Roettger accepts position as Cheney School District superintendent

Lind-Ritzville Cooperative School District’s Superintendent Rob Roettger has officially accepted a position with the Cheney School District to serve as superintendent.

Roettger has spent the last five years as the superintendent for the two local districts, and is looking forward to a new challenge at a larger district.

Roettger said the decision to apply for the job occurred when it became available in March. Prior to the job opening, Roettger and his wife, Esther, had discussed where they would consider relocating to if a position became available.

After previously serving as the superintendent for the St. John School District, Roettger said they decided they enjoyed living in the Inland Northwest.

The Roettgers had agreed Cheney was on the short list of locations they would be interested in living and working within, and Roettger moved forward with applying when the superintendent position opened.

Roettger said at the time of the opening, he was not looking for another position, but he could not pass up the opportunity to apply.

The Cheney School District has roughly 4,500 students spread between the schools in Cheney, Airway Heights and West Plains. The substantial change in student population and increase in school facilities is a daunting task, which Roettger said he is ready to take on.

He stated if he did not feel like he could excel in the position, he would not have accepted the role as superintendent. Roettger said he is up for the challenge, and looks forward to the next step in his career.

Roettger’s last day with the Lind-Ritzville Schools will be June 30, and he begins his new role the following day in Cheney.

While Roettger is preparing for his new responsibilities, he is also focused on ensuring the next superintendent for the Lind and Ritzville School Districts will have a solid foundation to work from.

He stated the groundwork has already been laid for an administrator to be successful in the districts, and can build from the work Roettger has completed within the district.

Roettger stepped into the role as the local superintendent in 2011, and was faced with the challenge of implementing the academic cooperative the following year.

The work with establishing and continuing the cooperative successfully is the largest source of pride for Roettger during his career at the local schools.

This year’s graduation will also serve as a moment of accomplishment and pride for Roettger, as this is the first class to spend all four years in high school as part of the cooperative.

As Roettger prepares for his upcoming role, he said he is faced with many of the same challenges he has dealt with in the local district. Like the Ritzville School District, the Cheney School District recently had two bond proposals fail for renovations in the district.

Roettger said the local bond failing did not play any role in his decision to apply for the Cheney Schools position.

He said, personally, he would have liked to leave with the success of the bond passing, but it is part of the process of a superintendent to have bonds run and fail.

“I believe the bond will pass in February,” Roettger added about the Ritzville Schools bond. “I believe the school board will create a proposal the community will support.”

One of the main challenges Roettger is faced with immediately in Cheney is preparing a bond for the district. His Entry Plan for the new role includes extensive bond planning to identify the needs of the district.

Currently, Roettger said Cheney High School has outgrown the space provided. His job will be to work with the school board and staff to determine if an additional building should be constructed or the current building added on to.

Aside from the increased student population, Roettger will also be overseeing an increased number of employees.

With the District Office being located off-campus, Roettger said he will need to create a schedule to ensure he can still visit each school on a regular basis. His plan also includes constant communication between the 20 principals and assistant principals in the district.

As he prepares to exit from the Lind-Ritzville School District, Roettger said he is grateful for the experience he had in the local communities and is optimistic about the future of the districts. He said the community support has been outstanding for the schools, and the cooperative has truly helped unite the two districts.

He stated it is a bittersweet experience for both him and his family to move to Cheney, as they have developed strong relationships throughout the local two communities. Roettger said he is glad they can still make a short drive to visit friends in the area.

With his oldest son graduating from Lind-Ritzville High School this year, Roettger’s other four children will be enrolled in the Cheney School District for the upcoming year. Roettger said the family plans to move to the Cheney area later in the summer.

As Roettger closes out his last months with the Lind-Ritzville Cooperative Schools, the search for a new superintendent has already begun.

Ritzville School Board Chairman Marci Miller said the ideal time line for hiring is to leave the position open until it is filled, with the intent of conducting interviews prior to the conclusion of the school year.

The official time line and information on candidates, interviews and public forums will be announced at a later date.