs in other districts in the past, but did not pursue them.

"Those opportunities could not draw me away from our great school district, its people and supportive community," Handelman said.

Handleman was one of five finalists announced by the Edmonds School District, but he did not get the position.

In an email to The Press Friday, Trustee Tom Hearn wished Handelman the best, and said he will be missed if he is selected for the position.

"He has done an excellent job with the Coeur d'Alene School District with the many changes in the school board and district in the last four or five years," Hearn wrote. "He has dealt professionally with the many challenges of managing a large school district in Idaho that continues to have issues related to funding and growth. He is a very good superintendent and it doesn't surprise me that other job opportunities have opened up for him."

Laura Rumpler, the school district’s communications director, emailed district personnel Friday, informing them of Handelman's selection as a finalist.

"I communicated with Matt briefly and want you to know that our Superintendent continues to work his hardest for all of us, for our students and our community," Rumpler wrote.

Handelman could not be reached for comment Friday.