South Dakota man will run schools in Cape

After four months of searching, the Cape Girardeau School Board has chosen Dr. David Scala as the district's new superintendent.

Scala currently serves as assistant superintendent in the Sioux Falls, S.D., school district. He will officially take over in Cape Girardeau on July 1.

School board members voted Dec. 22 to hire Scala after interviewing three finalists for the position: Scala, Dr. Betty Chong and Dr. Rudy Duran.

Chong is an assistant superintendent in the Cape Girardeau School District. Duran is the superintendent of the Steelville, Mo., School District.

Board members declined to comment on the hire until after Scala has signed a contract with the district, which may occur later this week. Scala was not available Monday for comment on getting the job, but he said last week that he was specifically looking for a superintendent's job in the St. Louis area or south of there.

"I've been very impressed with the community and the district," said Scala, who visited Cape Girardeau earlier this month for a meet-and-greet session with community members. "Everyone we've met has been very friendly."

Scala has been a superintendent for 27 years. He began his career in education in 1967 as a classroom teacher and has been an assistant superintendent in Sioux Falls since 1999.

He and his wife, Sue, have been married 36 years. They have two grown children.

Scala will take over the district's top administrative post from current superintendent Mark Bowles. The school board voted not to renew Bowles' three-year contract last August and contracted with the Missouri School Boards' Association to conduct a search for a new superintendent.

cclark@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 128