Dr. Ferrua Begins New Position on July 1
The McMinnville School Board has selected Dr. Kourtney Ferrua to be Interim Superintendent for the McMinnville School District.
The announcement was made during a special board meeting on Wednesday, June 18.
“The board was grateful for the number of highly talented candidates who wanted to serve our district as our Interim Superintendent,” said MSD Board Chair Jason Bizon. “Dr. Ferrua’s commitment to this district and this community elevated her above the rest of the strong candidate pool. The board voted unanimously to select her.”
Dr. Ferrua has served as MSD’s Director of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment since 2019 and was previously a teacher, instructional coach and principal in the district.
Noted for her focus on a data-driven instructional leadership approach, Ferrua is also a certified trainer in professional development, an educational consultant, and has presented at national conferences. She and her team of teacher-leaders from Wascher were selected to present at the 2018 National Model Schools Conference. Ferrua was also honored as Oregon Principal of the Year and a Nationally Distinguished Principal in 2019. In 2020, she co-authored the book PrincipalED: Navigating the Leadership Learning Curve, a text used in many principal preparation programs.
Dr. Ferrua has been active locally, serving over the years on the Yamhill County Early Learning Council, Head Start Board, Juliette’s House Board, Family Wellbeing Council, a member of McMinnville Area Chamber of Commerce, Oregon Elementary Principal Association board, and as the current president of Oregon ASCD.
A McMinnville native, Ferrua graduated from McMinnville High School and earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of San Francisco, a master’s from the University of Portland, and a doctorate from the University of Oregon.
“I am honored and humbled by the opportunity to serve the students, staff and families in our communities of McMinnville and Lafayette,” said Ferrua. “This is a special place. We have a dedicated team who cares deeply about our students and has a collective commitment to doing whatever it takes to help our students succeed. This is going to be an incredible year.”
There were 26 applicants for the position. The board interviewed three finalists in an Executive Session on Monday, June 16, 2025. Dr. Ferrua will assume superintendent duties beginning July 1, 2025.
McPherson & Jacobson L.L.C. served as consultants in the search process. The process included an online survey, which solicited feedback from families, staff, students and community members; and stakeholder panels with groups of staff, students and community members, which interviewed finalists and provided collective input.