Photo by Matt Stensland
Incoming Steamboat Springs School District Superintendent Shalee Cunningham talks with Steamboat Middle School principal Tim Bishop on Tuesday morning in his office.
Ready to mend
Shalee Cunningham set to step in as new superintendent
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
If you go
A reception for incoming superintendent Shalee Cunningham is from 5 to 7 p.m. today at Steamboat Smokehouse, 912 Lincoln Ave. The school district will host the casual meet-and-greet session with Cunningham. Snacks will be provided.
Steamboat Springs — Incoming Superintendent Shalee Cunningham, in town for her third visit before she begins full-time duties July 10, said she has the experience and skills to heal a divided School Board and hopes to focus on the needs of the Steamboat Springs School District.
"In my 20 years of being a superintendent in California, (I was) very well known for mending differences and bringing peace to a school district that had not been working together as well as they could. It's something I know I do well," she said Tuesday.
Cunningham spent Tuesday meeting with building principals and hunting for a house. She'll spend much of today in a special Steamboat Springs School Board workshop primarily aimed at discussing policy governance. Cunningham will then be the guest of honor at a public reception from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Steamboat Smokehouse restaurant.
Cunningham said she has been monitoring the district from California and has some ideas for strengthening a school system she described as already high-performing.
"My first observation is we need some consistency in leadership. I'm the fourth superintendent in five years," she said. "I think consistency is important, and I think employees deserve that."
Cunningham also said she plans to focus on the high school, both in finding a new principal and encouraging students at all levels.
She said she would like to see programs "challenging all kids, from the special ed students to the students who are vocationally inclined - who have more of an interest in trade schools - to the honor students."
"I think this community affords us very bright kids," she said. "I want them to love the art of learning and really take it forward."
Cunningham will lead the search for a new high school principal following last week's ouster of Mike Knezevich. Cunningham said she has been updated throughout the process by interim Superintendent Sandra Smyser, and she hopes to have the issue resolved quickly.
"I think the best thing for the community, frankly, is to get this decision made sooner than later," Cunningham said. "And that will be my intent."
During today's School Board workshop, Cunningham hopes to learn more about the board members and the challenges they are facing.
A dispute regarding the board's vote to not renew Knezevich's contract continues, and on today's agenda is a discussion about the board's policy about conflicts of interest.
At the June 9 board meeting, John DeVincentis accused fellow board member Laura Anderson of having a conflict of interest regarding the principal. That accusation may have been a policy violation by DeVincentis. Board policy prohibits discussing an issue regarding another board member in public.
After the meeting, attendees reported an angry DeVincentis, who voted to retain Knezevich, yelling obscenities at people in the audience and the board members who voted to not renew Knezevich's contract.
Cunningham said she wants the board to disagree on issues and engage in thoughtful discussion, but it must always remain civil.
"We don't need a 5-0 vote. It's never a superintendent's intent to have a unanimous board. Discussion is healthy, but it has to be mature, healthy discussion," she said.
She also acknowledged that it might take time to develop a good relationship with the School Board.
"I don't expect that I will have respect and trust on Day 1. I understand that's something I have to earn. And I think over time, once people respect and trust what I'm doing and who I am, that we can come together as a team. I've seen it happen. I've done it. I feel like we can do it again."
- To reach Zach Fridell, call 871-4028 or e-mail zfridell@steamboatpilot.com
Comments
snoman 4 years, 11 months ago
Cunningham, pay absolutely no attention to colorado pu. There are many in the community that support the BOE and their decisions. This is a great district with great parents, great teachers and administrators and great students. Oh, and a few with a dull axe to grind and no life!
SilverSpoon 4 years, 11 months ago
Cunningham, Remember that the BOE needs a puppet. If you don't fall in line, they'll buy you out and you'll have 2 years free pay, and could help donna help the community find SAFE, affordable housing.
Best of luck with playing politics around here, you'll need it.
colobob 4 years, 11 months ago
Geez, give the poor woman a chance. Let her find out in her own way and in her own time the work that is needed to be done. Then let her decide her own course of action and how to correct whatever flaws there are in the current system. Can it hurt to wait and see? Plenty of time for kudos and or I told you so's later. Until that time comes a little optimism wouldn't hurt.
justathought 4 years, 11 months ago
Hey STEAMBOAT PILOT, "Board policy prohibits discussing an issue regarding another board member in public", isn't that against the sunshine law? Elected officials are not supposed to get the option of hiding their infractions from the public. This sounds like something you should be pursuing or are you afraid you might end up helping DeVincentis? I agree he has problems but I think there is also a problem with the rule of hiding boe members misconduct from the public.
424now 4 years, 11 months ago
Hello Mrs Cunningham.
Napa is a pretty place to live and work. Steamboat is a gorgeous place where one learns to survive, or not. I wish you the best of luck in you new position.
Welcome to the Boat.
http://www.google.com/search?q=Shalee+Cunningham+School+California&rls=com.microsoft:*:IE-Address&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&sourceid=ie7&rlz=1I7GGLR
BowWow1 4 years, 11 months ago
To Dr. Cunningham: I echo the thoughts of Snoman and Coloradobob. You are coming to a great school district and a great town! Good luck dealing with all the bitter naysayers like Coloradobu. Axe to grind is an understatement, Snoman! This person appears to have morphed from some old bloggers, like Principally Sent and B4T. It's the same old song, ....how bad our BOE is and how our district is in such bad shape. Well I think we have a pretty darn good school district, kids, teachers and present BOE, who is taking on a thankless job of volunteering many hours for the sake of "our kids." Coloradobu: you sound like you are the Ex Ex superintendent or one of her relatives/ friends ???? who just can't get over her being bounced by the past BOE who still has members Connely and D on the present Board. Get over it, do your job and help find the new teachers in our district some affordable housing.
elk2 4 years, 11 months ago
BowWow1, You are right on.
Matthew Stoddard 4 years, 11 months ago
What's funny is that Connelly and D seem to be voting opposite each other in a few instances recently. Connelly voted to oust Knez and D wanted to keep him. Why is Connelly getting the brunt or the Coloradobu wrath when Crossan and Anderson voted with her, and Crossan is the BOE Pres? Connelly has voted with Crossan on a couple of things, if I remember correct.
And again- I have no love or hate for D. What he did in the past is the bed he needs to be tucked into now. Still, he was sticking up for Knez...just not in a practical way by accusing another sitting Board member of breaching ethics in the fashion he did. We'll see if he gets re-elected. I doubt it, though.
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