North Putnam progresses in search for new A.D.

BAINBRIDGE -- The process of hiring a new athletic director is under way for North Putnam.

The application process closed last Tuesday, with the school having received information from 38 candidates.

A committee, composed of high school principal Alan Zerkel, middle school principal Terry Tippin, school board members Ollie Haste, Travis Lambermont and Jackie Simpson and superintendent Dan Noel, has been trimmed the list down to 12.

"We've called everyone that they've put down as references," superintendent Dan Noel said. "And we've called some people that they didn't put down. We're doing our homework."

Once the top candidates are chosen, likely in the next week, a first round of interviews will take place, Noel said.

Interim athletic director Mark Masariu has been filling in since former A.D. Rich Bagienski resigned from the position on Aug. 3.

Noel said North Putnam is also looking for people to fill in for the school in another role: Substitute bus driver.

"Those bus drivers do a great job here," Noel said. "We just need some quality people to step up an get themselves on the (substitute driver) list."

Noel said the school currently has enough full-time drivers, but no one to replace them when a driver needs to take a sick or personal day.