Hutchinson schools need change after superintendent exit

Hutchinson School Superintendent Dawn Johnson taking retirement when the school year ends next June is a big step forward toward USD 308 regaining trust and accountability. Whether it will be enough to enable passage of a scaled-down $36 million bond issue in November remains unclear. A far more expensive plan Johnson put together last year failed by a 75% margin. New leadership from outside the current structure established by Johnson will help bring credibility and common sense that the school board hasn't focused on. Hutchinson needs and should expect a full-time superintendent. Allowing Johnson to be absent on military leave for numerous days during the school week and not insisting she spend maximum time doing her $200,000 job visiting classrooms, learning the depth of teacher frustration along with a better focus on discipline problems were huge mistakes that cannot be repeated when selecting her successor. Why virtually every school board member couldn't see these problems and/or refused to deal with them is difficult if not impossible to explain. Johnsons' management style and lack of total candor may have been board acceptable, but it didn't fly with many others. The board president's claim that Johnson has been an "outstanding leader for Hutchinson Public Schools" rings hollow and defies reality for anyone who knows the depth of staff unrest and unresolved learning problems marking the superintendent's five-year tenure. I don't totally blame Johnson for trying to juggle being in charge of a 4,000 student district and admirably being an Army Reserve brigadier general who needed to make frequent trips to Florida and other states to oversee her troops. But the school board is at fault for not insisting she choose between the two jobs. Both require lots of time and was a set up for failure. USD 308 needs a total attention, hands-on , community active CEO. That is nearly impossible when the superintendent is frequently in town only four school days a week and doesn't have backup who communicates and resolves issues without driving highly qualified and concerned teachers along with other staff to leave the district for more stability and support. Family concerns were an understandable factor in Johnson's decision to leave after 30-plus years in education including superintendent at Nickerson before joining Hutchinson. Serving her country and rising admirably to become a one-star general is commendable. Let's wish her well, say thanks for what she and some others feel has been success and hope she has a fruitful final year. USD 308 shouldn't have to wait too long or go far to find a logical successor. High on any list should be Sheila Meggers, who left Hutchinson two years ago to become superintendent at Shawnee Heights near Topeka. There are many quality reasons why Meggers is well-suited for the job and has proven herself in a district with similarities to Hutchinson. The board is right to encourage other applicants and enlist locally based ESSDECK to help in the process but to restore trust, focus more on improved classroom learning and resolve lingering problems, the new superintendent needs to be someone outside the current administrative structure. In next week's column, we'll highlight some of the reasons why Sheila Meggers — whose husband, Scott, is currently Hutchinson's mayor and has a successful local lawn care business — would be an ideal choice. To close, here are this week's two "You've Got To Wonder About" folks who have displayed strange or hard to explain behavior: The Reno County legislator whose address is so secret or nonexistent that he can't be located to service notice of an overdue parking ticket. And the U.S. president petty enough to rename one of the Great Lakes (Ontario) because of his feud with Canada over trade. Yes, it's the same often nonsensical leader who also says he will annex the Strait of Hormuz as a U.S. territory. Dan Deming, former general manager of Hutchinson radio station KWBW and former Reno County commissioner, can be reached at 620-960-6733 or dan.deming2@gmail.com.