3 DISTRICTS SEARCHING FOR SUPERINTENDENTS

The search is on in three of the region's largest school districts. Superintendents in Cape Girardeau, Jackson and Perryville are leaving July 1.

It is not unusual for an area school to be in the midst of a superintendent search. But the fact all three districts face vacancies simultaneously may have both a negative and positive effect.

On the positive side: The fact all three districts are searching is likely to reinforce the attributes of the region and build the applicant pool.

Adversely: The three districts may end up competing for the same handful of top-notch finalists.

The pay scales for area superintendents are competitive. Base salaries are $90,300 in Cape Girardeau, $93,500 in Jackson and $75,000 in Perryville. Farmington, which is also looking for a new superintendent, paid its current superintendent a base salary of $99,000.

Each district must decide what kind of leader its wants, meshing district goals and community needs. For some districts, the new superintendents may find big shoes to fill.

-- Dr. Dan Tallent told the Cape Girardeau Board of Education in June that he did not want to renew his initial three-year contract. He served as Cape Central High School principal two years before his selection as superintendent.

-- Dr. Howard Jones is retiring from the Jackson district. He is completing his fourth year as superintendent. He has served 35 years as an educator, the majority spent in administration.

-- Dr. Rex Miller has resigned at Perryville. He is serving the last year of a three-year contract in the district. A 20-year educator, he has spent 14 of those years as a superintendent.

It will be important to find just the right superintendent to lead these districts. Each faces its own challenges. Their budgets and operations are larger than many cities in the region.

Perryville -- with more than 2,400 students -- has faced financial difficulties. The school board is developing a tax proposal for voters. The district's 1997-98 budget was $13.6 million.

Jackson continues to wrestle with phenomenal growth. With 4,349 students, the district recently passed Cape Girardeau in enrollment. Voters have supported the district's aggressive building program. Jackson's 1997-98 budget was $26 million.

Cape Girardeau is in the midst of a long-range building program that will bring a long-awaited elementary school, high school and vocational-technical school to the district. Cape's new leader must balance building needs with curriculum challenges. Cape Girardeau has 4,227 students and a 1997-98 budget of $27.8 million.

All three boards of education are encouraged to involve the public in the superintendent search process from start to finish.