The Thatcher School Board will meet at 5 p.m. on Jan. 6 to decide on a course of action for replacing Superintendent Janice Given, who died Dec. 24.

“We’re going to meet as a board and decide where we want to go,” said Ladd Mullenaux, clerk of the Thatcher School Board.

When the board convenes Jan. 6, two new board members — Will Wright and Rex Bryce — will officially take office. Wright and Bryce were elected to the board Nov. 4 and were sworn in Dec. 18. They replace Mel Palmer and Gary Sorensen, who did not seek re-election. Mullenaux said the first order of business will likely be the selection of a new board president and board clerk.

Next, the board will probably take up how to go about replacing Given.

“We have two people who are certified and are qualified to be superintendent,” Mullenaux said, adding that Given’s death “was totally unexpected and a tragic thing.”

The board has a few options for finding a new superintendent, including the following:

• Appoint one of the district principals as interim district administrator and advertise nationally for a permanent superintendent.

• Seek to hire a superintendent from outside the district immediately.

• Promote one of the school principals to superintendent. This would leave a principal’s position open that the board would have to fill.

Tracey Benson, spokeswoman for the Arizona School Boards Association, said the organization is available to assist in a search for a new superintendent, however, an action by the school board is required to initiate the process.

She also said a search for a new superintendent could take several months.

“The process can be as short or as long as the board feels it should be,” Benson said.