Superintendent Search
Inver Grove Heights Schools (ISD 199) launched the search for its next superintendent during the winter of the 2025-2026 school year. The ISD 199 School Board chose to partner with the Minnesota School Boards Association (MSBA) Executive Search Service to guide the process. Staff, families, students, and community members had the opportunity to add their voices throughout the search. Browse information below, and watch this page for updates.
Board Votes to Offer One-year Extension to Superintendent Bernhardson
At a special meeting on May 7, the Inver Grove Heights Schools (ISD 199) School Board voted unanimously to offer current superintendent Dave Bernhardson a one-year contract extension. The meeting gave the board an opportunity to discuss options for appointing a superintendent for the 2026-2027 school year.
In December, Superintendent Bernhardson shared his intent to retire at the end of the 2025-2026 school year. The school board conducted a superintendent search but decided not to move forward with the process and outcome due to lack of a strong board consensus.
At their May 7 meeting, the board discussed two options: offering Superintendent Bernhardson an extension of his contract for one more year or partnering with an association to conduct an external interim superintendent search.
The board voted to offer Superintendent Bernhardson the position of superintendent for the 2026-2027 school year to allow the board time for internal work before they restart their search for the district's next superintendent. The board and Superintendent Bernhardson must arrive at a mutually agreed upon contract for a one-year term that will require ratification by the superintendent and approval by the school board.
The school board will take the next steps to enter into contract negotiations with Superintendent Bernhardson for a one-year contract. The Superintendent Search webpage, www.isd199.org/suptsearch, will continue to be updated in order to keep the community and staff informed about the process.
May 7 School Board Special Meeting
Superintendent Search Update
At a special meeting on April 29, the Inver Grove Heights Schools (ISD 199) School Board voted to withdraw their offer of employment to Dr. Tyrone Brookins and discontinue the current Superintendent Search. The school board will work to place an interim superintendent for the 2026-2027 school year.
On April 9, the school board voted 4-3 to extend an offer of employment to Dr. Brookins for the position of superintendent, contingent upon reaching a mutually agreeable employment contract. Based on the narrow margin, the school board decided it was not a strong consensus among school board members regarding this decision. The school board determined that the superintendent’s role is too important for the district to move forward without broad board support and confidence in both the process and the outcome.
The school board will take the next steps to appoint an interim superintendent for the 2026-2027 school year. This Superintendent Search webpage, www.isd199.org/suptsearch, will continue to be updated in order to keep the community and staff informed about the process.
April 29 School Board Special Meeting
Community Input
An important part of the search process is gathering input for the school board to consider as it moves forward in selecting the new superintendent.
Superintendent Search Survey
An anonymous public survey was available for all interested parties to fill out between January 29 – February 23, 2026. Following the survey deadline of February 23, MSBA summarized responses to provide an overview to the school board. The summary was presented to the board on March 10. The full report is available at the button below.
Read the Summary Report of the Public Engagement Survey
Virtual Question & Answer Session With MSBA
To ensure all constituents in the district have access to accurate information regarding search processes and expectations, MSBA hosted virtual Q&A on February 11. To accommodate busy schedules as well as ensure access to search information, the session was recorded and will be available on this webpage for the remainder of the search.
Contact Barb Dorn, MSBA Director of Leadership Development and Executive Search, at 507-508-5501 with any questions. Thank you for your interest and participation in the superintendent search process!
Search Timeline
We are dedicated to a transparent superintendent search process that includes numerous opportunities for community input. This timeline is subject to change. Updates will be posted as they become available.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| December 11, 2025 | Superintendent Dave Bernhardson announces retirement |
| December 2025 | Requests for proposals sent to relevant search firms |
| January 12, 2026 | Select firms present to the school board at their special session |
| January 12, 2026 | School board approves the selection of MSBA Executive Search Service at special session |
| January 26, 2026 | Planning meeting for school board to adopt the search timeline and review hiring criteria, search procedures, and public involvement opportunities |
| January 29 - February 23, 2026 | Public Input Survey open online and in hard copy; MSBA conducts listening sessions throughout the district |
| January 29 - March 15, 2026 | Position posted |
| February 5, 2026 | MSBA holds Search Preview meetings with district leadership |
|
February 11, 2026, |
MSBA hosts an informational Q&A on Zoom. Click to watch the Q&A. |
| March 10, 2026 | School board meets for interview training and to review community input report. Click here to read the Public Engagement Summary Report. |
| March 15, 2026, 11:59 PM |
Application deadline |
| March 23, 2026 | School board unanimously approved MSBA's recommendation of semi-finalist candidates |
| March 25 & 26, 2026, starting at 4:30 PM | First round interviews |
| March 26, 2026 | Finalists announced for open superintendent position |
| April 8, 2026 | District and school tours for finalists |
| April 9, 2026, starting at 4:30 PM | Second round interviews |
| April 29, 2026 | Discussion of the superintendent contract and withdrawal |
| May 7, 2026 | Discussion of the interim superintendent position for 2026-2027 |
| July 1, 2026 | One-year superintendent begins |
More timeline dates will be posted as information becomes available.