UPDATE: Gerald Hill Tentatively Accepts West Bloomfield Superintendent Job

The day after being interviewed and just hours after he was offered the job, Illinois educator Gerald Hill tentatively has agreed to become superintendent of the West Bloomfield School District.

Hill, 60, the retiring superintendent of the school district in Glenview, IL, was offered the position early Saturday after the West Bloomfield Board of Education unanimously voted to extend an offer.

The board interviewed Hill and two other candidates on Friday, and a fourth early Saturday in the  building as they searched for a successor to retiring superintendent JoAnn Andrees.

The other candidates were Mark Daniel, superintendent of Dowagiac (MI) Union Schools; John Maloy, superintendent of  Aspen (CO) School District; and Pamela Brown, principal in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg (NC) Schools.

According to Board President Bruce Tobin, the acceptance is pending negotiations.

The vote comes from the West Bloomfield board after a difficult week of action including a vote to as well as a vote to roll back the .

Board Treasurer Nick Hersh said that Hill, who was present at Friday's interview with his wife, "definitely did his homework" before the interview.

Hersh said Hill's eight years experience as superintendent in Glenview followed eight years work as superintendent of Community Consolidated School District 146 in Tinley Park, IL, and that both places were "diverse communities, much like ours."

"He'll give us long-term stability," Hersh continued. "We asked him, where do you see yourself in five years? He replied, I see myself working here in five years and I see myself working here in 10 years."

President Bruce Tobin echoed Hersh's sentiment. "We've interviewed four excellent candidates, any of whom would have served us well," he said.

"(Hill) had by far the most experience as superintendent, along with consistency, stability, and work in a community similar to ours."

Hill was not present Saturday, when the board interviewed the fourth candidate then decided on Hill.

Hill would be expected to take a pay cut from last year's annual salary as Superintendent of Glenview Public School District 34 at $270,000 to West Bloomfield's offer of $190,000.

Hill is listed as one of a group of candidates interviewing beginning today for a position with the South Washington County Schools district in Minnesota. According to the district's website, Hill earned his bachelor's and master's degrees from University of Minnesota.

Last month, Hill was interviewed as one of three finalists in Wellesley, MA. The Wellesley board said it will be on its superintendent choice on Tuesday.

Hill left Tinley Park in 2004 for Glenview, and previously worked in Texas, Missouri and Minnesota.