Superintendent finalists have long careers in education
Thursday, February 19, 2009 6:09 AM EST
By DIANA DILLABER MURRAY
Of The Oakland Press
PONTIAC – Lansing’s school superintendent T.C. Wallace has been selected as one of two finalists for the top leadership position in the Pontiac school district.
Also a finalist is Brian Ali, former superintendent of Kankakee, Ill., school district, who became assistant to the superintendent in Madison, Ill., in July 2008. Both have doctorate degrees, have had experience as superintendents and have had long careers in education.
Trustees selected the two finalists from four semifinalists at a special meeting late Wednesday afternoon after a 3 1 /2-hour interviewing session.
They said the decision to narrow the field was difficult because all candidates were competent professionals.
Community members will have the opportunity to interview one of the candidates from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Monday, Feb. 23, and the other from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 26, when they come back to visit the district.
The board will interview them a second time from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Monday and noon to 1:20 p.m. Thursday.
They will visit both men’s districts the week of March 3.
Wallace, who has been superintendent in Lansing for two years, was interviewed last week. He has served in many capacities in his 42 years in education, including several times as a superintendent.
“You have done something that causes me to be here. You have taken bold steps necessary in education if students are going to be impacted,” Wallace said, referring to the district’s strategic plan.
“You have set the district for success,” he said.
Ali also has been a teacher, elementary and high school principal, curriculum superintendent, superintendent and assistant superintendent during his career.
“I’ve become known as a turnaround superintendent,” Ali told the board during his interview Wednesday. “I am a good listener, and I can make tough decisions and I can be collaborative.”
Whichever candidate is selected for superintendent will have the unusual opportunity to select his own Cabinet because the district is running with an interim superintendent and top administrators now.
The new superintendent will be expected to lead the district through the final stages of restructuring, including closing half of the schools and redesigning the high school.
He also will have to follow a plan to eliminate this year’s projected $12 million deficit and ensure programs are in place to raise student achievement.
The other semi-finalists selected from 15 applicants were DeAngelo Alexander, program officer of The Skillman Foundation; and William DeFrance, superintendent of Eaton Rapids School District.
A fifth candidate, I.V. Foster Jr., superintendent of Prairie-Hills Elementary School District in Markham, Ill., dropped out of the running before his interview to take another position.
Mike Wilmot of the Michigan Leadership Institute, has been a consultant to the school board in its search for a new schools superintendent in the district’s second year with an interim superintendent. A search last year ended when one of the finalists dropped out in the second interview stage and the board decided to start the process again.
Oakland Press staff writer Diana Dillaber Murray at (248) 745-4638 or diana. dillaber@oakpress.com.
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