SCHOOL BOARD BEGINS FINAL DELIBERATION

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- Superintendent candidate Dr. Shelton Smith believes educators at all levels should be held responsible for the outcomes of education.

Smith, also known as "Butch," met with parents and community members Thursday, capping a day of meetings throughout the city. About 40 people attended the evening session.

"We have to show the community the benefits of a quality education," Smith said. "How do we demonstrate that? Through reading scores, MMAT scores, graduation rates compared to some other district, state or national averages."

Smith was the second of two finalists for the position of superintendent for Cape Girardeau Public Schools to visit the city. Dr. Neyland Clark visited the city Wednesday.

School board president Carolyn Kelley said the board will meet Wednesday to deliberate about which candidate to hire.

The comment cards collected following all the meetings held with each candidate will be tabulated and available at that meeting.

"The board will meet at 6 p.m. and begin going through the information trying to come to a consensus," Kelley said.

She said it is possible a new superintendent could be named following that meeting. The new superintendent will definitely be hired before the April 2 election, she said.

"If we feel we need more information, we could visit their districts," Kelley said. She anticipates board members will call people in each candidate's district between now and Wednesday's meeting.

Kelley explained that even when a candidate has been selected, the board will have to negotiate his salary and benefit package.

"These candidates are coming to us in about the same ballpark as our superintendent," Kelley said. "They're not coming to us at $50,000 or $60,000 but they're not coming to us at $90,000."

Superintendent Arthur Turner's contracted salary is $72,470.

Smith, 46, said he still has two years remaining on his contract at Dunklin R-V, where he has been superintendent for 10 years. The district of about 1,700 students is located in Herculaneum and Pevely in Jefferson County. He decided to apply for the position in Cape Girardeau because, he said, he would like to live and work here. He and his wife Glenda have two daughters.

"This is my choosing. Several years ago I said if the superintendency at Cape Girardeau ever comes open, I'm going to apply. This is an opportunity for me."

Smith worked at Southeast Missouri State University as director of housing and associate dean of students from 1974 to 1978.

Smith said that as superintendent he would market the district. "I work well with parent groups. When you go to meetings, go to ball games, the barbershop, the grocery store, you have opportunities to sell the district."

"The public needs to know what a teacher does. You need to let the public know how what you do benefits their kids," Smith said.

"The first task is for the welfare of the youngster, an instructional mission. I am a teacher first," he said.

Smith responded to questions about the role of athletics at both sessions.

"I don't think you can have the tail wagging the dog. The priority has to be the instruction of the child," Smith said. But he said he favors a strong student activities program.

He attended Southeast on a basketball scholarship. In his professional career he has served as a coach, a debate sponsor, yearbook sponsor and newspaper sponsor.

A top concern he saw during his visit Thursday was the condition of Cape Girardeau's school buildings.

"A common concern I heard was about old building and facilities," he said. Smith said it seems the district will need a building program soon.

"It's a matter of sitting down and mapping out a blueprint," he said. "That would have to encompass a bond issue."

In his tenure at Dunklin R-V, Smith has been involved in passage of three bond issues for construction. Each passed with a 75-80 percent approval rate, he said.

"It can be done," he said. "It takes the participation and sharing of the publics we serve. Planning is a key being able to look ahead."

Smith did his doctoral dissertation on middle school education. He also wrote a textbook for use at the college level for training teachers of middle level students.

"I have a middle school where I am employed. It's a sixth-seventh-eighth grade center, and it works. I don't know if it will work here.

"As far as the philosophy, I absolutely support the middle school concept."

Smith said his district is planning to try a system of no grading in kindergarten through second grade. "We feel it will remove a barrier. Parents are more interested in grades than the kids."

He said the emphasis at those early levels will be on reading. "We need to build the skills they need to enjoy success beyond the second grade."

A successful program for students at risk of dropping out has been implemented in his district. The program teaches students on an individual basis through computer-aided instruction.