Controversial Pick for New Park Hill Superintendent

     By Mark Vasto

     The Park Hill Board of Education last Friday announced their final candidate to fill the district's vacancy and it has been met with immediate howls of derision -- at least on area social media websites like Facebook and Twitter. 

Dr. Scott Springston

    The candidate, Scott Springston, Ph.D, is the current superintendent of the Valley Center School District in Kansas (near Wichita). According to the district press release, he took over that position in 2006, after serving two years as an assistant superintendent in Valley Center. 

     Before that, Springston was a middle school principal and assistant principal in the Blue Valley School District from 1996 to 2004. From 1992 to 1996, he taught middle and high-school science in the Hays School District. The press release trumpeted an increase in Valley Center's state test scores and the successful passage of $57.5 million bond issue. 

    The decision, however, is being heavily scrutinized. For one, Valley Center is nearly one-third the size of Park Hill and does not have a reputation for academic excellence. 

    According to the California-based non-profit group "Great Schools," Valley Center rated a 4 out of 10 for achievement. The Park Hill School District currently rates a 9 out of 10. 

     Springston was recently considered for the superintendent position for Grand Island Public Schools in Nebraska. Springston was quoted by the local Gray Television news affiliate as saying he was a listener. 

    "I don't have a prescribed template," Springston is quoted as saying. "[I will] not say 'this is what worked for me in another district this is what we're going to do here.' I will draw from my experiences as we all do, but it's definitely going to be a collaborative effort...I would not have the history or the knowledge base to come in and immediately make decisions like that."

     But many feel Park Hill did already have an experienced candidate.

     The decision, made by the board in a closed session last week, was not the recommendation of outgoing superintendent Dennis Fisher, Ph.d. Fisher had proposed hiring deputy superintendent Mark Miles, Ph.D for the position. Miles is now being considered for the vacated superintendent job for the Westside Community of Schools Board. 


     Neither Miles or Springston could be contacted for this article. 

    
     If the Board hires Dr. Springston, he will start in July 2012, taking over after the June 2012 retirement of current superintendent Dr. Dennis Fisher. The next meeting of the Board is Thursday, February 9. 


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