Sequim School District’s board of directors agreed on May 15 to narrow their choice for a superintendent search firm to two in-state selections.

In a special session, board directors reviewed three proposals submitted to board president Brian Kuh from various search firms. They agreed to consider two firms — Northwest Leadership Association (NWLA), a firm recommended by the Washington State School Directors’ Association, and McPherson & Jacobsen, a firm the district has worked with before — while agreeing to decline a proposal from a national firm.

Board directors agreed to consider the two Washington state search firms at their next regular meeting on Monday, May 20, while they seek further details from each.

McPherson & Jacobsen has worked with Sequim and Port Townsend School District, while NWLA helped hire Port Angeles’ current school superintendent, Martin Brewer.

Both firms’ financial offers were also notably less expensive than the national firm’s, board directors said, and those offers cover both the search for an interim superintendent and permanent replacement.

The board is seeking to replace Gary Neal, the Sequim schools superintendent who announced in early May he is leaving the district’s top administrative position effective June 30.