By Melissa Ewing, Peoria Unified governing board member
As a member of the Peoria Unified School Board, I am deeply concerned about our board’s current approach to hiring practices.
The board's role is to hire the superintendent, and to establish the policies that govern the hiring practices for the superintendent to follow. The board's role is not to micromanage the process, and demand that individual personal authority supersede the rigorous vetting process set forth in the policies. It is a waste of time, waste of money, results in poor morale, and creates greater problems recruiting and retaining teachers, and highly qualified administrators.
It is extremely important that Peoria has highly qualified administrators and staff to run the business of the school district to be good caretakers of our tax dollars. If the board cannot place trust in the superintendent, district staff, hiring committees, policy and process then the result is the community is losing out on the most qualified talent to manage your tax dollars and to nurture and educate students in your community.
It has been extremely frustrating to witness our board conveying a lack of trust and respect in the hiring process and the recommendations being brought forward by the superintendent. I am concerned about the costs it has and will have on recruiting and retaining high quality staff for student learning. High functioning boards, with good board leadership, have mutual respect, and trust their superintendent and the hiring process.
