Interim superintendent interviews Monday

Friday, September 7, 2007

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Steamboat Springs — Steamboat Springs School District officials plan to interview three interim superintendent candidates Monday in hopes of having someone in place in the next two weeks.

The three applicants for the position have previous superintendent experience, said School Board President Denise Connelly, who noted she's looking for a candidate with team-building skills.

"The criteria we were looking for was team building, (the ability to) lead with input from subordinates, and being a good liaison between the district and the community," she said. "And we definitely wanted someone with experience."

Dr. Sandra Smyser, former superintendent of the Las Virgenes Unified School District in California, is scheduled to interview via video conference Monday morning. Dr. William Harner, currently the regional superintendent for the school district of Philadelphia, will interview by phone.

Steamboat Springs resident William Kennedy, a former superintendent in Norwich and Postdam, N.Y., is also scheduled to interview Monday.

"I guess one of the reasons I threw my hat in there is that it's a challenge," said Kennedy, who is married to former Soda Creek Elementary School teacher Barb Keenan.

"There are some wounds to heal and trust building to do," he said. "Those are skills I have, and if I can contribute to this community, I will. I live here."

Kennedy has 38 years of education experience with 13 years in the classroom, 18 years as principal and six years as superintendent. He moved to Steamboat six years ago after more than 12 years of annual visits to see his son, Craig Kennedy.

"I got to know some people in town," he said. "I follow the school because it's a lifelong interest and I'm a taxpayer, so you know, when you like living in a place, you want to help contribute."

Harner and Smyser could not be reached for comment Thursday.

The superintendent position was vacated Aug. 10 when the Steamboat Springs School Board voted 4-0 to buy out the remaining two years of former superintendent Donna Howell's contract, paying Howell $270,000 in exchange for her immediate resignation.

Connelly said a committee of community members will help with the search for an interim superintendent, who will lead the district until a permanent hire is made, possibly in spring 2008.

The committee includes Steamboat Springs High School Principal Mike Knezevich, Steamboat Springs Middle School Assistant Principal Jerry Buelter, the district's acting superintendent and director of finance, Dale Mellor, and JoAnne Hilton-Gabeler, the district's new director of curriculum and instruction.

The committee also includes Jane Toothaker, director of the Northwest Colorado Board of Cooperative Educational Services; district teachers Sam Rush and Babette Dickson; school staff members Barb Hurley and Steve Schibline; and parents Jan Dupuy and Kelly Wilson.

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dimwitiguess 5 years, 8 months ago

PS, you din't even finish your last sent.... You shood try to spel and rite beter. the boe shoodnt hav to much truble with yur kind. howevr yur lacka riting skilz indikates an angery, fruztratd mined. hav an acks to grined? pleaz, the boe cood yuze yur insite. we red wat you rote and it came out, as Matthew S. said, "trash talk and a fruitless attack." Yur argewment abuv is completely incoherent. Team-building is an ajektiv and teamwork in you last sentence in yur ferst comment is a noun and teamwork can be an virb two. I'm shure this makes sens to you writen this weigh.

All others, just trying to communicate with PS. Please bear with me.

Matthew Stoddard 5 years, 8 months ago

Seeing PSent's post above, with all it's contextual and grammatical mistakes...I feel pretty secure about the current Board.

To all Youth (Future Generations): PSent's post is not how to properly entertain a thought in written form if you want to be taken seriously. If you are looking for the laugh factor, then this is what you want!

SteamboatJoe 5 years, 8 months ago

Kielbasa, Haven't you and I discussed this attitude? You are sounding mean. Your straddling of the fence on education seems to have gained some momentum in one direction.

Better run, Matthew 097847609684 will be here to save your soul soon. Silly me, that is only pulled out of his a$$ when he disagrees. You should be fine. I'm out.

Matthew Stoddard 5 years, 8 months ago

This attitude is about PSent basically just trash talking, and not even doing it well. Since you are saying I'm sounding mean, does that mean PSent isn't sounding mean when coming up with a fruitless attack on the grammar Connelly uses...especially when showing a lack of grammatical skills doing it?

No, that's not mean...it's kind of pathetic. You didn't bother to admonish PSent about how a post something of substance. Does that compare you to the other Matthew when you agree or disagree with the intent of the post?

SteamboatJoe 5 years, 8 months ago

I don't try to save Matthews soul when we disagree.That is the difference.

dimwitiguess 5 years, 8 months ago

PS, Matthew S. couldn't have said it better. You obviously can't make a coherent argument. You're more likely to have people believe you're intelligent if you keep your writing to yourself. Steamboat Joe, where's that compassionate little soul who was so worried about people and their feelings this morning or was that your wife writing using your moniker? Funny how you try to belittle anyone who questions your character.

Matthew7_1_5 5 years, 8 months ago

I'm making progress with you StmbtJoe. I heard you ask for me twice on this posting and I came to support your growth. You are beginning to find your conscience, aren't you? My name is Matthew7_1_5 you will know me by reading Matthew 7:1-5. I saw your compassion rise in this morning's article about the tragic infant death. You do have a heart and it is healing. The tragedy pulled out your inner soul that has been hidden for so long on these blogs. Sometimes something earth shattering is needed to break us free. I smiled to myself.

I am not trying to save you, Joe. You are trying to save yourself. You have been filled with anger and fear born from doubt. Any man can overcome his past. My praying is reaping benefits for you (and me), and I sing His praises and send them to you.

Until a man understands and accepts his own goodness, he is more likely to demean others. This morning was a public breakthrough, Joe. I will continue to raise my eyes and sing praises for you. Let your soul continue to heal so that it may fly free and release you from your bondage of self-doubt and fear. I marvel at His mystery and His patience with us as we learn.

Yes, you were chosen but not by me. I was directed to you and you to me. We are linked in this earthly dance and neither of us is leading. We are followers and good that we are for He said, "Come follow me...." Have a nice night, Joe.

Matthew Stoddard 5 years, 8 months ago

PSent- I follow nobody but myself and expect no others to follow me unless they feel like it. I have no clue who dimwitiguess is. I may already know this person or I may not. dimwitiguess has not revealed their identity to me. I had already expressed my sentiments about how I feel both Howell and D should have finished out their respective terms and then not be retained. Would have save money all the way around. I just thought your post was hilarious because it made no sense whatsoever to me, and I would guess, others. Can speak for others, though.

All you did was spit out a bunch of nonsense that I, at least, couldn't understand the gist of what you were saying. You post was all over the place. There was no coherent thought, let alone proper or intelligible typing.

As to anyone's lack of good judgement- that's opinion; nothing more. The same could be said of you from me or others. As for "stay focus on the subject matter-- THE BOE," it's hard to focus on anything in your ramblings. They don't make sense when you read them aloud.

Had you actually incorporated something that sounded like a coherent message instead of now trying a second time to "explain" what you meant, I might have left it alone. Just the fact that you are on this thread a 2nd time trying to explain what you said speaks more volume than the original post in question. LOL! Your self-esteem SHOULD be still intact, as is mine. Your prowess at thought-to-print processing still has some holes in it, though!

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