Vera Risdon, the Renton School District’s assistant superintendent, will serve as interim superintendent of the district until a replacement for Mary Alice Heuschel is hired.

The Renton School Board voted unanimously Wednesday night to name the long-time Renton educator to the district’s top job.

“I would say that I am very excited for the honor and feel very privileged by the opportunity,” Risdon said at the meeting Wednesday night. “It will be very difficult to follow in Mary Alice’s foot steps even for a few months.”

Heuschel will leave the district in mid-January to become chief of staff for Gov.-elect Jay Inslee.The board also began the process for a nationwide search for a new superintendent, voting to have the district identify a search firm to find qualified candidates.The process will include staff and community input and community meetings to meet candidates.

Wednesday night the school board voted 5-0 to move forward with the district’s shortened timeline for collecting requests for proposals (RFPs). It was agreed upon that requests would be sent to the four search firms the district presented, with the caveat that any other creditable search firm could also submit a proposal.

The requests for proposals were sent Thursday morning to firms Janet Barry, Consultant, Hazard, Young, Attea and Associates; Gene Sharratt, Consultant, Northwest Leadership Associates; Ray and Associates, and Mike Boring, McPherson and Jacobson. The Washington Association of School Administrators was also notified of the district’s need for a search firm to find the next superintendent.

The consultants need to have their statements of interest into the district by Dec. 12. Several school board members and Sheryl Moore, assistant superintendent of human resources, will review the submissions and decide on interview candidates. The district hopes to hire the consultant search firm before Christmas.

In the meantime, Risdon will attempt to keep the district’s projects and goals on track.

“I’m really charged with maintaining the momentum that Dr. Heuschel has established and facilitating the process that will bring in a leader as dynamic and talented as she,” Risdon said.

Risdon has been an educator in Renton for more than 46 years, beginning as a teacher at Hazelwood Elementary School and teaching at five Renton schools from 1966 to 1982, Hazelwood, McKnight, Campbell Hill, Benson Hill and Renton Park. She has also served as principal at Highlands (1982-86) and Hazelwood (1986-92) elementary schools; as assistant superintendent for curriculum, instruction and technology (1992-2000); and as associate superintendent for elementary education (2000-2007), a part-time position.