Merrill - School's still out, but in Merrill, the district's new interim superintendent is already at work.

One of Don Stevens' first challenges: getting the board to work better together.

"The education within the buildings is just solid," he said. "It is troublesome if, at the board level, there are things going on that some could perceive interfere with all the good things going on in the schools." .

Stevens worked in public education for over 40 years as a superintendent and consultant around Wisconsin. Handling Governor Walker's public education reforms is another challenge he faces.

"It's a sweeping change," Stevens said. "It's a change that the public and people within this community need to adjust to, and I think that's what everybody's trying to do."

Stevens said he is honored to serve Merrill, but plans on retiring after his one-year term.