By Kim McDarison

Whitewater Unified School District Superintendent Caroline Pate-Hefty is among two candidates making the list of finalists to fill the role of superintendent within the Racine Unified School District, according to information released on the district’s website.

Two candidates are in the running for the district’s top administrative seat. Along with Pate-Hefty, the district is considering its interim Superintendent Soren Gajewski.

As stated on the district’s website, the two finalists are scheduled to visit Racine on Wednesday, March 20, and they will participate in final interviews on Thursday, March 21.

The website offers a short bio about each candidate as follows:

Pate-Hefty

Dr. Pate-Hefty has served as superintendent in the Whitewater Unified School District since July 2020. Before that she served as executive director of student services in Maywood, Melrose Park and Broadview Public Schools in Cook County, IL for more than eight years. Before that, she served as director of special education for the Harlem School District in Illinois. Dr. Pate-Hefty holds a doctorate in educational leadership from National Louis University, a master’s degree from Concordia University and a bachelor’s degree in education from UW-Whitewater.

Gajewski

Soren Gajewski is currently serving as interim Racine Unified superintendent and has worked in RUSD for 17 years. Before stepping into the interim superintendent role, Gajewski was chief academic officer for two years and deputy chief of schools for four years prior to that. Gajewski spent his first 11 years in RUSD as first an elementary and then a K-8 school principal. He began his career as a teacher in the Milwaukee Public School District. Gajewski earned both his bachelor’s degree and a master’s in curriculum and instruction from  UW-Milwaukee.

According to the district’s website, family and community members are encouraged to participate in a “meet and greet” at the district’s administrative center, 3109, Mt. Pleasant St., building #1, on March 20 at 6:30 p.m.

“The meet and greet will be moderated by a representative from Hazard, Young, Attea and Associates, the search firm hired by the board of education to assist with the superintendent search. On Thursday, March 21, the board of education will complete final interviews with each finalist. Board members hope to select a candidate by mid-April with a start date of July 1, 2024,” the website stated.