By Keighla Schmidt, Staff Writer 

Two of the three superintendent finalists named by the Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School have asked to be pulled from contention for the district’s top position.

According to a press release from the district, Joe Silko and Barbara Pulliam “have withdrawn from consideration for personal and professional reasons.”

Communications Coordinator Ruth Dunn said she’s not positive why the two withdrew, but said it’s not uncommon.

 “This is a very fluid time for superintendents,” Dunn said.

School Board Chair Vicki Roy said it was a letdown to hear the two candidates had backed out simply because those were two the board had shifted their focus to, but at the same time it wasn’t a disappointment.

“It’s not letdown in the sense that we still have three strong candidates,” she said. “The fact that we still have three candidates that want to talk to us is a wonderful dilemma to be in.”

To replace Silko and Pulliam, the board has called the two semi-finalists they recently eliminated, Nancy Rajanen and Michael Lovett, to return to the search. The third candidate, Randy Clegg remains.

When discussing protocol with board members at the beginning of the paring process, consultant Ted Blaesing of the superintendent search firm of Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates, Ltd., encouraged the board to choose three candidates just in case a scenario like this played out.

The district, however, is not out of the water. Two of the candidates are also currently finalists for superintendent positions in other districts.

Both Lovett and Rajanen are semi-finalists in the White Bear Lake school district. They will have first round interviews on the afternoon of March 29 in White Bear Lake.

Rajanen, who is the current assistant superintendent/executive director of Robbinsdale Area Schools, is scheduled to meet with 191 officials April 1.

Lovett, who is presently serving as Minnetonka Public Schools assistant superintendent, will come to the Burnsville-Eagan-Savage district on April 2.

Starting the week off, Randy Clegg will meet community and district members on March 31. He was also named as a finalist in Eau Claire, Wis., but the job was offered to a different candidate.

During their respective days in the district, each candidate will meet with staff members, community residents and tour the schools prior to their 6 p.m. interview with the School Board.  Keighla Schmidt can be reached at kschmidt@swpub.com.