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Southwest Valley CSD Board selects 3 finalists for Superintendent interviews

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March 13th, 2025 by Ric Hanson

(Corning, Iowa) – Officials with the Southwest Valley School School District, this (Thursday) afternoon, posted on social media the the SW Valley Board of Education has narrowed-down the list of candidates for district Superintendent to three candidates. The finalists will be interviewed on Monday, March 17, 2025. “The School Board’s desire,” officials say, “is to make [the] choice for [the] next superintendent Monday, evening.”
In January, current Southwest Valley Schools Superintendent Chris Fenster submitted his resignation to the Southwest Valley School Board, effective June 30, 2025. Fenster is leaving the district after accepting the superintendent position at South Hardin.
According to the press release from EDWise Consulting Firm, the finalists are: Joe Erickson, Troy Lentell, and Bruce Snodgrass.
Joe Erickson currently serves as superintendent at North Iowa Community School District, in Buffalo Center. He has been a superintendent for seven-years and has spent nearly 20 years in teaching and leadership positions in K-12 education. In his current position, he developed and implemented a strategic plan to provide curriculum materials, technology, a transportation fleet, and facilities for the district. Before his current position, he served as an elementary principal in Eagle Grove.
Troy Lentell is the current principal of Clear Creek Elementary School in the Clear Lake Iowa School District. He has 19- years of experience as a school administrator, including 11 with the Sioux Center CSD, and eight in the Central CSD. Early in his career, Lentell served as a classroom teacher and coach. He has supported PBIS and MTSS frameworks and the development of a curriculum that leads to a system of autonomy throughout his staff.
Bruce Snodgrass has served as the 6th-12th grade principal of West Burlington Junior/Senior High School for the past 17 years. He developed the implementation plan for the Iowa Core Leadership program, served as co-chair of a Special Education Delivery Plan Committee, and created the Falcons SOAR PBIS program. He also was the lead administrator for curriculum realignment and vertical articulation and managed the building’s budget.