Cape school district names Pat Fanger as interim superintendent

Cape Girardeau's interim superintendent will come from within, a move board members say will bring stability to a district experiencing rapid changes.

Following a two-hour closed session, board president Dr. Steve Trautwein announced that assistant superintendent Pat Fanger will serve as the interim superintendent through June 30. He said no other candidates were contacted.

The announcement laid days of guessing to rest, with many people predicting the board would select a retired superintendent. But Trautwein said Fanger was the most logical candidate.

"She knows the district. There is no dead time," Trautwein said, adding that Fanger already is aware of what the board wants and has the board's support.

Details of Fanger's contract, including salary, will not be available until this afternoon, he said.

Fanger served as Cape Girardeau's director of curriculum and assessment for three years before being named assistant superintendent in 2006.

"My role will be to work with the board to continue the projects and activities we have in place," Fanger said.

While there may be some minute changes, Fanger said she will focus on getting things in place for a smooth transition to the permanent superintendent. She has already started keeping a log of all the activities and transactions that take place so the new superintendent won't have to "stop and backtrack."

After June she will return to her assistant superintendent position, she said. Until then, Fanger will juggle both positions. Trautwein said some central office staff may be called upon to shift tasks.

"I will call upon different people to help. The other administrators are very cooperative. People will pull together to help out," she said.

Trautwein said the meeting Wednesday took so long because the board and Fanger were reaching an understanding of the degree of cooperation they would have.

They discussed some of the "real and practical issues, the ongoing things we need to address," Trautwein said. But he said he could not comment on them.

The board voted unanimously last week to terminate superintendent Dr. David Scala's contract and place him on administrative leave. They did not provide a specific cause. At the time, Trautwein said Fanger would be in charge until an interim superintendent was chosen.

A search for a permanent replacement, led by the Missouri School Board Association, is currently underway. The board hopes a new superintendent could be named by the end of January.

lbavolek@semissourian.com

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