Q&A with Cape's new school chief

Dr. Dave Scala calls himself a people person. He says he's a good listener.

Those are two of the skills he's banking on to make his transition to superintendent of the Cape Gir-ardeau School District a smooth one.

With five months to go before he officially takes the reins, Scala isn't ready to unveil any major changes or plans for the district.

He was in Cape Girardeau this week to finalize his contract and meet with the school district's administrative staff and some community members.

The following interview conducted Monday addresses his expectations about Cape Girardeau and his experiences in education.

What made you go into education? Is it a family thing?

Scala: No, I was the first in my family to go to college. I had teachers who encouraged me. Teaching and journalism were the only two careers I ever really considered.

What steered you away from journalism?

Scala: I decided I wanted to do some coaching and some teaching.

What made you decide to go into administration?

Scala: There seemed to be a natural flow into administration from teaching. Someone I was teaching with at the time encouraged me to do that, and I had the GI Bill to help pay for college.

As an administrator, you have a different kind of impact on students than as a teacher. What is it you enjoy about being an administrator?

In administration, especially the superintendency, you have an opportunity to have an impact on the entire school district. You also serve as an ambassador of the educational program to the community, and I enjoy that.

What are some of the challenges facing you in Cape Girardeau?

The normal challenges of getting to know a school district and the community. I'll be doing a lot of listening and communicating with staff to determine what the needs are and then determine a direction for the district to take.

You could be walking into a tough situation, especially regarding the district's finances and salary issues. Any plans to address those issues at this point?

I'll have to listen and learn, find out what the situation is.

How are the demographics different here than in Sioux Falls?

The demographics may be different, but basically all school districts have similar people who want the same thing for students -- a quality education.

cclark@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 128

Dr. Dave Scala

* Hometown: Albia, Iowa

* Wife: Sue, married 36 years

* Superintendent: 22 years total, the last six as an assistant superintendent in Sioux Falls, S.D.

* Elsewhere in education: Worked one year in Albia as a science teacher before joining the military. Taught another three years after leaving the service, then became a principal in Colfax, Iowa, for four years before taking a superintendent's job.