One important part of a complex puzzle

There is a lot going on right now at Region One, and a lot of it is quite important to the region’s future. As we mentioned a couple of weeks ago, now would be a good time to start paying attention to it all.

A search for a new assistant superintendent is ongoing, with the search committee being made up of the Region One Board of Education and the ABC Committee (made up of the chairs of the six Region One elementary school boards.) There have now been three focus groups on the topic, led by Mary Broderick, a consultant from CABE Search Services in Wethersfield. 

At the group discussion at Housatonic Valley Regional High School on Jan. 21, there were carefully wrought statements by a range of community members with deep connections to the school system, from parents with children now in the schools to former students, teachers and administrators.

All had clearly given the situation a lot of thought, and had strong opinions about the culture of Region One as it is now and as it could be affected by the introduction of a new administrator. The history of the position of assistant superintendent was analyzed, as were the approaches of past administrations in utilizing the strengths of the people in the position during their tenure. It was pointed out that the situation now is unique: enrollment has been dropping for years, for instance. Retired high school educator and principal Ed Kirby pointed out that in the 1978 to 1979 school year, there were 780 students. Now, there are fewer than 500. 

There was some concern that the search committee did not include teachers and Region One residents in addition to the board members.  Shouldn’t there be the opportunity to have all those who will be affected by the ultimate choice involved in the decision making? After all, the recent search committee for a new principal included just that wider makeup, and the new principal has, perhaps not coincidentally, received support from all the different groups in the region. 

Rather than encouraging a more hierarchical structure in the region, where the administrators are placed above the teachers (who, it was agreed, are the great strength of the Region One schools), many in the group said they would prefer to see a structure that is more level, with teachers highly respected and supported in their mission to educate the region’s children. So, the person chosen as the new assistant superintendent should be capable of creating that kind of atmosphere. When asked what characteristics the person hired should have, the group noted the ability to effectively manage relationships, to communicate well and to value critical thinking; to have a strong teaching background and, perhaps most importantly, a sense of humor.

If all this can be found in one person, the search committee will have done its job well. But to find consensus within all the spheres of the community, it would be helpful if there were teachers and residents included on the committee, rather than just the willing and able board members. We wish the committee, as it stands or with new members, only the best of luck in the success of its mission and its outcome.