By Shelby Stewart-Soldan
Staff Writer
Brandon Schools —The board of education has selected Dr. Dan Gilbertson as their new Brandon School District superintendent.
“The Brandon School District board of education is very excited that we have selected Dan Gilbertson to be our next superintendent,” said board president Diane Salter. “We feel he is a visionary leader who can continue our positive educational environment conductive to teaching and learning, where all students are valued, supported and encouraged. Dan Gilbertson is extremely passionate, knowledgeable and experienced and is committed to serving each and every student.”
The board voted unanimously to offer the position to Gilbertson, and hire him after contract negotiations and approval. Each member of the board also stated that Gilbertson was their first choice for superintendent.
The permanent position has been open since October of 2020 when Matt Outlaw stepped down, and since then the district has had two interim superintendents. The current interim is Dr. Gary Richards, who began in February and will be with the district until the end of June. During a special meeting on April 4, the Brandon Board of Education selected the six candidates for the first round of interviews for the superintendent position. Between April 25-27, the Brandon Board of Education interviewed six superintendent candidates.
“Dan Gilbertson’s experience, qualifications and strong leadership skills are what we need to continue our educational excellence and move us forward,” said Salter. “We are thrilled about how our school district will flourish with Dan Gilbertson as our next superintendent.”
Currently, Gilbertson is the superintendent of Crosswell-Lexington school district and has been since 2017.
“To be offered the position of superintendent in the Brandon school district is both a humbling feeling, and at the same time a feeling of excitement,” said Gilbertson. “The opportunity to work with the Brandon board of education, all staff, families and the community, in support of all students attending Brandon Schools, is an exhilarating feeling and I can’t wait to begin by listening and learning from as many stakeholders as possible in the Brandon school district. It’s exciting to become part of the Brandon Blackhawk community.”