SUPERINTENDENT CHOICE FOR CAPE MAY COME SOON

Dr. Richard Bollwerk will interview today, Dr. Dan Tallent will interview Thursday for the job of Cape Girardeau superintendent, and a new school district leader could be announced at the Jan. 16 Board of Education meeting.

The deadline for internal candidates for the Cape Girardeau job was noon Monday. Bollwerk was named acting superintendent in December after the school board fired former Superintendent Neyland Clark. Bollwerk was the assistant superintendent.

Tallent is principal of Cape Girardeau Central High School. He will resign from that job at the end of the school year in hopes of landing a superintendent's job somewhere.

Tallent also is one of three finalist for the job of superintendent at Perryville schools. The Perryville Board of Education plans to make their decision Jan. 17.

The Cape Girardeau school board met Monday to decide what qualities the board wants in a new superintendent.

Dr. Bob Fox, board president, said: "The board feels we have two excellent candidates. We also feel we need to build stability. Either of these two gentlemen seem to fit the profile."

Fox said the board decided to move ahead with speed at least in part because of the Perryville time table.

At the meeting Monday the board heard lists and suggestions from teachers and administrators.

Teachers said yes to hiring an internal candidate and a resounding no to hiring a consultant to help conduct a search.

Among the qualities the board seeks in a new superintendent:

-- Places children first;

-- a team leader and motivater with proven integrity and an ability to build trust with staff, faculty and community;

-- strong academic background and strong instructional leader;

-- firm but fair;

-- open minded, keeping a balance between vision and pragmatism, who boosts morale and self-confidence by encouraging student and staff achievements;

-- visible in school and community, aware of government activities, and sensitive to public relations and public sentiment;

-- and an effective communicator who is approachable by students, staff, community and news media, who understands community values, mores and expectations

Teachers recommended the board avoid arrogant candidates.

The board met in a closed meeting for more than an hour to develop specific questions to ask both candidates.

The interviews tonight and Thursday will be held in closed session also. Both start at 6 p.m.