Leadership Lite
School Administrator, February 2018



One Hot-Diggity Leader
Rene Rovtar has completed 11 Boston Marathons, but she insisted her life outside of education would not be fulfilled without one unusual venture in gluttony — competing in the Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog-Eating Contest on Coney Island, N.Y.

Rovtar, who barely clears 100 pounds on the scale and otherwise fills the more mundane world of the superintendency in Montville, N.J., satisfied her personal quest last summer, consuming eight hot dogs in 10 minutes as one of 18 women in the contest field.

Though she fell short of her personal goal of double-digit dogs, Rovtar declared herself “extremely full” and satisfied. Any disappointment surely was mit-igated by her ego-inflating introduction to the large crowd of spectators by the contest emcee as “the coolest superintendent on the planet.”
SOURCE: NJ Advance Media A Flurry of Thanks
For one decision only, Joseph Roy, superintendent in Bethlehem, Pa., can usually count on receiving a heap of praise from students — the announcement he is closing school because of wintry conditions.

Students’ jubilant messages of gratitude come in the form of imaginative and witty tweets. Last winter, one student used Photoshop to place Roy’s face on the image of a priest in a flowing white robe with a tweet stating, “I feel as if I just got truly blessed.” Others tweeted these compliments: “Not all heroes wear capes” and “You’re the only presidential candidate I would ever vote for. “
SOURCE: Huffington Post

 

Back in Grade School
Donald A. Ogilvie’s edges were fraying after three hours of contentious dealings at a meeting of the Buffalo, N.Y., school board. It reminded him of his early career as an elementary school teacher.

Ogilvie, who was serving as Buffalo’s interim superintendent at the time after a long stint as a BOCES superintendent, finally brought the battling sides together on a compromise. But before that could happen, he observed: “No one can drive you crazy faster than a 9-year-old, except for maybe a board member.”
SOURCE: Buffalo News


Hearing What They Want
It’s not uncommon for board of education members to pitch in as volunteers at school events in the Tullahoma, Tenn., district. Early in the school year, Gigi Robison lent a hand at a health screening of middle schoolers where she met a student who seemed incredibly relieved to learn that his hearing would be tested.

“That’s good because my dad has selective hearing loss and I’m afraid I might have it too!” the boy told Robison, a veteran board member.

Dan Lawson, the superintendent, never did hear the screening’s diagnosis, but he suspects the mother could confirm the same condition exists for dad and son.

Short, humorous anecdotes, quips, quotations and malapropisms for this column relating to school district administration should be addressed to: Editor, School Administrator, 1615 Duke St., Alexandria, VA 22314. Fax: 703-841-1543. E-mail: magazine@aasa.org. Upon request, names may be withheld in print.