Hundreds greet new Cape superintendent at reception

In nearly two months on the job, Cape Girardeau School District superintendent Dr. David Scala has received high marks from school board members.

"We've had nothing but good feedback from the staff," said school board president Steve Trautwein.

"He's very easy to work with," Trautwein said at a reception Thursday night at the Career and Technology Center where Scala, 60, greeted several hundred well-wishers, including teachers, city and civic leaders and parents.

Trautwein said the board decided a reception would help introduce the new superintendent to the public. "This is one of the ways we have to let the public know why we are so excited about him," Trautwein said.

School board member Sharon Mueller said Scala has responded quickly to inquiries by board members, the public and district employees.

"He is responsive to everyone inside the organization and outside the organization," she said.

"I like the service culture," she said of Scala's leadership.

The board of education, when it meets Monday, will look at adopting policy and procedures for the board to make future evaluations of the district's top administrator.

School board members want to evaluate Scala in several areas: school board relations, district and community relations, instructional leadership, management of school personnel, fiscal leadership management of facilities, professionalism and customer service to both staff and patrons.

Scala welcomes such evaluation. "That is the responsibility of the school board," he said.

Classes began Aug. 15, and Scala said he's been pleased with the start of the school year. He said he visited all of the elementary schools, the junior high, high school and alternative school on the first day of classes.

Scala, who began his new job on July 1, previously served as assistant superintendent in the Sioux Falls, S.D., school district.

The Cape Girardeau school board hired Scala at a first-year salary of $132,500. He replaced former superintendent Mark Bowles.

mbliss@semissourian.com

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