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> Harding's contract is renewed by school board
Southsider2k12
post Dec 8 2006, 10:52 AM
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http://www.michigancityin.com/articles/200.../06/news/n1.txt

QUOTE
Harding will make $118,554 per year

In a 5-2 vote, the Michigan City Area Schools board renewed the superintendent's contract Tuesday night, extending it until June 30, 2009.

With board members James Kintzele and Clyde Zeek voting against the contract, the board raised the salary of Superintendent Michael Harding from $111,500 to $118,554 per year retroactive to July 1.

“Education is hard,” the superintendent, who is responsible for about 1,100 employees, told the board. “But the positives far outweigh the negatives.”

This raise is the first Harding has received since coming to Michigan City in July 2004, board member Jeff Jones said.

Zeek and Kintzele said they were not part of recent discussions between Harding and the five other board members. They attended a negotiating meeting on Nov. 27, and Zeek said he expected the board to meet with the superintendent to get his input on this version of the contract. The board has been working on the matter since last June.

At just 5:25 p.m. Tuesday, just more than 30 minutes before the board meeting started, Zeek said he received an e-mail from the board attorney notifying him of changes the superintendent wanted to the contract. One issue had to do with a deadline for accomplishing goals set for the superintendent by the board, and another changed the number of work days from 260 per year to 230, Zeek said.

Harding discussed the contract while also talking about other matters with individual board members. He mentioned it while discussing the board meeting agenda with board member Bob Frame, and while discussing another issue with Adrienne Gottlieb.

Both Kintzele and Zeek said they are unaware of any attempts to reach them. They say they received no messages or voicemail.

Harding was in Indianapolis most of Tuesday.

Board member Nathaniel Gipson said he was ready to settle the contract “and move forward.

“We were elected to do the best job for kids,” Gipson said.

Gottlieb said she had worked to build consensus while she was board member, “and there has been an unwillingness to do so ...

“We have had people unwilling to make decisions, unwilling to be board members,” she added.

“I'm ashamed of all of you,” she said.

For his part, Harding said open debate is healthy. The contract has become an emotional issue, he said.

“We've had a number of versions (of the contract) since June,” Harding added. He called the lawyers to clarify which version the board was considering.

He extended an invitation to Zeek and Kintzele to meet with him over this or any other issue.

The best part of presiding as superintendent over the MCAS, Harding said, is to see ��,100 people getting up every day trying to make a difference in the lives of kids every day.”

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Southsider2k12
post Dec 9 2006, 12:36 PM
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The big news today is that Harding has been applying for the Superintendant of the Toledo schools without the knowledge of the MCAS. Wonderful. He just squeezed an extra 7% and 6 fewer weeks of work out of us, and now he doesn't even want to be here. Harding has been the worst thing to happen to our schools in a LONG time.

http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/artic...2090370/-1/NEWS

QUOTE
The list of eight applicants to become the next leader of Toledo Public Schools includes its current interim superintendent, two former military men, and the head of a small local district in Monroe County.

Toledo Public's Interim Superintendent John Foley, who was appointed to run the 29,000-student district after Eugene Sanders resigned in May, and Marlene Kennedy Mills, superintendent of the Mason Consolidated School District in Erie, Mich., were among those who applied.

PROACT Search Inc., a Milwaukee-based firm, was hired for $30,000 plus expenses of up to $20,000 to conduct the search.

Board Vice President Deborah Barnett said the school board would adhere to a Nov. 30 deadline and not accept more applications.

Earlier in the week, board President Darlene Fisher said PROACT intended to continue soliciting and accepting resumes for the job until interviews started in January.

The other applicants are:

••Craig Bangtson, 56, of Leitchfield, Ky., the former superintendent of the 14,500-student Bartow County Schools in Cartersville, Ga.

••Debra Brathwaite, deputy superintendent and chief academic officer of the 16,000-student Dayton Public Schools.

•••Luis Gonzalez, 60, of San Antonio, superintendent the last three years of the 2,000-student Mathis Independent School District in Mathis, Texas.

••Michael Harding, of Granger, Ind., superintendent of the 7,000-student Michigan City Area Schools in Michigan City, Ind.

••John O'Sullivan, Jr., of Jacksonville, former superintendent of the 21,800-student Independent School District 279 in Maple Grove, Minn., and former superintendent of the 34,000-student Savan-nah-Chatham County School District in Savannah, Ga.

••Stephen Stohla, 58, of Alliance, Ohio, superintendent of the 3,300-student Alliance City Schools.

The search firm will examine the applicants' backgrounds.

Mr. Foley is being paid a $130,000 annual base salary, a $500 monthly car allowance, and health benefits under a contract that runs through July 31, 2007.

In 2004, he became assistant superintendent of school improvement and reform and in August, 2005, was named chief of staff.

Mr. Sanders' base salary in Toledo was $147,767, but his total compensation was $194,179.

Ms. Mills, 56, was a Toledo Public special education teacher for six years, assistant principal at McKinley Elementary for three, and principal of Fulton Elementary for one year. She has run the 1,400-student Mason schools since 2002.

Mr. Bangtson holds a doctoral degree in business administration and finance. He has 26 years of experience as a superintendent at five districts.

Ms. Brathwaite is in her fourth year with the Dayton school system. She was a deputy superintendent for New York City schools from 1997 to 2001.

Mr. Gonzalez has a doctoral degree in educational administration.

He was superintendent of Mason Consolidated from November, 1996, until he left in September, 2001, to become superintendent of the 12,000-student Edgewood Independent School District, San Antonio.

Ms. Mills replaced him at Mason Consolidated.

Mr. Harding began working in Michigan City in July, 2004. His contract was renewed Tuesday by a 5-2 vote of the system's board, extending it until June 30, 2009.

Mr. O'Sullivan, a retired Air Force colonel with more than 28 years of military service, started in May, 2005, as head of Independent School District 279, also known as Osseo Area Schools.

The school board delivered a unanimous vote of no confidence in December, 2005. He resigned in February, 2006, and the board approved a separation agreement worth more than $150,000.

Before that, at the Savannah-Chatham district, the school board agreed in November, 2004, that Mr. O'Sullivan would leave the system yet continue to receive his $163,200 salary in monthly payments through June of this year.

Mr. Stohla has been superintendent of Alliance City Schools for three years. He began his career as a teacher and joined the Army Ohio National Guard. He left the Guard for active duty with the Army as a major. After 12 years, he left active duty as a colonel and returned to education.

The Toledo school board received the list yesterday during a special meeting.

Board member Larry Sykes asked Ms. Fisher whether she told the search firm to withhold the list from the board and the media until yesterday.

Ms. Fisher said the list was released yesterday, instead of shortly after the Nov. 30 deadline, because she felt all board members should receive it together.

None of the board members commented on the applicants.

Contact Ignazio Messina at: imessina@theblade.com or 419-724-6171.
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Roger Kaputnik
post Dec 11 2006, 04:31 PM
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The lame duck school board should be run out of town on a rail for re-upping Mr Harding's contract, and doubly so for juicing it up. MCAS is a god-awful mess, and the Board had no business keeping him on. The City should be ASHAMED of itself for allowing this to happen. The best thing will be if Harding does split for Toledo (good for us, anyway) and LEAVE OUR KIDS ALONE!



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Ang
post Dec 11 2006, 05:32 PM
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I was surprised at the two who voted no. Not because they voted no, but because of who voted no. In my experience as a former MCAS employee and dealing with members of the board, they were the last two I would expect to vote no. I must say my opinion of them has changed a little. Only a little though. wink.gif


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Southsider2k12
post Dec 11 2006, 07:12 PM
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Roger I agree with you that it wouldn't be a bad thing if Harding left. I really haven't seen anything in his tenure here that tells me he is doing us any good, in fact quite the opposite. As a matter of a fact, the system now has a ton of legal bills rolling in because of the 180 grievences pending, because he keeps violating the teachers contracts, not to mention the biggest accomplishment in his tenure, the Strategic Plan, came about because Tim Bietry and the Chamber of Commerce stepping in and did Harding's/Sweeney's job for them.
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Ang
post Dec 12 2006, 09:45 AM
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Too bad Tim Bietry couldn't be the Superintendent. Wouldn't THAT be poetic justice!? Of all the people I have known in MCAS, as a student and an employee, Tim was the most honest, straightforward one. He would tell it like it is, and he had (has) the most caring and compassion for the students and their health and well-being-no to mention staff and co-workers. Unfortunately, the powers that be let the Teacher's union run the school system for a while. While I'm not fond of Harding, I think a lot of the problems with him and the union stem from the fact that he wouldn't let them run the school system. He is not afraid of the teacher's union and wouldn't be bullied by them--In my opinion, anyway.


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Southsider2k12
post Dec 12 2006, 10:03 AM
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I'd love to see Bietry take over the school system. After the way he lost his job (a complete load of crap IMO) he still didn't lose his passion for MC's kids, and that saids it all. I am an Elston grad and got to see his magic first hand for four years. The problem would be much of the same school board that fired him, is still sitting up there, and there isn't snowballs chance in hell they would approve him for the job. I doubt he would even waste his time applying for it to be honest.
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Ang
post Dec 12 2006, 11:54 AM
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The only reason the school board let him go is because of certain members of the teacher's union. They cried foul, Foul, FOUL and (as usual) got their way. It was a classic example of the school board and superintendent being bullied by the teacher's union-again. Don't get me wrong about the union. I don't think it was the union as a whole. It was certain members of the union who used their position with the union to get what they wanted. That is just WRONG! Thank goodness the key person in that play has finally retired-good riddance in my opinion, but there are still other characters who need to follow her and retire. Let the new people in the union take over, those who aren't self centered and narrow minded. Those with fresh ideas and their cares and concerns on our children, not themselves. I think the biggest problem with MCAS is that a majority of the teachers have lost sight as to why they became teachers in the first place.


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BioTeach
post Dec 13 2006, 01:35 PM
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As a current teacher, Angie, I have to disagree. I am yet to meet a teacher that does not put their all into their job...and then some. Most teachers put hours into their profession outside of their contractual day. We care about the kids in our classrooms. We want to see them succeed. We get involved in extracurricular activities, we go see sporting events, we tutor, and we stay after school to be an ear to students who are experiencing problems that many of cannot even imagine. We want to improve the city in which most of us reside. I do not believe that Harding can be held to the same standard to which we hold ourselves. He has demonstrated that he does not believe in the job we are doing despite the fact that he has already given up on our school system and is looking for greener pastures. The teacher's union needs to be strong to protect those who do anything and everything to make sure the kids of Michigan City are nurtured in their education.
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Ang
post Dec 13 2006, 02:07 PM
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BioTeach, I agree that there are teachers like you described, but there are are also teachers like I described and they are the ones in the forefront making all the noise. I've said this before in a letter I wrote to the anvil chorus, the good teachers are the ones who are in the classrooms helping the kids, being mentors, counselors, and friends to the students. They are doing their best and going above the call of duty to see that kids are growing and excelling, especially the "at risk" kids, but they are the silent ones. I didn't say that ALL MCAS teachers are bad. However, there are some pretty terrible teachers (and I'm not speaking just about the HS, I'm referring to MCAS as a whole). They don't want to deal with kids who act out, they don't want to try to teach kids who cause problems, they snivel, they complain, they treat the "bad" kids poorly (which only makes those kids act worse), then when someone comes to the defense of the kids, these teachers treat the defenders poorly, whether the defenders be support staff or fellow teachers. I've seen it first hand and experienced it first hand.
As far as Harding is concerned, I totally agree that he has never believed in MCAS. He came with a poor attitude. When it was announced that he got the MCAS position, I received condolence calls from friends in SB and NP schools telling me how awful the man is and wished MCAS luck. From the gossip I was told, he only accepted the position because he was out of work, not because he believed he could do something good for MCAS.
Finally, I agree that the Teacher's union needs to be strong to protect those who do anything and everything to make sure the kids of Michigan City are nurtured in their education. As I stated in my last post, " Let new people in the union take over, those who aren't self centered and narrow minded. Those with fresh ideas and their cares and concerns on our children, not themselves."


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Southsider2k12
post Dec 13 2006, 02:28 PM
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I will say in my experiences between the union and the administration, the administration has totally run over the teachers, at least in the last few years. It got to the point where the administration was too obsessed with their numbers (grad rates, test scores, and suspension/expulsion rates especially) and they allowed dangerous precidents and situations to develop in our school buildings. It got to the point where the kids figured out that they weren't going to really get punished for things that had no business going on a school's campus.

I think after totally getting blitzed in the Sweeney situtation, the teachers union has done an excellent job of reestablishing itself, and hopefully so. The union needs to step in and make teaching in the MCAS a better option for teachers outside of our system, as the school board/administration has totally failed at doing this. Not only are MCAS teachers underpaid when compared to their peers around the state, they face a tougher job because of the special education and poverty rates in MC, and they also have had to deal with an adversarial administration on top of that. The MCAS is going no where if this situation doesn't change. They won't be able to attract new talent, and they won't be able to retain any young talent they can manage to bring here. As I have seen personally, even if they do recruit and hire good teachers, many times they leave for not only greener, but friendly pastures in surrounding school systems.
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Southsider2k12
post Dec 16 2006, 09:32 AM
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http://www.michigancityin.com/articles/200.../15/news/n1.txt

QUOTE
A look at school chief's new contract

By Deborah Sederberg, The News-Dispatch

When the final details of Michigan City Area Schools Superintendent Michael Harding's contract extension were worked out recently, the document included a new provision that could provide him and his family with security.

The provision, which would be activated only in the event of a threat, says, “In the event that the life or safety of the superintendent or his family is threatened or otherwise appears in danger because of the performance of the superintendent's official duties, the board shall pay reasonable costs incidental to the protection of the superintendent and his family. The superintendent can request the board to pay all or part of the charges. Protection, if required, will be sought first from the regular police authorities.”

Willaim F. Satterlee III, the Valparaiso attorney who represented Harding and included the provision, said the language is “a sign of the times.”

“Unfortunately, it's a little scarier place out there,” said Satterlee. “Certainly the times are a little more unsafe. Maybe it's the whole atmosphere of 9-11.”

Satterlee said he wouldn't describe the provision as standard contract language, but said it is not unusual anymore to include a personal protection provision in superintendent contracts. “I don't represent all superintendents in the area, but I know other superintendents do have similar language.”

Other provisions of the contract were more routine. Chief among them was a change in requirement that the “superintendent shall render 260 days of service for each 12-month period.” That requirement would have granted him no vacation days or holidays.

To account for that, the contract approved by the school board on Dec. 5 changed the number of required work days to 230.

“There really has been no change in the number of vacation days or holidays,” said Robert Frame, president of the board. “This is just a different way of expressing it.” When 10 holidays and 20 vacation days are subtracted, the number of work days is reduced to 230, Frame explained.

“Actually, we tightened up on the vacation a little bit,” he said. In Harding's previous contract, he could accumulate vacation days to roll over to the next year. Now, he can sell 10 days back to the school corporation, but if he doesn't use the other 10, he loses them. Vacation days cannot be carried from one year to the next.

Harding, who is one of eight finalists for the superintendent's position in Toldeo, Ohio, will be paid $118,554 a year, retroactive to July 1. It first was set at $117,000, but Frame said Harding discussed that issue with him, explaining that when he was hired, the superintendent's salary was 17 percent higher than the assistant superintendent's salary. Since that time, Frame said, the assistant superintendent has received a raise, but Harding has not.

To keep the difference at about 17 percent, Frame agreed to present the $118,554 figure to the board. The contract was approved by a 5-2 vote, with board Vice President Jim Kintzele and member Clyde Zeek voting no on the contract.

Beryle Burgwald, who was elected to the board in November and will take office in January, and Katherine Lee, also elected in November, were permitted to observe the contact discussion, but they were forbidden from attempting to influence the decision of the board.

Burgwald, who has served on both the Michigan City and LaPorte County councils, said he thought it curious that the board would be presented with a contract at a public meeting that differed from the one on which the board had seemed to reach consensus during an executive session.

Five board members spoke with Harding about the contract at some time between the executive session and the Dec. 5 meeting, but Harding said he had not had a chance to get together with Kintzele and Zeek.

In addition to vacations, Harding is entitled to a dozen sick days and four personal days. Accumulation of sick days is unlimited and personal days accumulate from year to year as sick leave.

The school corporation also provides the superintendent with a vehicle and maintains and insures it.

In addition, the school corporation pays the cost of medical and dental insurance as well as the premium costs except for $1, for a long-term disability policy.

If he should decide to relocate from his Granger home to Michigan City, Harding could seek and be reimbursed for moving expenses up to $5,000.

Some local residents, including some board members, have been critical of Harding for failing to move into the school district.

Harding has not commented on the possibility of moving to Toledo, but several board members wondered whether he might have been motivated by a lack of progress on his new contract. The first contract, from 2004, expired at the end of June.


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Southsider2k12
post Jan 4 2007, 06:19 AM
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It looks like Harding might have somemore competition for the Toledo job.

http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/artic...1040316/-1/NEWS

QUOTE
Up to 10 more applicants may vie for superintendent

By IGNAZIO MESSINA
BLADE STAFF WRITER


Toledo Public Schools can expect up to 10 more applicants interested in leading the city's 29,400-student school system in addition to the eight who have applied so far, an official said.

The board received eight applications for the Toledo Public Schools superintendent job Dec. 8, including the current interim superintendent, two former military men, and the outgoing head of a small district in Monroe County.

Board president Darlene Fisher, the liaison to the consulting firm conducting the search, originally said the district would extend beyond the Nov. 30 deadline to accept more applications. Other board members disagreed, saying they would adhere to the deadline.

But Steven Steel, who replaced Ms. Fisher as liaison, said the board is now willing to extend the deadline until Jan. 12.

"The consultant has assured us that there are six 6 to 10 additional applicants that will come forward at the last possible moment and when they know who will be interviewed," Mr. Steel said. "It seems like there was some misunderstanding in the fact that [Nov. 30] was not a hard deadline and that applications would continue to be accepted."

PROACT Search Inc., a Milwaukee-based firm, was hired for $30,000 plus expenses of up to $20,000 to conduct the search.

Early last month, Ms. Fisher said PROACT intended to continue soliciting and accepting resumes for the job until interviews started in January. That announcement was met with surprise from her fellow board members, who were not told of the plan to leave the application process open.

Board members ultimately blamed the confusion on a lack of communication.

Nancy Noeske, president of PROACT Search Inc., yesterday said she has not received any new applications.

"Several people said they would work on their stuff over the holidays and then send them in," Ms. Noeske said, "We have called everyone to tell them the absolute deadline is Jan. 12."

She added that superintendent applicants, before applying for a job, ask what the board of education is like and if there is community support for the schools.

The five Toledo Board of Education members had their share of disagreements in 2006 and even argued several times over getting mediation, the need for a new tax levy, and lack of communication among themselves.

The eight candidates who have applied so far are:

•Toledo Public's Interim Superintendent John Foley, who was appointed to run the 29,000-student district after Eugene Sanders resigned in May.

•Marlene Kennedy Mills, superintendent of the Mason Consolidated School District in Erie, Mich. She handed in her resignation last month effective Dec. 31 but said she would stay on until Jan. 31 for a smooth transition.

•Craig Bangtson, 56, of Leitchfield, Ky., the former superintendent of the 14,500-student Bartow County Schools in Cartersville, Ga.

•Debra Brathwaite, deputy superintendent and chief academic officer of the 16,000-student Dayton Public Schools.

•Luis Gonzalez, 60, of San Antonio, superintendent the last three years of the 2,000-student Mathis Independent School District in Mathis, Texas.

•Michael Harding, of Granger, Ind., superintendent of the 7,000-student Michigan City Area Schools in Michigan City, Ind.

•John O'Sullivan, Jr., of Jacksonville, former superintendent of the 21,800-student Independent School District 279 in Maple Grove, Minn., and former superintendent of the 34,000-student Savannah-Chatham County School District in Savannah, Ga.

•Stephen Stohla, 58, of Alliance, Ohio, superintendent of the 3,300-student Alliance City Schools.

Mr. Foley is paid a $130,000 annual base salary, a $500 monthly car allowance, and health benefits under a contract that runs through July 31, 2007. In 2004, he became assistant superintendent of school improvement and reform and in August, 2005, was named chief of staff.

Mr. Sanders' base salary in Toledo was $147,767, but his total compensation was $194,179.

Ms. Fisher said the district is on track to narrow down the list of applicants this month.

Contact Ignazio Messina at:
imessina@theblade.com
or 419-724-6171.
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Southsider2k12
post Jan 8 2007, 09:06 AM
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Hey what do you know, it only took the ND 5 days to get this story!

http://www.michigancityin.com/articles/200.../07/news/n2.txt

QUOTE
Hiring deadline extended

By Deborah Sederberg, The News-Dispatch


The Ohio school district at which school Superintendent Michael Harding has applied for a new position has extended its application deadline.

On Jan. 17, Toledo Public Schools will announce the names of candidates who will be invited to interviews, Steven Steel, vice president of the board in Toledo, told The News-Dispatch Friday.

Steel said the board had extended the deadline from Jan. 12, but he said the extension should not be taken as a sign of disappointment with candidates who have submitted resumes.

Harding is one of eight candidates who have applied for the Toledo job, which also includes John Foley, acting superintendent in Toledo.

Toledo's former superintendent, Eugene Sanders, left last spring to head the Cleveland Municipal Schools and Foley has been in the interim position since that time.

Harding has not commented to The News-Dispatch about his application for the Toledo post.

With two board members voting no, the MCAS board at its Dec. 5 meeting approved a new contract with a salary of $118,554 retroactive to July for Harding. The contract runs through June 30, 2008.

Jeff Schroeder, assistant treasurer in Toledo, said the new superintendent's salary/benefits package likely would fall somewhere between $140,000 and $170,000.

“But of course it's negotiable,” he said.

The Toledo district serves 29,500 students with seven high schools, 14 middle schools and 40 elementary schools.

According to a Dec. 29 editorial in the Toledo Blade, the Toledo Schools will face a projected budget deficit of $12.7 million in the next school year and that figure could grow to $107 million in four years.

What's more, teachers have not seen a salary increase in five years.

In addition, despite declining enrollment, Toledo is in the middle of what is projected to be a 10-year building project.

The board recently hired a new treasurer, but now needs a superintendent, and the editorial urges board members to put aside internal squabbles. “This is no time for backbiting in the governing body (of the school corporation),” the editorial admonishes.

Steel said he is proud of Toledo's academic achievement. “We were the first urban school district in Ohio to meet AYP (Adequate Yearly Progress) status according to No Child Left Behind,” he said.

The corporation needs a superintendent who can continue the march to academic excellence, added Steel, who is a member of the resource team for Ohio's newly elected Democratic Governor, Ted Strickland.

The Toledo corporation is working with PROACT SEARCH, a Milwaukee-based search team. On its Web site, PROACT lists several qualities a successful applicant must posses. First among those: “Successful experience in urban school reform and/or organizational transformation; in implementing best practices and continuous improvement strategies with high standards for student achievement and in requiring accountability for results at all levels.”

Contact reporter Deborah Sederberg at dsederberg@thenewsdispatch.com.


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