PORT NECHES — An interim superintendent could be appointed very soon to temporarily replace outgoing superintendent Rodney Cavness.

Cavness is the lone finalist for superintendent at Texas City ISD, whose board was set to hold a special meeting Tuesday night and decide whether to extend a contract to Cavness. Due to The News deadlines, the outcome will be reported in Thursday’s edition.

Trustees with Port Neches-Groves Independent School District have been working together and with school board attorney Sara Leon of Powell and Leon in Austin on what steps are necessary to find an interim and perform a superintendent search.

Cavness’ resignation was officially accepted May 16.

Board President Darren McCutcheon said Cavness’ last day with the district will be at midnight, June 30. Cavness has accumulated 36 local policy personal leave days and will use them and is tentatively set to begin work at TCISD July 1 should the contract be approved.

Cavness has told McCutcheon he is willing to come back and help, if needed, and will be at the upcoming high school graduation ceremony.

The search for an interim is becoming more structured as time progresses.

“On the advice of Sara Leon, she said we need to bring in an interim ASAP,” McCutcheon said. “We need an interim that is fluent in understanding recapture as we are a Chapter 41 school district. And because of what’s going with the Total expansion, the interim would need to be familiar with bond structuring to bring to taxpayers. And, what’s most important to us, we need an interim to help with the search for a superintendent. This will make for a smooth transition.”

McCutcheon said the board hopes to appoint an interim in the next few days.

The school board does not have to go through an interview process to appoint an interim. Currently they are looking in-house for an interim and have given qualified candidates nine days to let the administrative secretary know their intentions.

As of Tuesday evening, there has been one person who has expressed interest in the position of interim superintendent, he said. McCutcheon would not name the person.

But, whoever gets the interim title cannot apply for the superintendent’s position. This, McCutcheon said, is for fairness to the process.

Reporter: Mary Meaux, 409-721-2429

Twitter: @MaryMeauxPANews