Events Calendar
In This Section
Can DNA tests free ex-Akron captain?
Victim of beating in Kent last week is declared dead at Akron hospital
Green High senior goes extra mile for those who walk and jog the park trails
Community, school and military news roundup
Tragedy to hope: Family creates foundation for bereavement therapy
Visiting new Navy ship brings back memories for Doylestown man serves on USS New York in 1930s
Most Read Stories
Police accuse bank robbery suspect of gobbling up note (with dashcam video)
Man found dead in North Akron home is identified
Dad accused of forcing son into field, killing him
Coventry man killed in crash at I-77 ramp
NFL star Chris Spielman's wife loses cancer battle
College student mistaken for deer, shot to death
Browns' roster nearly devoid of consistent players
Review: You've never seen 'Sound of Music' like this
Blogs:
Pets:
Cat-loving chihuahua suckles seven abandoned kittens
The Heldenfiles:
Friday Night Notebook
Patrick McManamon:
For your Saturday entertainment …
Akron Zips:
Hitchens leads Zips in second-half comeback
Tribe Matters:
Seven players added to Tribe’s 40-man roster
Cleveland Browns:
Holmgren expresses interest in Browns position
Kent State Sports:
Kent State blown out in second half, loses to Temple 47-13
Cleveland Cavaliers:
Gameblog: Cavs vs. Philadelphia 76ers
Buckeye Blogging:
OSU – Michigan college football rivals meet in Baghdad
Varsity Letters:
Four area football teams play tonight
All Da King's Men:
Headed For Disaster
Blog of Mass Destruction:
Will Health Care Reform Pass?
Akron Law Café:
Health Care Financing Reform: (68) Democrats Secure 60 Votes for Cloture
See Jane Style:
Vintage Chic
Car Chase:
TIME TO GET YOUR COLLECTOR CARS WINTERIZED
Let's Talk Real Estate:
Silverdome Potentially SOLD!
Ohio Travels with Betty:
George is looking for a Thanksgiving buffet in Akron.
Sound Check:
Steely Dan Plays "The Royal Scam" at E.J. Thomas Hall
HRLite House:
Colloquium at University of Akron
Akron Gamer:
Nintendo's Mario endures even as games come and go
Small retiring; school board plans search
By John Higgins Beacon Journal staff writer
Published on Tuesday, Nov 06, 2007
Sylvester Small — who started in the Akron Public Schools as substitute teacher in 1970 and became superintendent in 2001 — announced his retirement Monday, effective July 31.
''This will conclude a very long and rewarding career of 38 years, all within the Akron Public Schools,'' Small said at a morning news conference.
School board members Linda Omobien and the Rev. Curtis Walker will co-chair the committee to find Small's successor, who would begin Aug. 1, according to the district's search timeline.
The board intends to contract with the Ohio School Boards Association to conduct a candidate search.
Applications will be due by Jan. 25. The board will meet with OSBA late this month to develop a brochure outlining what the district is looking for to fill the job.
On Jan. 8, the OSBA will interview staff and community groups.
''We want the community to be involved in the process. We want to hear from our staff and we want everybody to have an opportunity to talk about the kind of person you would like to see,'' said Omobien, the board's vice president.
Longtime board member Sam Salem said that of the six superintendents with whom he has served — all made significant contributions to the district — Small was the best.
''In my opinion, this man here stands at the top,'' Salem said.
Small, 60, said he is retiring next year before he is unable to keep putting in the long days. He said he also needs more flexibility to care for his 83-year-old mother and have more time for his wife, who is living in Florida, and grandchildren.
He said he intends to keep his home in Akron.
''I know that I will be working with children,'' he said.
''My goal has always been that once I retire, I would volunteer in some school.''
Board members praised Small for his work in improving the district's performance on standardized tests during his tenure and his collaboration with the business community, churches, the University of Akron and Akron city government.
They agreed that Small has set a high bar for his replacement.
''He has been a superb leader in the truest sense of the word since he took the reins in 2001,'' said school board President Linda Kersker, who also is retiring this year after 16 years on the board.
The board recently increased Small's salary from $167,000 a year to $172,010, retroactive to Aug. 1. His two-year contract is up next year.
The boost should help his pension, which will be based on the average of his three highest years of pay, his age at retirement and years of service, according to the State Teachers Retirement System.
He also will be eligible for all or a portion of unused vacation and sick days, based on a formula that sets a maximum amount he can receive.
After several years as a teacher and principal, Small became assistant superintendent in June 1995. He was named to the top job in May 2001 after edging finalist Donna Loomis, who was named deputy superintendent.
In January of that year, Akron Mayor Don Plusquellic used his annual State of the City address to threaten a Cleveland-style mayoral takeover of school operations if the schools didn't improve.
But over the years of Small's tenure, the city and the district worked closely together on a plan to rebuild the city's schools that would also be open after hours to the public as community centers.
In 2003, the city-schools relationship culminated with the passage of Issue 10 — a 0.25 percentage point income tax increase to leverage state school construction funding.
The $800 million construction project is under way.
Akron City Council President Marco Sommerville credited Small for helping to sell the unique construction financing to Wall Street bankers and seeing new schools open up around the city.
''That's a testament to his leadership,'' said Sommerville, who has co-chaired the group of city and school leaders overseeing the district's construction project.
Small had said previously that he didn't want to retire until one of those projects — the new Helen Arnold Community Learning Center — opened.
The new elementary school, which is attached to the new Akron Urban League headquarters, opened in August in the Lane Field neighborhood. That area near the Akron Zoo had gone about 30 years without its own elementary school.
Meanwhile, the district improved from academic emergency (a grade of F) on its annual state report card to academic watch (a D grade) in 2004. In 2005, the district boosted its academic performance to ''continuous improvement'' (considered a C grade).
Small helped pass an operating levy in 2001 when he began as superintendent and again last November, staving off economic crisis.
However, the new superintendent will inherit a district with flat revenue, rising expenses due in part to decreasing enrollment and a projected deficit of nearly $30 million in fiscal year 2011, according to the latest five-year forecast.
The deficit more than doubles the following year, to almost $72 million.
John Higgins can be reached at 330-996-3792, 800-777-7232 or jhiggins@thebeaconjournal.com. Staff writers Stephanie Warsmith and Katie Byard contributed to this report.
Sylvester Small — who started in the Akron Public Schools as substitute teacher in 1970 and became superintendent in 2001 — announced his retirement Monday, effective July 31.
Get the full article here.
Comments
Click here to post your comments
