SCHOOL CHANGES

There is a telling story about Dr. Richard Bollwerk, who has been selected to be the interim superintendent of Cape Girardeau's public schools. After he agreed this week to take the school district's reins during what promises to be an important transitional period, it was suggested that he visit with the district's attorney to work out a new contract and salary. No, Bollwerk, said, his existing contract and salary as an assistant superintendent would be fine until the end of the school year. Again it was suggested that he work out a higher salary and contract terms to reflect his new duties. This time, Bollwerk's reply captured the essence of his philosophy: If you have money to spend, he told school board members, what the district's really needs is another teacher's aide.

In other words, spend the money to benefit students, not administrators.

How remarkably refreshing.

The coming months offer the potential for a crucial turning point in the district. Past upheavals that have upset the community at large are history. Now that critical decisions about the district's leadership have been made, the focus can turn to strategic planning to upgrade schools and provide the finest instruction possible.

What lies ahead is no easy task. Previous financing plans for major improvements in the district have failed to merit the support of voters. Now voters likely will be asked to make more tough choices. It was with the intent of gaining public confidence that the school board made its difficult decision to replace the superintendent and the district's personnel director.

This is never a decision to be made lightly. Moreover, the current school board, with three members appointed by the county commission, has been intent in recent months on restoring calm and order to the district's operations. In choosing to take the course of new administrative leadership, the board also gauged that the community would support the cost of buying out contracts and hiring new administrators. This move was evaluated with care. The board has listened intently to assess the mood and concerns of district patrons. In the end, it came down to making a tough call in the interest of moving on to positive efforts on behalf of the district.

No outcome is ever certain. There may be those who believe there were other -- and better -- solutions to the district's leadership quandary. But the community's sentiments, expressed again and again both in public and in private, clearly support the board's decisions this week.

Dr. Bollwerk and other administrators, along with the many dedicated teachers and staff members, will be reaching out to tap the community's support in the days and weeks ahead. With a positive attitude in the superintendent's office -- one that says if there is money to spend, spend it on students -- the likelihood of future successes in the district is better than ever.

The school board is to be commended for facing up to the difficult choices it had to make. The community's support and involvement as the district move into the future is extremely important. If school district patrons adopts Dr. Bollwerk's philosophy, every suggestion -- or criticism -- involving public education will start by asking this question: What's best for the students?