Onalaska residents hear from three school superintendent candidates

Three candidates to become the next Onalaska Schools superintendent were introduced to school district residents, during a Thursday night forum at the high school.

Ben Barton, Lish Olson and Rainey Briggs all met with the audience separately, for about an hour each, in the auditorium.

Olson and Barton have close ties to the La Crosse area.

Olson is the current principal of Northern Hills Elementary in the district, and taught for a time in La Crescent after attending college in La Crosse.

Barton has been a school administrator in La Crescent and Caledonia, and is currently with a school district near Minneapolis. He said he is “giddy” about the thought of coming back to the Onalaska area.

Briggs is a former superintendent at Baraboo.

Former superintendent, Todd Antony, resigned last fall, and interim administrators have been leading the district since then.

Onalaska district officials could make a hiring announcement within the next week.