Now is the time to move ahead

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Now is the time to move ahead

Opinions

Wednesday, 16 March 2011 11:25

Horn_Barbara Barbara Horn
School Board District 4

The Osceola County School District superintendent has tendered his resignation and the School Board has accepted that resignation.
I am not alone in thanking Dr. Michael Grego for his service and the good things accomplished during his tenure. Now the board should focus on our obvious priorities, come together and select a qualified superintendent who can continue to help all of us move our schools forward. I am confident that will happen. As a matter of policy though, and contrary to what some may think, it is not the job of the board to run the district, but it is the job of the board to ensure the district is well run.

After only a few short months on the School Board, I see this as an opportunity for self-examination and as a chance to ensure we have the right people in place throughout our entire upper echelon, whether in finance, personnel or in our individual schools. I am optimistic, excited and looking forward – no looking back except to see the benchmarks of what went right and what went wrong and what we can somehow do better.
Clearly, there are some challenging issues facing our schools. A few personality conflicts or snide, immature comments by a board member here and there ought to be the least of our worries, unless it becomes commonplace or more indicative of an institutional problem. I will address such matters openly and honestly. Personal disagreements that do not involve public policy matters should be addressed privately among colleagues at first and then more publicly but still dignified as the situation dictates. Again, we must always ask ourselves whether what we are doing is advancing education and adjust our conduct accordingly.
When considering the hiring of a new superintendent I want a leader who communicates well with all of our stakeholders and invests a considerable amount of time on the front-end getting to know parents, teachers, staff and students. That is of paramount importance to me. Meeting with community and business leaders is necessary yet secondary to building rapport with the employees from the district office all the way to the classroom. It is imperative we find a superintendent who shares our vision and who will carry it out. I am very optimistic we can find that man or woman. Failure cannot be an option.
It goes without saying — we all want and need an individual who is educated, dynamic and who will lead from the front. A great concern of mine is having someone who knows how to treat people right. That may sound simple, yet it’s not always easy to find an administrator who understands how to work well with subordinates and who can inspire employees without demeaning them. Speaking for myself, I also want someone who is down-to-earth and who reflects the spirit and values of our residents and community, someone who is not aloof and who is firm yet fair. As in all things, the former bookkeeper in me will have an eye toward true fiscal responsibility and accountability. It is crucial those things are incorporated into any employment agreement.
I am not a professional politician. I am also not angling for another office or focused on re-election. I am not speculating on how to make money or dole out graft. I am here to help make a positive difference for our children. I hope residents will continue to be interested and speak out and be heard when necessary or feel compelled to do so. I did that from time-to-time while I was a School District employee. I did so respectfully, and I always tried to observe protocol. I strongly encourage our employees to do the same. Listening to and hearing from subordinates is the singular best way to learn how things are going. We cannot afford failure. The stakes are too high. The fact that we are making strides should not be cause for complacency. We have to do more with less while focusing on our priorities.

COMMENTS_LIST_HEADER

#1 Realistic 2013-05-24 12:06

Mrs. Horn I read with interest about you following protocol, but the board failed to do so in it's superintendent search. Have you changed or fallen into the trap woven by others.

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