Bret A. Uptmor, Wallowa Supt. of Schools, has been selected to be the Grant School District No. 3 superintendent beginning July 1, according to a statement from the John Day-based district.

The school board and Uptmor are working on the terms of a tentative agreement, which will be finalized at a board meeting in the near future.

“The finalists were invited to spend a day in our district meeting with many groups of staff and touring schools, followed by a community forum and board interview,” Board Chair Chris Cronin said. “After considering all that we learned about each of the finalists, the board concluded that Bret Uptmor emerged as the right candidate to lead our district.”

Uptmor has been in Wallowa, a district serving 180 students, since 2011. He was an assistant principal and a principal in the Ontario School District for six years prior to coming to Wallowa.

Before entering school administration, Uptmor was an industrial technology teacher, primarily in Oregon and Idaho for about 15 years. He holds a master of science in industrial technology education and a bachelor of science in industrial technology education from the University of Idaho.

He replaces Curt Shelley. The district includes three schools, Seneca Elementary, Humbolt Elementary and Grant Union Junior and Senior High with a combined enrollment of around 600.

Uptmor replaced Bob Sisk, a veteran school administrator who had come out of retirement to serve as Wallowa superintendent for the previous three years.

Uptmor was selected from among 11 candidates for the full-time post.

Uptmor grew up in Cottonwood, Idaho, graduating from Prairie High School there in 1985.

The process of selecting his replacement is expected to begin when the Wallowa School Board meets next week.