Avonworth Elementary School could have an assistant principal beginning with the second semester of this school year.

The school board is expected to vote next Monday to hire someone for the job. Whoever fills the position will assist principal Dr. Darlene Tartaglione with various duties at the school including attendance and students issues and school schedules. The assistant will be paid an annual salary of $62,000 plus benefits.

Superintendent Dr. Valerie McDonald said at the board’s work session on Nov. 30 that the district received 75 applications for the position. She noted that Tartaglione, along with director of curriculum Dr. Shannon Varley, screened the applications for experience and narrowed the number down to 18. After the first round of interviews, that number was reduced to two.

Before selecting one person, McDonald said, the two applicants came in for second interviews and gave 20-minute presentations on being an "instructional leader" and then fielded questions from people, including Tartaglione, Varley, McDonald and two elementary school teachers.

The board voted in September to create the position because of the high number of students and staff that Tartaglione has to supervise.

The school board has been contracting the services of John Esaias for $50 per hour plus mileage to help Tartaglione, but was looking for a more permanent solution.

Board members Marybeth Sommers and Patrick Stewart were absent.