KLSD Superintendent Search
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WANTED: AN EXPERIENCED, ACCOUNTABLE, STRAIGHTFORWARD CEO
FOR THE KATONAH LEWISBORO SCHOOL DISTRICT
The Katonah-Lewisboro School District is engaged in a search for a new superintendent, and we have a limited opportunity to convey to the Board of Education what we think they should look for.
On January 3, I (Peter Treyz) will be meeting with School Leadership, the recruiting firm hired by the Board to lead the search, and I want to represent as many of you as possible in advocating the key criteria below.
I've been a member of this community for 73 years. All seven of my children and 18 of my 24 grandchildren have either graduated or presently attend Katonah-Lewisboro schools. My grandfather was principalof the Katonah Elementary School until his death in 1918. So, my roots in this school system run deep, and no one wants to see it flourish more than I.
Selecting a superintendent who epitomizes the qualities below is our best and perhaps only shot at making an immediate and positive difference in the management of our school system. If you agree, I urge you to make your voice heard and sign this online petition before January 2. Please consider making your email address visible to the petition author so I may keep you informed.
Fiscal Accountability In the private sector, CEOs are now compelled by law to sign off on the companys financial statements. They may not be a CPA or an MBA, but they are running the show and therefore accountable to shareholders for the stewardship of their assets. We need to hold our next superintendent to an equivalent standard. The superintendent is the CEO, and, as such, needs to be focused on running a $100 million enterprise. He or she should be able to explain and defend every line in the budget.
Open & Charismatic Communicator Our current administration has done everything in its power to cloak the inner workings of our school system behind the veil of confidentiality. Even school board members are forced to FOIL for documents that should be posted on the district website. This stonewalling and subterfuge has resulted in frustrated board members, employees and taxpayers reaching out to regulators to get at the truth of how our district is run. We need a superintendent skilled in communicating with diverse constituencies in a respectful, open and honest manner
Break with the Past Members of our current administration are too compromised to be effective. Three regulatory investigations (Comptroller, Attorney General, Westchester County), pending whistleblower lawsuits, stalled contract negotiations with teachers and support staff, and a continued inability to clean house when it comes to uncertified teachers and unqualified staff suggest that the current assistant superintendent is not up to the job. She has not once stood up to make her voice heard on these pressing issues or done anything to remedy the problems.
Independent Risk Taker We need someone who is going to cut the fat out of the budget and not hide behind the tired mantra of rising healthcare costs. We should not be seeing steady increases in the budget on flat to declining enrollment. We should not be paying staff extra stipends for doing their job. We should revisit the employee contribution to health benefits (as our current plan will bankrupt the district) and benchmark administrator pay packages against those of our peer school districts. That means our new superintendent will have to risk being unpopular in the short term.
Inspirational Leadership Our teachers entered this profession, because they wanted the opportunity to educate young minds. They are truly the better angels of our nature. They need a strong advocate in the superintendent, someone who will enable rather than stifle their ideas, someone who will stand up to dictatorial parents and disobedient students, someone who will set an example of integrity and passion for learning, someone who will run the business of the district so they can do their jobs.
Experience as a Superintendent We already have too many administrators who are learning on the job. Our new superintendent is entering a district that has been through the wringer in the past couple of years. We need someone who can hit the ground running, who has a clear vision coming in and knows how to execute it. To negotiate with all the factions that have formed, lead the charge on getting more ball fields for our students, and put in place an effective, competent team at the top, we need someone who is already a skilled and seasoned superintendent.
OPTIONAL BUT IDEAL: Lives in the District The CEO of our school district should have a vested interest in its performance for taxpayers. In the private sector, companies often compel their senior executives to buy a certain number of shares in the company, and, invariably, they tie their compensation to the stock price. In our case, the best way to align the superintendents interests with those of his or her employers is to hire a superintendent who is also a KLSD taxpayer.
Dr. Peter S. Treyz
81 Twin Lakes Road
South Salem, NY 10590
(914) 763-8617
FOR THE KATONAH LEWISBORO SCHOOL DISTRICT
The Katonah-Lewisboro School District is engaged in a search for a new superintendent, and we have a limited opportunity to convey to the Board of Education what we think they should look for.
On January 3, I (Peter Treyz) will be meeting with School Leadership, the recruiting firm hired by the Board to lead the search, and I want to represent as many of you as possible in advocating the key criteria below.
I've been a member of this community for 73 years. All seven of my children and 18 of my 24 grandchildren have either graduated or presently attend Katonah-Lewisboro schools. My grandfather was principalof the Katonah Elementary School until his death in 1918. So, my roots in this school system run deep, and no one wants to see it flourish more than I.
Selecting a superintendent who epitomizes the qualities below is our best and perhaps only shot at making an immediate and positive difference in the management of our school system. If you agree, I urge you to make your voice heard and sign this online petition before January 2. Please consider making your email address visible to the petition author so I may keep you informed.
Fiscal Accountability In the private sector, CEOs are now compelled by law to sign off on the companys financial statements. They may not be a CPA or an MBA, but they are running the show and therefore accountable to shareholders for the stewardship of their assets. We need to hold our next superintendent to an equivalent standard. The superintendent is the CEO, and, as such, needs to be focused on running a $100 million enterprise. He or she should be able to explain and defend every line in the budget.
Open & Charismatic Communicator Our current administration has done everything in its power to cloak the inner workings of our school system behind the veil of confidentiality. Even school board members are forced to FOIL for documents that should be posted on the district website. This stonewalling and subterfuge has resulted in frustrated board members, employees and taxpayers reaching out to regulators to get at the truth of how our district is run. We need a superintendent skilled in communicating with diverse constituencies in a respectful, open and honest manner
Break with the Past Members of our current administration are too compromised to be effective. Three regulatory investigations (Comptroller, Attorney General, Westchester County), pending whistleblower lawsuits, stalled contract negotiations with teachers and support staff, and a continued inability to clean house when it comes to uncertified teachers and unqualified staff suggest that the current assistant superintendent is not up to the job. She has not once stood up to make her voice heard on these pressing issues or done anything to remedy the problems.
Independent Risk Taker We need someone who is going to cut the fat out of the budget and not hide behind the tired mantra of rising healthcare costs. We should not be seeing steady increases in the budget on flat to declining enrollment. We should not be paying staff extra stipends for doing their job. We should revisit the employee contribution to health benefits (as our current plan will bankrupt the district) and benchmark administrator pay packages against those of our peer school districts. That means our new superintendent will have to risk being unpopular in the short term.
Inspirational Leadership Our teachers entered this profession, because they wanted the opportunity to educate young minds. They are truly the better angels of our nature. They need a strong advocate in the superintendent, someone who will enable rather than stifle their ideas, someone who will stand up to dictatorial parents and disobedient students, someone who will set an example of integrity and passion for learning, someone who will run the business of the district so they can do their jobs.
Experience as a Superintendent We already have too many administrators who are learning on the job. Our new superintendent is entering a district that has been through the wringer in the past couple of years. We need someone who can hit the ground running, who has a clear vision coming in and knows how to execute it. To negotiate with all the factions that have formed, lead the charge on getting more ball fields for our students, and put in place an effective, competent team at the top, we need someone who is already a skilled and seasoned superintendent.
OPTIONAL BUT IDEAL: Lives in the District The CEO of our school district should have a vested interest in its performance for taxpayers. In the private sector, companies often compel their senior executives to buy a certain number of shares in the company, and, invariably, they tie their compensation to the stock price. In our case, the best way to align the superintendents interests with those of his or her employers is to hire a superintendent who is also a KLSD taxpayer.
Dr. Peter S. Treyz
81 Twin Lakes Road
South Salem, NY 10590
(914) 763-8617
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