Dr. Sue Woltanski, Monroe County School Board member for District 5, joined Good Morning Keys on KeysTalk 96.9/102.5FM this morning to talk about what’s happening in the district.
A new superintendent for the Monroe County School District was chosen last night.
Woltanski said, “We appointed a new superintendent to start July 1, Ed Tierney from Palm Beach County. It was a unanimous decision by the board, and frankly, that was what I was really hoping we would have. I wanted us to all come in our own minds to one person and we were successful. So I’m looking forward to him coming in. He provided us with a 90 day entry plan, of which the first half is listening and learning and he made it clear to us that he did not want to mold Monroe County to him, he wants to come and become part of the great things we’re already doing here and to push our current successes forward. So I really look forward to his leadership.”
Was the learning curve a concern for him coming from outside the district?
Woltanski said, “He comes from a large county, and I suppose the learning curve may be trying to figure out how to do it on a small scale. He comes with a wealth of knowledge. He started out as a teacher in a special education school, then became a leader of that school. That, I think, is something that our county could really use as someone on the very top who has deep knowledge of what kids with special learning needs need and is devoted to making sure they have success. He also then worked his way up as a principal and up to Deputy Superintendent in Palm Beach County. So yes, of course, there’s a learning curve about what the Keys are, except he and his wife say they’ve been to the Keys 23 times. They take all their vacations here, and had intended on purchasing a house and moving here as their retirement place. So they were delighted to be able to move sooner and really immerse themselves in the Keys.”
Tierney was also in the Marines.
Woltanski said, “He says he left because it’s wasn’t as conducive to family life as what he wanted and now he serves the country in a different way. He did get all five votes of the board each time we chose, when we chose for finalists and we chose for semi finalists, there was only a few people who got all five votes. He has a very impressive resume. I think if you listen to last night’s board meeting, the other board members were really impressed with his board interview, the one that we interviewed, when we interviewed him publicly as a board and then he was the only one who didn’t really have notes in front of him, and when he answered, he wasn’t looking at notes, and he was very prepared. He had watched our school board meetings, and he made that clear in my one on one interviews, that he had seen me speak on certain things. So I think he was seriously committed to coming here and very, very well prepared, as were the other candidates. But I think that really stood out. One of the things I said it last night that really stood out to me is when we had our board interview, and he was asked about different successes or programs he had been successful with, he always gave credit to the teachers. I asked him in my one on one if he even knew he did that, because really, with each thing, he credited the educators for the success. He didn’t take credit himself and I was really impressed with that. I think that’s the sign of a leader is when they lead, and people follow and the success comes from the people being willing to follow. I think he wants to be part of the community first and then do what the community wants.”
He will have one month of overlap with the current superintendent Theresa Axford.
Woltanski said, “July and August and September, he will be out in the community, at Chamber meetings at Rotaries. If you have an organization that is interested, you should be contacting the school district and saying that you’d like to meet with him. He wants to get out into the community and meet people and find out what really makes our school district valuable to our community. So I really encourage people when you get the opportunity to get together with him, because, as you and I have talked about before, our schools are only as good as the community support they receive. So we really want him to know what the community wants and what their concerns are. That’s the only way he will make the choices that the community wants and will move us into the community direction. So please, please, please participate in those sessions.”
Graduation is here.
Woltanski said, “It’s the best time of the year. It’s when all the success is celebrated. So just everyone have a safe and happy graduation season. This Saturday is the first of the graduations that is the Take Stock in Children graduation. That is a great event, and that will be at the performing arts center at Marathon Middle High School on Saturday. That is a wonderful event, and then it all just goes on from there from pre-K to high school, to college and adult education.”