Lee County’s new super takes the reins
Age: 60
Residence: Fort Myers
Occupation: Lee County Superintendent
Salary: $185,000
Employment highlights: August 2009-June 2011, superintendent of Monroe County School District; August 2008-August 2009, region executive director, Florida Department of Education, Region 3; 2001-08, superintendent of Springfield Schools, Massachusetts
Education: Bachelors degree in philosophy and history from the College of the Holy Cross, Massachusetts; masters degree, school administration, Florida International University, Miami; doctorate, educational leadership, Nova Southeastern University, Davie
Family: Wife, Judy; no children
Five minutes after he placed his left hand on a black Bible and took the superintendents oath of office Friday, Lee Countys new schools chief started making changes.
Joseph Burke made Larry Tihen Lees chief administrative officer as Burke interviews permanent candidates for the job. Burke hopes to make a hire in four weeks. Tihen was the districts interim superintendent for nine months until Burke was hired.
Burke also recommended a $700,000 electrical services contract for portables in the districts east zone that the board unanimously approved.
The board also voted 5-0 for four principal promotions and transfers Burke requested.
The school board was pleased to see Burke working quickly. Burke, 60, is Lees 22nd superintendent since the state declared Lee an independent county in 1887. Before coming to Lee, Burke oversaw Monroe Countys schools in the Florida Keys.
Its a relief, Board Chairman Tom Scott said. Some of the things we were holding off doing as a district, we can now get started with.
Dr. Burke is going to bring back some key positions. Its going to help us with the organizational aspect. As Ive told you before, organization is our biggest problem. Its not that we dont have good, capable people. Its that theyre not in the same canoe pulling together.
The districts chief administrative officer, which is Lees second-in-command position, had been vacant since Mike McNerney, 70, retired in September.
Like a new CEO entering a company, Burke will likely make more administrative changes as he settles in. Burke is slated to meet with his cabinet, which includes chief academic officer Constance Jones and chief human resources officer Greg Adkins, on Tuesday.
We will start the conversations on things we need to work on, Burke said. I will say right now that reading is a challenge. We have gotten decent results in the last (Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test) but the FCAT 2.0 reading will present challenges.
The state is transitioning to FCAT 2.0 testing, which has more rigorous standards than its predecessor.
Having strong school principals could help bolster Lees reading scores. Burke made four principal changes Friday:
North Fort Myers Highs assistant principal George Burns will be principal at Alternative Learning Center West.
ALC West Principal Charles Dailey will take the same position at Dunbar Community School.
River Hall Elementarys assistant Principal Lynn Edward was appointed to be Alva Elementarys principal.
Villas Elementary assistant Principal Sherri Wipf will become Tanglewood Elementarys principal.
Dailey, who has been no stranger to controversy in his 26 years with the district, declined to divulge why he was transferred. But in the past, hes been accused of yelling at and manhandling students, violating school board policies and intimidating staff.
He accused a former assistant superintendent of being a racist, went on a hunger strike in hopes of getting back his job and filed a civil rights lawsuit against the district.
I have tremendous respect for Dr. Burke, said Dailey, who had several meetings with him. I know hes a profound educator. I know he loves kids. He loves the work. I feel real, real good about the future of the district.
Although Burke received many compliments Friday, Scott reminded Burke criticism will inevitably come his way. The average tenure of a superintendent in Lee is 5.9 years.
The tenures of Lees last six superintendents havent ended well. Five received buyouts or settlements and were ushered out, and the sixth, James Adams, was murdered in his office in 1994 by a disgruntled former teacher.
You will have our support, and you will have our criticism, Scott said. And thats the way it should be.
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