After several months of discussions, meetings, consultations, interviews and careful consideration, the Webster City Community School District will make its next and most important move regarding its next top administrator.

Scheduled for 7:15 p.m. at the Webster City Schools Administration Building, 820 Des Moines St., Webster City, the WCCSD Board of Directors’ latest special meeting will make its choice between Center Point’s Matt Berninghaus and Justin Daggett of Manson as the district’s incoming superintendent.

The school board will name its choice following a closed session.

Whoever it may be, the incoming superintendent will step in for the departing Dr. Mandy Ross, who will officially step down on June 30.

Final interviews were conducted Monday and will continue today, during which numerous shareholder groups met with Daggett and Berninghaus. These groups will submit their input into the Webster City school board before the directors come to their conclusion after the final interview.

Daggett has ties around the area, having been superintendent of Manson-Northwest Webster since 2017. Prior to being promoted to the position of MNW’s superintendent, Daggett came to the district as an elementary principal in 2012.

Before his time in Manson, Daggett was an elementary teacher and coach within the Eagle Grove school district.

Berninghaus is the current superintendent of Center Point-Urbana, a position he has held since 2016. Before making the move east, Berninghaus spent many years within the Armstrong-Ringsted and North Union school districts, holding various positions.

Within his time up north, Berninghaus was a vocational agriculture teacher, guidance counselor, at-risk coordinator, principal, special education teacher and coach.

WCCSD and McPherson & Jacobson, L.L.C. worked side by side to complete the search. McPherson & Jacobson previously reported to the district that 24 applicants applied for the position.

On Jan. 30, the firm shared background information on the applicants to the school board. The board of directors followed up by selecting five candidates, before interviewing the final five last Saturday.

From these five prospects, the school board narrowed down the search to Berninghaus and Daggett.