Your Next Superintendent

By: Mr. Wilson on August 17, 2009

Susan Gourley, we hardly knew ya. Dr. Gourley is leaving LPS next year and it is time to start thinking about her replacement. I was going to write a post about two things: (1) the characteristics I expect/desire from a superintendent, and (2) the questions I would ask candidates if I were to sit in on an interview. But as I started to write up my thoughts I realized I haven't put enough thought into the topic yet. So I'm coming to you for some help. What characteristics do you expect/desire from a superintendent? What questions would you ask candidates if you were to sit in on interviews? I will get the ball rolling with a couple contributions. First, I want a superintendent whose emphasis is on education. Not public education, but education. It's an important distinction, and perhaps a counterintuitive one to expect from the would-be leader of the state's second-largest school district. But to me it's critical. Public school officials who emphasize the "public" in public education do a disservice to students and the community, in part by allowing themselves to be distracted by an "us vs. them" mentality. It oughtn't be that way. As for questions I would ask, I might start with something like: Lincolnites love our schools, but we hate taxes. LPS consumes, by far, the largest chunk of our property tax dollar. What can you, as superintendent, do to keep our taxes as low as possible and yet still provide the quality of education we expect and our kids deserve? Have at it, Lincolnites.

Comments

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D. L. Whitehead

August 17, 2009 at 2:18PM

Lincolnites love our schools, but we hate taxes. LPS consumes, by far, the largest chunk of our property tax dollar. What can you, as superintendent, do to keep our taxes as low as possible and yet still provide the quality of education we expect and our kids deserve?

This is pretty much the quintessential question. With a runaway, spendy School Board, any answers will likely be just perfunctory answers.

Also, how about: How long do you plan on staying?

Probably just get dodging answers to that was well…

Fletch

August 17, 2009 at 3:52PM

I’d ask: When are you going to actually build the much-needed elementary school in Vintage Heights (the last thing cut from the list before the last bond issue)?

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