One of four candidates, he was offered the job by the Osage School Board during a special meeting Monday night and officially accepted the position Wednesday.

He will succeed Osage Superintendent Steve Williams, who will retire at the end of the current school year.

Bass and his wife, Karla, grew up in Charles City. He is a 1986 graduate of the University of Northern Iowa (UNI) and taught and coached wrestling in Mason City from 1992 to 1998. He has served for the past 10 years at Southeast Polk. He will begin his new duties at Osage in June.

"I'm looking forward to getting back to the area where I grew up," said Bass, who said the timing was right for a move. "I was very selective about where I applied. I wanted the right place. When Osage came up, I knew it was a strong community and a great school district."

Bass said the couple's youngest son, Ethan, will graduate from Southeast Polk this spring and will be playing football for UNI in the fall.

"Now we'll be closer to him and the football games coming up," said Bass. "It's very good timing all the way around."

The Basses have an older son, Seth, who is a student at Grand View College in Des Moines and will soon graduate. Karla Bass is a dental hygienist.