WATERLOO - A Waterloo Community Schools administrator will be the new superintendent of the Iowa Braille and Sight Saving School.

The State of Iowa Board of Regents Wednesday named Patrick Clancy to lead the Vinton school and be administrator of the State System for Vision Services. He is currently Waterloo's associate superintendent for educational and student services.

Clancy will be paid an annual salary of $130,000 when he begins the new job Aug. 1. He succeeds Jeananne Schild, who has been serving as interim superintendent for the Braille School since February 2006.

"I'm delighted with the choice and could not be more pleased that he has agreed to join us," said Dave Miles, president of the board. "We had four outstanding candidates and I think that he's going to be top rate."

Clancy was excited about the appointment. "I look at it as a good opportunity and challenge," he said.

Sharon Miller, Waterloo Schools spokeswoman, said the Braille School is "getting the highest quality administrator" in Clancy.

"Patrick has been a talented and visionary leader in our district. We're really going to miss him," said Miller.

"We've all learned a lot from him and definitely value the time we've had with him here," she added. "He's been a resource in so many areas of our operation."

The announcement comes just before a new superintendent arrives in Waterloo. Gary Norris, who replaces the retiring Dewitt Jones, starts July 1. No decisions about replacing Clancy have been made yet.

"I believe what we will do is wait until the new superintendent is on board and then make some plans about how to proceed," said Miller.

A total of 13 people applied for the Braille School and vision services administrator position. The four finalists were interviewed June 12. The others included: Martin Monson, former director of the Wisconsin Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired; Harold Blatt, director of special education for the Keystone Area Education Agency in Elkader; and David Quinn, director of special education for the Mississippi Bend Area Education Agency in Bettendorf.

Clancy began working for the Waterloo district in 1997 as director of special education. He regularly dealt with Area Education Agency 267 officials in his positions.

"We're very pleased with the fact that he has worked with the area education agencies," said Miles. That will be important for the vision services administrator duties being added to the superintendent position.

A coordinating council appointed by the Board of Regents and the State Board of Education recommended centralizing the administration of vision services before the search began to fill this position.

"It's really intended to be a way we can deliver the most effective services to children who are blind or have vision challenges across the entire state," said Miles.

"It calls for someone who can work effectively with not only the Braille School but the Department of Education and the Commission for the Blind."

Contact Andrew Wind at (319) 291-1507 or andrew.wind@wcfcourier.com.