Summit Dad Asks Board to Expedite Search for New Superintendent

Summit parent David Shanker asked the Board of Education Thursday evening if it were possible to speed up the process of replacing Superintendent of Schools Dr. Nathan Parker, who announced in November that he would not seek to renew his contract when his current one expires on June 30, 2015

Referring to Parker as a "lame duck," Shanker said he is very concerned about the next 18 months and asked the Board if they "have considered doing anything sooner so that we can get a new superintendent in place before Dr. Parker retires in 18 months."
 
Board President Gloria Ron-Fornes told Shanker that she previously outlined the four phases that the Board needs to go through (preparation, collection of materials/processing, selection, and transition) before Parker's position is filled. The Board is in the preparation phase now, Ron-Fornes said. She added that she didn't know how long that phase would take but said the Board needed to do its due diligence.

"We have to find the best candidate," she said. "If that best candidate shows up in three months, then we'll have that discussion; if they show up in 18 months, then we'll have that discussion. So stay tuned." 

Shanker also made another plea to have Board meetings televised. He noted that Thursday's meeting contained excellent singers as Lawton C. Johnson's Bel Canto performed. National Merit Scholars also presented teachers who inspired them with books. Further, Principal Paul Sears and Assistant Superintendent Juile Glazer led presentations on the district's academic performance. Wouldn't it be great if everyone could watch it on television, asked Shanker, who added that he's aware the matter is under consideration.

At the start of the meeting Parker said he has discussed the cost of televising meetings with HomeTowne TV and has several options that he would like the Communications Committee to examine in January.