Welcome Superintendent Schuldiner!

 As I previously reported, Benjamin Schuldiner's contract started February 1st and he is indeed on the job. 

I say to him - as I have for over a decade to ALL the new superintendent - I want you to be a big success. Because if he is successful, then that means the district is successful. Not on paper "I did this, this, and this" but actual progress visible to all. 

Readers, what are your top three things he should focus on? He has said he wants to visit every school in the next 100 days which is sweet but I don't think needed, given the state of the district. 

The first time you can see him in person in public is this Wednesday, Feb. 4th at a Board Special Meeting Work Session: Progress Monitoring - Goal 2 - Math at 4 :30 pm. This will be televised and that's a good thing because Math is not the only topic on the agenda. 

Last Wednesday the Board has a Special Meeting about the Budget. As I reported, staff took up most of the time with yet-another overly long presentation which left near zero time for questions. So President Gina Topp suggested that all the questions that directors had could be sent to staff and then answered publicly at this meeting. 

It should be interesting to hear what the Q&A brings as the budget is central to the work of the district and what Schuldiner says might be a first view of what HE thinks and his style of management. I will be tuning in. 

As well, the Board will be having their first retreat of the year this Saturday, Feb. 7th at Maple Elementary School from 9 am to 4 pm and the Superintendent will be in attendance there. Sadly, while you can attend in person, it will not be televised. I might ask about being able to phone in. 

The first item on the agenda is "Welcome with Superintendent Shuldiner."

They will also be discussing:

- Strategic Planning

- Board Governance

- Board Work Planning

- Board/Superintendent Work and Next Steps



One odd thing - neither the SPS home page nor the SPS Facebook page acknowledges the arrival of Schuldiner. Probably one of THE biggest things that can happen in a school district is getting a new superintendent and Communications has nothing to say?  How much are they paying Bev Redmond who heads Communications? I was going to add Deputy Chief of Staff Eric Guerci as being responsible but the boy wonder appears to have left the district just as quietly as he came.

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