CAPE'S SCHOOLS GET NEW SUPERINTENDENT

It's official. Dr. Dan Steska will lead the Cape Girardeau School District come July 1. He comes to the district from the Arcadia Valley School District in Ironton.

The decision Tuesday follows a deliberate and open selection process undertaken by the Board of Education. The two finalists met with teachers, staff, administrators, parents and community. Everyone had a chance to size up the finalists. This public participation helped give everyone a hand in the selection process. It certainly helped build consensus on the new superintendent.

Those attending the meetings would probably agree that both Steska and Dan Smith of the Excelsior Springs School District seemed well-suited and able to handle district matters. But the choice of Steska seems a good fit with the district.

He brings experience, enthusiasm and regional ties. Steska comes from a smaller district -- Arcadia Valley has 1,256 students and an operating budget of $10 million. He has served in Arcadia two years.

But he also brings plenty of experience to the table from a larger district -- an impressive 24 years -- with the Perryville School District. There, he worked as a teacher, assistant principal and principal.

He is familiar with Cape Girardeau as a graduate of Southeast Missouri State University. One of Steska's daughters lives in Cape Girardeau, and another plans to attend the university here next year.

Steska believes in building relationships among school board members, teachers, parents, staff and the community. That's imperative for smooth-running schools. A visiting school board team also found teachers in Ironton held Steska in high regard.

He considers himself receptive and approachable -- a straight shooter. Those at the community meet-the-candidate sessions seemed to agree. Steska scored high on exit surveys among those attending. He was praised for being extremely personable with great communication skills.

He told those at the meetings that feedback from the community and staff is vital to fixing the problems facing the Cape Girardeau schools. That kind of open communication seems essential.

What's more, Steska is ready to roll up his sleeves and make the district an even better place. He's excited about the master plan and brings ideas of his own to the table.

Although an administrator, Steska still enjoys relating to students. In Arcadia, he could often be found eating lunch with third- and fourth-grade students.

He also has solid experience with bond issues, working hard to pass a $2.1 million campaign in Ironton. It was successful. That kind of experience is important considering Cape Girardeau requires another bond vote before construction can begin on the proposed new high school.

Although Steska won't officially be on the job until next summer, he'll be a familiar face in the district. He plans to attend each board meeting as a member of the audience to get a better feel for district issues. He also plans to visit the district often, beginning to build a relationship with teachers, staff and administrators. That's certainly a good start.

Cape Girardeau's public schools are certainly in a progressive mode. Dr. Dan Tallent has proved an effective and able leader these past two and a half years. Steska has some big shoes to fill. But with mentoring from Tallent, input from district employees and community support, Steska can lead the district to even greater strides in the years ahead.