Monday night could prove big for the future of the United South Central school district.

The school board is likely to finalize a contract with Bob Stuerman, who will take over the role of superintendent, and they might fill the seat Mary Thrond left open on the board.

According to board members, a contract with Stuerman is nearly finalized.

&uot;We have received verbal commitment for him to come here,&uot; Corey Olson, a member of the board, said. &uot;We are debating a little on annual salary and vacation time, but we’re really not far apart at all. One way or another, he will be here.&uot;

The board picked Stuerman from a field of candidates last month. He currently is superintendent in the Independence, Iowa school district.

The district’s other key change may be the addition of the Rev. Dani Jo Ninke-Greaver to the school board. Mary Thrond resigned from the board in late March. The board has been accepting applications to fill the position since, and so far only Ninke-Greaver has responded.

Former state representative Henry Kalis was pressured to run by many USC district residents, but last week announced that he had decided against it.

Ninke-Greaver is a pastor at a two-congregation Lutheran parish that serves Kiester. She has two children, both of whom will be students in the district next year.

She says she sent in a letter of intent not because she had always wanted to be on the board, but because no one else did.

&uot;I didn’t want it to be said that no one in our precinct was interested in the school district,&uot; she said. &uot;I think lots of people should be interested.&uot;

Thrond had resigned because she thought the board didn’t follow proper protocol and wasn’t living up to its responsibility.

Ninke-Greaver said she is aware of Thrond’s displeasure with the board.

&uot;I don’t think serving on the board was pleasant for Mary Thrond,&uot; she said. She added that she’s &uot;concerned&uot; about that, but feels the district is facing too tough of issues for the position to remain open.

Olson said he expects the board to accept Ninke-Greaver’s request to serve out Thrond’s term at Monday night’s meeting.