HUNTER, N.D. — The new head of the Northern Cass School district will have more extensive responsibilities but a shorter commute with his new job.
The School Board in Hunter chose Terry Baesler, high school principal for Hillsboro Public Schools in Hillsboro, N.D., as the district’s new superintendent, during a special meeting on Wednesday, April 30.
Hunter, in northern Cass County, is approximately 30 miles southwest of Hillsboro, in Traill County. Baesler lives with his family in West Fargo, where his wife is a nurse practitioner.
Contacted at his job in Hillsboro, Baesler said he’s nervous but excited about the new position.
“It’s going to be a little bit of an unknown for me, but I’ve been around education long enough, especially the administration side of things, to know how things operate,” he said.
Anna Paige / The Forum
Baesler was one of three finalists under consideration to
replace Northern Cass Superintendent Cory Steiner,
who’s been hired to lead Fargo Public Schools following the planned
The other finalists with Baesler
were Tim Godfrey, superintendent of Lake Park Audubon Independent School District in Lake Park, Minn., and Chris Larson, superintendent and activities director at Milnor Public Schools in Milnor, N.D.
Baesler said the board offered him the job at about 5:30 p.m. Wednesday.
He’s been asked to attend the board meeting on Monday, May 12, to work out final contract details.
Baesler has served for 17 years as the Hillsboro secondary principal.
He expects to see some familiar faces at Northern Cass, where he was the principal for two years before taking the Hillsboro position.
Baesler said it wasn’t easy informing staff and students at Hillsboro that he’ll be moving on, likely starting at Northern Cass on July 1.
“You kind of go through mixed emotions. Very excited on one half … a little sad on the other side of things, but it’ll all work out,” Baesler said.
Huebner is a 35+ year veteran of broadcast and print journalism in Fargo-Moorhead.