APS’ next superintendent

When the Albuquerque Public Schools Board of Education goes looking for a new superintendent, they have in mind a superintendent who knows so much more than everybody else, that they and their vision can fix that which is wrong with the APS.

They search for a chimera; “a thing that is hoped or wished for but in fact is illusory or impossible to achieve.”

There is no one of us who is smarter than all of us; or more experienced, or better trained or educated.

It varies, but at any given time there amounts to tens of thousands of years of current and ongoing teaching experience represented by APS teachers.

There is no candidate who can come close to knowing what they know. It is an illusion; an impossibility.

APS needs a superintendent who is able to create a synergy; an interaction and cooperation among those who work in schools and classrooms that will produce a combined effect that is greater than the sum of their individual efforts.

There is no more important quality in the next superintendent.

Equally important; APS needs a superintendent who is willing to deal with the executive and administrative ethics, standards and accountability crisis head on.

There either are or are not; high enough standards of conduct and competence that apply to school board members and senior administrators.

There either is or is not, honest to God accountability to those standards. There are or there are not, due processes for holding school board members and senior administrators accountable for conduct and competence within their public service.

The next superintendent must talk candidly, forthrightly and honestly with stake and interest holders about ethics, standards and accountability in the leadership of the APS.

Either APS’ next superintendent will continue the cover up of the issue of the ethics, standards and accountability crisis in the leadership, or s/he will not.

Will the board hire a superintendent who will listen to educators and address senior accountability issues?

A quick check of the Magic 8-Ball; shake, shake, shake...

"Outlook not so good”