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SUNNY Temp: 61 °F Wind: CLM at 0 mph Sunday, June 8, 2003 SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA HomeLife Magazine W3 Magazine Jobs @ Mail Tribune Tempo A & E Oregon CarZone Wellness Connection Real Estate Newspaper in Education Prime Times Outdoor Journal Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find Everything E SOUTHERN OREGON Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar ABOUT US FAQ What's New Advertise Home Delivery Classified Ad Contact Us Media Kit Email Story to a Friend May 22, 2003 Medford schools Superintendent Steve Wisely is greeted by long-time Medford educator Boyd Gibson at Wisely�s retirement party. This summer, the district will have two new board members and a new superintendent. Mail Tribune / Bob Pennell ‘Now the real work starts’ By JILL BRISKEY Mail Tribune The dynamic of the Medford school district will undergo some major changes when a new superintendent and two newly elected members join the seven-member board July 1. "I’m thrilled. This just tickles me," said incumbent board member Mike Moran, who was uncontested in Tuesday’s race and happy on Wednesday about the perspectives the newcomers will bring. "These changes are good for the district." On June 30, superintendent Steve Wisely retires after 18 years at the helm, and long-time school board members Jack Day and Lois Thorson step down as well. Taking over for Wisely is Dick Gregory, former superintendent of the Roseburg School District. Cynthia Wright and Larry Nicholson, elected Tuesday night, will fill the vacant school board seats. Advertisement "Now the real work starts and the rhetoric ends," said Nicholson. "There’s going to be a lot of hard work involved, but I’m looking forward to it." In addition to the budget, some of that work will involve setting new goals for the district, defining the roles of board members and administrative staff and improving public communication, said Gregory. "There’s a lot of scuttlebutt in the community about ‘rubber stamping’ and I’ll need to deal with that," said Gregory, adding that he hopes the new board will be willing to discuss ways to improve public communication. The perception of the school board as the superintendent’s "rubber stamp" and the need for better communication with the public were heavily debated issues in Tuesday’s election. Incumbent Peggy Penland — who beat John Glaser of the Medford School Watch to retain her seat Tuesday night — said she understands why residents might have those perceptions. "We all as a group need to do better. We’ve done a poor job of communicating as a board," she said. "Hopefully, some of these perceptions, right or wrong, will leave when Steve (Wisely) does." Wisely said the rubber-stamp perception comes from district critics, and added that most people don’t attend study session where the real debate and discussion takes place among members. School board meeting serve as formal settings to adopt issues that have already been discussed, he added. "There’s no way you can attempt to control seven intelligent people," he said of the school board. "We’re a team, not one controlling the other." Board member Joe Frodsham also says the rubber-stamp perception is a buzzword mainly tossed around by critics, but added that more should be done to involve the public in district issues. "We need to go out and meet patrons on their own turf," said Frodsham. "There’s lots of different things that we can do." Frodsham said he’s also pleased about the changes to the administration. He encouraged the new board members to ask questions and speak up if they have disagreements. "I think they will give us a fresh perspective," he added. Wright and Nicholson have suggested a number of ideas to improve communication. They include rotating meetings to different schools in the district, televising board meetings, updating the district’s Web site and making it interactive, providing more information to the media and attending PTO or community meetings. Penland also has ideas she hopes will come to fruition. She proposed getting members out of the board room and into the community. Also topping her list is kicking off "key communicators," a program that teams up teachers, parents, residents and students with school officials. Gregory said he hopes the board will be willing to adopt many of the proposals. Although his job doesn’t begin until July 1, Gregory will be in Medford next week to attend a series of budget meetings. He plans to move in the Rogue Valley by mid-June. Medford School Board votes Position 4 (i)Mike Moran: 97.2 percent (8,435 votes; 242 write-ins) Position 5 (i)Peggy Penland: 59.7 percent (6,048 votes) John Glaser: 40.1 percent (4,063 votes) Position 6 Larry Nicholson: 60.4 percent (5,971 votes) Joel Marks: 39.2 percent (3,872 votes) Position 7 Cynthia Wright: 35.8 percent (3,627 votes) Robin Stroh: 31.5 percent (3,190 votes) Mark Williamson: 16.6 percent (1,679 votes) Bob Sergi: 15.9 percent (1,616 votes) Reach reporter Jill Briskey at 776-4485, or e-mail [email protected] Printer Friendly Version Email Story to a Friend Subscribe Archive: Click to Search Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2003 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. 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