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March 16, 2006
School Board Tips to Scales
The Board of Education has chosen Dr. Jim Scales, a deputy superintendent in the Dallas, Texas school system, as the next school superintendent of Hamilton County.
Poor, poor Dr. Jim Scales.
"He really impressed me as a leader – a good fit for our community – a motivator, a collaborator," said School Board Chairman Chip Baker before a straw poll Thursday found seven of nine members selected Scales. The decision (the "identification of a preferred candidate," in the Board's wording) is subject to contract negotiations, background checks and a site visit to Dallas. The Board hopes offer a contract to Scales by its April 20 meeting.
Board member Joe Conner was chosen to lead the contract talks. He promised to be "frugal but fair. ... This is not a Boston market, it is not a Dallas market, it is not a New York market." He said former superintendent Dr. Jesse Register's contract, $150,000, would serve as a baseline.
Register himself was pleased with the choice. “I think Dr. Scales has a great background, both in large systems and smaller ones,” he said as he walked from Tyner Academy auditorium. “I think he’s an excellent choice and I hope the Board can work through the process.”
Rhonda Thurman was less cheered. She was the only Board member to vote against the official motion to pursue Scales, and after the vote said the search should have focused on local candidates. “I think that we have a lot of qualified people right here in Hamilton County,” she said after the vote. “We’re always saying our kids are leaving town, and then we give the highest-paying jobs to people from out of town. I wanted a local candidate right from the beginning.”
The local candidate who had made the final field of six, Deputy Superintendent Rick Smith, was in the auditorium Thursday afternoon, and was showered with praise even as the Board picked someone else. “You’ve really come out on top in this,” Debbie Colburn told him; “you’re number one in my book.” (Smith announced he would not seek the superintendent slot even as many local politicians urged that he be among the final three candidates.) Colburn looked at Thurman: “You and I have rarely agreed on anything. Anybody who can bring us together must be something special.”
Board members expressed hope that Scales would offer similar unity. “I see him as the man who could come in here and bridge with the community as well as with the community,” said Debra Matthews.
Scales was selected over Dr. Bruce Harter of Delaware, who was praised for his skills with data but put off some Board members with a “stern” manner.
The chief concern regarding Scales was that he would have trouble adjusting to the limited resources in Hamilton County: the Dallas Independent Schools run on an annual budget of $1 billion. Janice Boydston called Dallas “a very financially sound school district – seems like money everywhere.”
But others said the adjustment would not be impossible – “both candidates understand how to cut,” offered Marty Puryear – and Baker noted that such a transition would be difficult for any superintendent starting in Tennessee.
“Forget about being 136th in the state,” Baker said. “We’re at the bottom of the Union. That’s our problem, folks.”
Then everyone danced to “Rocky Top.”
Thoughts?
News Update | By mesh | 05:21 PM
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