posted by Joe Polk at 1:00 AM /
Dr. George Wilson, superintendent of the Mt. Lebanon School District, shocked a number of people this week when he announced his retirement at the end of the school year -- a year before his contract with the district expires. He did not give any specific reason for his early retirement, but stated that after 36 years in education, it was "time to retire".
Link: www.postgazette.com/pg/06264/723493-55.stm
Link: www.postgazette.com/pg/06264/723493-55.stm
14 Comments:
While we are ambivalent about Dr. Wilson's performance, the announcement of his early retirement is distressing.
The district is still recovering/paying for the Sable debacle, gave Wilson a vote of confidence by extending his contract and a raise, and in the middle of launching an extensive high school rennovation.
It is inexcusable that Dr. Wilson would have accepted the Superintendent position if he had any inkling that he might not be committed to that position. The district needs to settle down and focus on our kids education. How much money has been flitted away on seaches, buyouts and legal fees that could have been put to better use on teachers, books or equipment?
While we are ambivalent about Dr. Wilson's performance, the announcement of his early retirement is distressing.
The district is still recovering/paying for the Sable debacle, gave Wilson a vote of confidence by extending his contract and a raise, and in the middle of launching an extensive high school rennovation.
It is inexcusable that Dr. Wilson would have accepted the Superintendent position if he had any inkling that he might not be committed to that position. The district needs to settle down and focus on our kids education. How much money has been flitted away on seaches, buyouts and legal fees that could have been put to better use on teachers, books or equipment?
Most likely, Dr. Wilson was committed to the position, but the school board and certain members of the community are not supporting important educational programs. The principal of Mt. Lebanon High School just announced that he is becoming the principal of Bethel Park High School.
If Dr. J leaves, does that mean no more spirit assemblies?
"Most likely Dr. WIlson was committed to the position"...?
After one year of his contract, he announces he is going to retire, and your rationale is -- the board and certain community members aren't supporting "important" educational programs!
Come on...if he had a problem with either the board and/or the community's commitment to education, one would think he'd have discovered that problem in all the years he's been with the district.
Furthermore, the board needs some scrutiny here if that's the case.
In its search for Sable's replacement shouldn't they have evaluated Dr. Wilson (or any candidate) thoroughly to see if they were on the same page.
Again, we the taxpayers/parents/students get short-changed!!!
Come on ???? Okay, you can blame Dr. Wilson, Dr. Sable, and Dr. Jansante, but at what point do you open your mind to the possibility that the way this district operates is at fault. Dr. Wilson showed commitment accepting the job when it would have been difficult for the district to recruit an external candidate. After the "Sable debacle" as you put it, do you think that a qualified career educator would even interview at Mt. Lebanon? As for your other comments, it is very possible that he only discovered problems with the district after he assumed the leadership role. As for the district needing to settle down and money being wasted, blame the community for being distracted by expensive building projects rather than educating our children.
I just wanted to comment in support of Dr. Wilson. I had significant lack of support from the district regarding my son's special needs. Dr. Wilson was the only one who spoke frankly with me about my son's educational situation, and as a result I was able to make appropriate decisions for him that have really changed his life for the better in a very short time. I think that the absence of Dr. Wilson is a huge loss to the school, and that we do have to look at how we are functioning in this district as we continue to lose intelligent and forward-thinking leaders in education.
Could be worse...we could be in USC....they don't have money for educational programs but they'll have one heck of a community center and likely a nice tax increase to go with it.
One thing that residents need to pay attention to is that the chairwoman of the board's search committee for a new superintendent is Carol Walton. Mrs. Walton was one the board that hired Dr. Sable and subsequently dismissed her (with a $500,000 plus buyout)without any explanation to the community. Now whs is in charge of the search for a new leader!! Attention should also be paid to the validity of the search.For some time I have heard rumors that Dr. Allen, who was given a 5 year contract, at the same time that Dr. Wilson was given 3 years, was promised the postition by some members of the board.
In response to anonymous... come on ???.
No one is blaming Sable, WIlson or Dr. J for anything, certainly not I. Actually, I thought things were finally settling down and they were focusing on running our schools.
As for Dr. J, I liked him, though I thought the Top 25 affair could have been possibly headed off with some mature guidance. Once it got out onto the web it was beyond his control.
I will restate as I did in my first post that I find Dr. WIlson's premature retirement distressing. We don't need another leadership change right now, and it is inexcusable that Wilson would accept a contract then retire after before fulfilling same.
You state that the district is at fault for the way it operates. That is my point... and perhaps given that the board majority that selected Sable and WIlson should pass on selecting a new super until after the election!
You say, "difficult to recruit an external candidate", isn't this, as we all tout so proudly, the best district in the state? What professional wouldn't like to be the leader of the best?
I do not know what to make of "No one is blaming ... Dr. Wilson" and then you go ahead and blame him for retiring. At least we all agree that the board needs more scrutiny. How could our community stand for Mrs. Walton chairing the selection committee without her being candid about what happened with Dr. Sable? This is a top district because of our children. It is not a good district because of the way the board handles things -- the reason why we may have problems attracting a good superintendent.
I don't blame Dr. Wilson specifically for current or past problems in the district.
I am critical of his accepting the super position and then retiring. If it were for health problems I would understand, but to retire unexpectedly leads us to wonder why?
I've tried to teach my kids that once you make a commitment -- good or bad -- you see it through, quitting is not an option. Professionally I see a contract as just that a contract and needs to be fulfilled.
Wilson has set a bad example, and put the district into more turmoil.
I too have little faith in Ms. Walton's agenda to lead a search and wish the board would wait until the new board is elected.
For all those who are interested in the high school rennovation or new construction there is a website that provides a lot of useful information. It has articles not only on analyzing whether to rennovation and comparing taht to building new but also planning new construction.
The site is www.asumag.com by American School and University magazine. Go to - articles by topic. There are a number on construction, design, roofing, flooring technology etc.
I'm curious that there has been no real commentary on the principal, Zeb Jansante leaving early also. Word is he was upset that he didn't get a raise after the whole "Top 25" debacle.
Post a Comment
<< Home