FINALISTS FOR SUPERINTENDENT CITE ABILITIES, INNOVATIVE IDEAS

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- The two finalists in Cape Girardeau's search for a new superintendent cite innovative ideas and ability to get things done among their qualifications for the post.

The finalists, Dr. Neyland G. Clark, superintendent at Shepherdsville, Ky., and Dr. Shelton E. Smith, superintendent in Herculaneum, Mo., were selected from five semi-finalists interviewed over the weekend by the Cape Girardeau Board of Education.

They will be visiting Cape Girardeau next week.

In telephone interviews from their homes, each candidate discussed his desire to lead Cape Girardeau schools.

Neyland G. Clark, 40, has served as superintendent of Bullitt County, Ky., Public Schools for four years. The district, south of Louisville, is the sixth largest school district in Kentucky with an enrollment of more than 10,000 students.

Clark has announced plans to leave that post and is currently serving as a consultant to the district.

He will visit Cape Girardeau March 13.

"One thing I have learned in education over years is that bigger is not always better," Clark said. "I'm looking for an opportunity to try some creative and innovative ideas."

Innovation has been a component of his leadership. For example, Clark said, "Bullitt County has an open enrollment policy. Parents have a choice of what school they send their children to."

Clark said he has been active in the education reform under way in Kentucky.

But he is ready for a change. Clark said a smaller district, like Cape Girardeau, is attractive to him.

He said a smaller district also affords an opportunity for him to work more closely with teachers and other staff members.

Clark said next week's visit to Cape Girardeau is an important part of the interview process.

"As candidates, if you pull up our credentials, we all probably look fairly impressive," Clark said. "But the proof is in the pudding how we meet with people and deal with them one on one."

He said "I'm sure the board has an interest in looking at how I react to people, how I think on my feet."

At the same time, Clark said, he will be assessing Cape Girardeau.

"I will be looking at the types of educators we have on board and their willingness and receptiveness to my ideas. There has to be a good chemistry," Clark said. "If the chemistry is not there, it's better to know that up front.

"We are also very interested at looking at the community folk and how they feel about the school district.

"Obviously I want to meet with the middle level people. And I'm interested in the high school curriculum," he said.

"My wife and I have three children. One son will be a sophomore next year. If I'm selected and come to Cape Girardeau, chances are good that young man will be graduating from a Cape Girardeau school."

His wife, Diane, is a registered nurse. They will also be looking at job prospects for her here. Their three sons are currently in grades 5, 7 and 9.

"I came to Bullitt County from Bloomington, Ind. I'm accustomed to college towns, and that's another thing that attracted me to the community," he said.

He has served in virtually every education post. He was a classroom teacher, teaching high school government and economics, and then taught middle school social studies.

"I have a very strong background in middle schools and that is probably one of the things that worked in my favor as a candidate," he said.

He has served as coach, principal, athletic director, and has had responsibilities with transportation, food services and as business manager.

Smith, 46, has served a superintendent of Dunklin R-V school district, which includes the cities of Herculenum and Pevely in Jefferson County, for the past 10 years. The school district has an enrollment of about 1,700 students.

Cape Girardeau residents might recognize Smith. He worked at Southeast Missouri State University from 1974-1978.

"I served in two capacities," Smith said. "I was director of housing. Now they call it residence life. And I served for two years as associate dean of students."

Smith also earned three degrees from Southeast: a bachelor's degree in 1967, a masters degree in 1972 and a specialist in education degree in 1977. He earned his doctorate from SIU-Edwardsville.

"When my family and I lived in Cape Girardeau we loved the community. We loved the people and loved the services the city provided," Smith said.

As he considered the Cape Girardeau post, "We looked at the cultural environment. With all the opportunities in the public school as well as the university, the setting provided a very pleasant place to live and rear a family."

He said the Cape Girardeau School District also has a good reputation.

"I think people who've been around me have seen that I believe in leading by example," Smith said. "I'm a mover. I like things to be done with zeal and excitement.

"I genuinely feel one of strengths is being able to motivate people.

"I want the district to be a model district. Too often, we go outside a district to find talent, to bring in experts. We fail to look at strengths and talents that already exist here. There may be some good ideas there that just haven't been initiated. I want to demonstrate that I'm a high energy person with lots of new ideas."

However, he said, "I see no sense in fixing something that already works. I'm not one to come in and make change just for the sake of change."

Smith said his doctoral dissertation is in the study of middle schools. "I did four years of study in that area," he said. But he said he would have to study the local situation before recommending a change to a middle school concept, including sixth, seventh and eighth graders.

He did say, "The fastest growing grade configuration in the nation is the middle school concept. For some districts it has been an excellent venture. Other social and emotional benefits have been derived from moving to this idea.

"I think people who knew me when I was there, saw me as a genuine, caring individual," Smith said. "Those who don't know me will quickly see I'm an individual who likes to be around people, likes to listen to people and likes to serve the public."

Before becoming superintendent at Dunklin R-V, Smith was high school principal at Hillsboro Schools, also in Jefferson County. He taught high school English and debate at Fox School at Arnold, Charleston and Kennett Schools.

He is originally from Kennett.

Smith and his wife, Glenda, will be visiting Cape Girardeau March 14. His wife works as a school counselor in Hillsboro Schools. He has two daughters, a sophomore and a seventh grader.