Demanding job deters candidates
gbrennan@capecodonline.com
By George Brennan
March 27, 2011
During interviews for the Sandwich superintendent's job, all four of the finalist candidates stressed the importance of being available in the community — shopping at the local supermarket, holding coffee hours and attending meetings at the senior center.
But it's just those types of demands, experts say, that are shrinking the pool of available candidates for what in most communities is the top-paying municipal job. Add to that the educational and license requirements, the stepping stones of being a principal or assistant superintendent first, and the high cost of living in many Massachusetts communities.
"The environment today is really tough because you have higher levels of accountability, more scrutiny from the public and declining resources," said Thomas Scott, executive director of the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents.
And then there's the politics. (CONTINUED ...)
5 comments:
Well done George B. and Cape Cod Times. This seems to really put in context much of what is challenging for School Districts and their Superintendents. Darn this old country, it just kept growing since 1972 and the Cape just kept growing. Sadly politics is slower to catch up. I thought particularly meaningful in this article is the sad phrase related to "it becoming more about adults" as opposed to children.
This all makes sense to me. Years ago I spoke with a Superintendent who was a friend. They enlightened me to the challenge of trying to have politicians, many with no background in education, management, budget, or executive thinking, the ultimate controllers of a school district. In some ways it is another case of poor legislation when it comes to mandates about how to run a school system.
Education Funding Reforms of 1993 while it eliminated complete autonomy of School Committees in determining their budgets in a sense by making Boards of Selectmen and other forms of Municipal leadership essentially the "gate keepers" to the schools budget, it created a tension and potential pit-falls that can only be overcome in a couple of ways. One would be through regular and meaningful professional conversations between the major town boards, Town Manager, School Superintendent and School Business Manager. And of course more civic engagement by citizens and closer scrutiny of candidates running for that office and the elections process.
Communities and not just kids and families are extremely vulnerable where school committees are concerned. Without a highly functioning executive team, it can be devastating to a community. A failing or crippled school system and poor budget patterns can damage a town far beyond the reputations of it's schools. Please visit Randy Hunts blog and ask your questions, visit the candidate web-sites, plan to attend the two candidate forums, and last but not least encourage everyone you know to get out and vote this May for our local candidates.
all bs......trust me- there are plenty of candidates out there ready to lead..its just finding the right one and there are not many that are capable of this daunting task.....i think it is crazy that a retiree will be leading our schools....
Who would want the job?
Long-winded nonsense aside, what professional would want to work for a group of idiots with no experience in your field (or any other) and who qualify for their position only by running the best Pop Warner/Girl Scout/PTA/Soccer event?
What other industry relies on complete amateurs for its leadership?
In true leadership, and it looks like Dr. Canfield has quite a bit of experience there, leaders take on jobs that often require them teaching those they lead how to be leaders as well. It is also about teaching those you lead to communicate differently perhaps, work together, understand the work, look at it differently, the concepts of team work and the collaborative process. The School Committee as I've watched it over the years depends on the Superintendent to be a leader. The question with this group will be changing the dynamic. The election will help!
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