While some superintendent candidates might shy away from a school district with the challenges of Memphis City Schools, those same challenges are why Nicholas Gledich said he applied for the job.
“I’m excited about Memphis City Schools,” he said. ‘I want to put the house in order. I want to tackle the challenges.”
Gledich, chief of operations for the Orange County (Fla.) Public Schools, did a second round of interviews with the Memphis Board of Education this afternoon.
Board members asked a battery of questions focused on school safety and creating standards to hold principals and central office staffers accountable for the district’s performance.
Gledich touted his 31 years of experience in public education and said he would listen closely to board members and the larger community to figure out where the challenges are, and then create a plan of action.
He gave board members a brochure with seven areas he’d want to focus on during the first part of his superintendency. Together, he said, the district could create “a system of excellence and distinction.”
During his career, Gledich has also served as a teacher, principal and in several other administrative positions he said helps him see the big picture in running and gives him the knowledge base to create accountability systems for the staff.
“I’ve gotten dirty in the work. I know what to expect and I know how to inspire people to do the work.”
This morning at the board:
Wearing a gold lapel pin that reads "No Excuses," superintendent candidate Kriner Cash sold himself as a bold, visionary leader who would bring accountability and focus to city schools.
Cash, chief of accountability and systemwide performance for Miami-Dade (Fla.) Public Schools, said he would work with the board and larger community to restore confidence in the state's largest school district and make sure students and staff have a clear understanding of his expectations.
As superintendent, the veteran educator said he would put a laser-like focus on high school reform and creating more specialized career programs to keep students engaged and graduating ready for post-secondary education and careers.
"You need more direct application of the learning every day so you can motivate the young people," Cash said.
Board members asked Cash how he would deal with public relations gaffes that have left the district embarrassed in recent months, including a video of students dancing in a sexually provocative manner that received worldwide attention.
Cash said he would want a school police force focused on both prevention and intervention strategies and would immediately target schools that have high incidences of violent behavior.
"Until you redesign these schools where there is that perception, you will continue to have that problem," he said.
Cash, who is also a finalist for a superintendent job in Massachusetts, told board members Memphis is his top choice.
"I love your passion for this," he told them. "I want to be of help to Memphis at this time."
