For excellence: A new schools superintendent -- and a great time to recommit to teamwork

Wayne County has a new superintendent, and soon, will have a new crop of administrators at the Central Office building.

It has been a long time since there has been a new leader -- and with him will come new ideas, new approaches and new energy.

And there is something to be said for that.

So as Dr. Michael Dunsmore feels his way in his new job and gets to know Wayne County, he deserves the chance to set his course, and to show us what his course will be for the county's schools.

He does not need to be prejudged, micromanaged or interfered with -- at least not yet.

There is a truth about hiring a new leader to take on a task. He must have the freedom to make his or her mark. The best way to ensure his failure is to act otherwise.

We do not need a bobble here -- not when so many children's futures are at stake.

The Wayne County Board of Education is "hired" by the community to represent its interests in the school district. Its members are our voice when it comes to matters that affect the children of Wayne County.

And we should expect its members to keep a close eye on what goes on in the Central Office.

But sometimes boards overstep their boundaries. We don't need that here, not now. And while we have no evidence that such excessive oversight is coming, it is a concern that bears watching -- and pre-empting.

And, by the way, so, too, should the commissioners tread carefully here. The school board is in charge of guiding the country schools -- and has made some really good decisions about getting that job done. Those boundaries should be respected as well -- and the newfound cooperation between the funders and the fundees preserved.

We are all on the same team here.

Dunsmore was hired to lead the schools, and earned the trust of the board members who hired him. The new superintendent should be held to a high standard, but a reasonable one.

In other words, we need to give him the chance to lead.

The board made a bold choice by looking outside the usual internal avenues for a leader. There were easier, safer choices to make. It could be a sign of a new direction, a new philosophy.

Wayne County has many challenges to face in the coming years -- continuing issues with student performance, test scores and graduation rates, finding the funds to create a top-flight education program and keeping the best teachers and school personnel in this county.

That is not an easy job to conquer.

So we will wait to see some of what the new superintendent has planned -- and give him the support he needs to get started.

And we can rest assured about one thing, too, he has plenty of quality administrators, principals, teachers, specialists and other school personnel to help him get that job done.

Sounds like a win-win.

Published in Editorials on July 11, 2015 11:38 PM