Hull still eyeing greener pastures.

Byline: Anne Williams The Register-Guard

After stirring anxieties in the Bethel School District with the January announcement that he was job-hunting, Superintendent Steve Hull has no more irons in the fire - at least not this week.

"I've got no active applications out," Hull said. "There's not much that I'm interested in right now that fits what are my skill sets."

That being said, "there seems to be almost a steady stream of openings" even though the school year is winding down," he said. "I'm keeping my eyes open."

Hull was recently a finalist for superintendent jobs in both the 17,500-student Weld County School District No. 6 in Greeley, Colo., and the 25,000-student Evergreen School District in Vancouver, Wash. He wasn't offered either position.

Whether Hull lands a job by July 1 or not, time has run out to find a permanent replacement this year, board Chairman Alan Laisure said.

"I'm pretty confident we're not going to put out a search for this year no matter what happens," Laisure said, noting that the board instead could appoint or hire an interim superintendent and launch a search next fall. "We did a very thorough search last time and we want to do the exact same kind of search once that time comes."

Laisure said he expects Hull will stay another year if he doesn't find another position for the 2005-06 school year. "I'm fine with that," he said. "He still works very hard, he still does a great job for us. I don't see a short-timer thing happening at all."

Hull, who has been in Bethel less than two years, cited the dispiriting and uncertain financial situation for Oregon schools as the sole reason for his dissatisfaction. He said he has confined his job search to the West, specifically Colorado, Washington and California.

In his first-year job evaluation last year, he earned high marks from the school board for his work ethic, energy and focus on student achievement. The west Eugene district of nearly 5,700 students has seen significant gains on state assessment test scores at its elementary schools in recent years.

Hull, who took the Bethel job in July 2003, initially told the board he planned to stay at least seven years.