4:34 PM: “This is an important moment for our district,” began Seattle Public Schools Board president Gina Topp, as the meeting happening right now who revealed who they want to hire as the district’s new superintendent: Ben Shuldiner, currently superintendent in Lansing, Michigan.

4:50 PM: Shuldiner spoke briefly to the board and those in attendance after board members voted unanimously to open contract negotiations with him. He said he’d “like to believe I’ve found my permanent home,” and that he intends to “shepherd a new beginning” for SPS and to “make it the greatest urban school district in America.”

4:54 PM: He’s been superintendent in Lansing (official photo at right) for (corrected) four and a half years. Online archives also reveal he was a finalist for the superintendent job in Clark County, Nevada – Las Vegas and vicinity – this past March, a job for which he told a reporter he was recruited though he wasn’t actively looking for something new. Then in May, he was a finalist for superintendent of Jefferson County, KY, schools.

Meantime, as for the job here, Topp said they hope Shuldiner will be able to join SPS in “early 2026.” Both of them are scheduled to talk with reporters soon, and it appears that will be streamed live on SPS TV.

5:31 PM: The aforementioned news conference is starting, with district officials and other board members also present. … Among the others there, Brian Vance, West Seattle High School‘s principal, introduced as president of the Principals Association of Seattle. … Topp says Shuldiner “builds trust (and) solves problems.” Topp says that in three years, the graduation rate of Shuldiner’s current district has grown from 62 percent to 88 percent. She says his current district also has come back from the financial brink. (“Sound familiar?” she asked rhetorically.) He says SPS has the “brilliant” students and staffers – they just need to “create the right systems and structures” to advance.

5:49 PM: A Garfield HS journalist asked Shuldiner how he’ll tackle SPS’s budget deficit. He said, among other tactics, he’s a strong believer in “school-based budgeting.” … Responding to another question, he said he’d like to connect with the community by holding Town Halls in each board district. … The Q&A opportunity ended at 5:56 pm.