CAPE'S NEW SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT LEADS FIRST BOARD MEETING

Everyone was so comfortable with the arrangement that few people other than employees of the Cape Girardeau School District realized a new superintendent took over this month.

But the smooth transition was exactly what the schools needed, teachers said. Dr. Dan Tallent, who had been principal at Central High School, is now the district's superintendent. He was hired in January, but started work July 1.

Dr. Richard Bollwerk, assistant superintendent, was chosen as interim superintendent after the board bought out the remainder of Dr. Neyland Clark's contract in January. Clark had been superintendent for almost five years.

As the new superintendent, Tallent led his first official Board of Education meeting Monday night. But he had already been attending past meetings and organizing committees.

"I knew the issues and finances," Tallent said. "I already knew who all the board members were, and I'd been working with the central office while I was at the high school."

Much of the smooth transition can be attributed to good communication between administrators, said Brenda Woemmel, president of the Cape Girardeau chapter of the National Education Association.

"I think Dr. Bollwerk and Dr. Tallent helped make it a smooth transition," Woemmel said. "The staff hasn't all been together, but we feel comfortable."

School board president, Dr. Bob Fox, said that even with the changes, the board "never missed a beat. I think the fact that we hired from within helped tremendously," Fox said.

During the six-month transition, Fox had been meeting weekly with Bollwerk and Tallent so that both would know what was happening in the district and be comfortable with those decisions.

Bollwerk was glad to fill in when the district needed help, but said he was glad to be going back to what he knew.

"It was easy to step up the interim opportunity for six months," Bollwerk said. But he said it also meant more work.

While Bollwerk was interim superintendent, there was no assistant superintendent or human resources director in the district. So he was actually doing the work of about three people, not just one.

"There were a lot of vacant positions that someone had to fill," Bollwerk said. "Now it will be smoother sailing."

Now that Tallent heads the district, Bollwerk will go back to his job as associate superintendent. He will likely focus on elementary curriculum while Bill Biggerstaff, former assistant high school principal, will handle secondary curriculum issues.

"There's still some organization or reorganization that has to be done," Bollwerk said.

CAPE GIRARDEAU BOARD OF EDUCATION

Agenda

Monday, July 15

Vocational-Technical School

Room 214

Old Business

- Voted not to oppose rezoning of Jefferson School from R-2 to R-3.

- Ad Hoc Committee reports.

Educational Facilities Committee

Finance Committee

Action Items

- Accepted bid from David Shaffer for occupational therapy services.

- Accepted bids from Superior Office Products for rental of photo copy machines.

- Awarded pest control contract to General Pest Control Co.

- Set special meeting for July 31 to adopt salary schedule.

Non-action Items

- Revenue forecasts.

- Attendance policy, second hearing.

- Financial statement as of June 30, 1996.

- 1996 assessed valuation.

- 1996 MSBA-MASA annual conferenc.