Superintenent McCormick resigns

Mike Cast, Leader Staff

POLSON — Superintendent of Polson schools Sue McCormick is resigning after nearly six years of service. A search committee is in the process of finding a capable new replacement as McCormick prepares to end her long tenure. Giving the community some insight into administrative leadership with a lifetime spent in education, McCormick took a moment to reflect on her long career in education, her decision to resign, and the future.

After professor Alma Bingham’s work on designing and implementing laboratory schools in urban education inspired McCormick to teach, she began her journey 34 years ago when she first became a school teacher in Seaside, Ore. She still remembers the first day of class.

“The first day I stood in front of a class and went, ‘wow,’ what a huge responsibility! And the other thing that I thought about that was so strange that day — I was in my late twenties — was the parents who sent their kids to school, entrusted their most precious gift to the world to us teachers,” McCormick said.

It was McCormick’s dedication to that enormous responsibility that kept her involved in education. For ten years, McCormick taught, and it was a unique opportunity to teach not only students but teachers that pushed her in the direction of administrative work. She began working as a teacher on special assignment, training future teachers while continuing to teach children.

It was during this time that she realized she might want to become a principal, and that is what McCormick became.

After four years as a principal, McCormick became an assistant superintendent followed by an educational consultant, which she enjoyed but left something missing.

“That was exciting work. I got to be with lots of smart people. What I missed was the relationship and the grounding really in being part of a community,” McCormick said.

By 1996, her work as a consultant brought McCormick to Bigfork.

In 1999, she found a job as curriculum director for District no. 23 and four years later the superintendent position opened up. McCormick was asked to be an interim while a search committee sought a new one.

After the first search failed to result in a hire, the committee did another search in November of 2003. At that time McCormick decided that she wanted to apply herself and was officially hired by the district.

She met the heavy task with five years of whole hearted effort and helped produce significant change in the school system. Among the district’s many memorable accomplishments under McCormick’s lead were a new curriculum frame work, a new system for employee contract negotiations, the establishment of a Cohort Program for at-risk ninth graders, and the successful reconfiguration of two Pre-K-4 schools into one Pre-K through first grade school and one second through fourth grade school.

After a job well done, McCormick has decided to resign, saying that though the position has been rewarding, she is ready to move on.

“It’s tough in that there were lots of things that I had to consider, wanted to consider. I love this community and the people in this school system are such high quality professionals. Part of me really wanted to stay. However, my passion for education begins and ends with teaching and learning, it’s why I became an educator. To bring about the conditions for optimal teaching and learning,” she said.

McCormick found that the position of superintendent distanced her from that part of the education system.

“My reality is that the superintendency is for me too far from teaching and learning - too far. There are too many other things that a superintendent in a school district this size has to do,” she said.

She was clear that the position is of immense importance and believes the district will fill the position with a worthy replacement, somebody that she says must have great managerial skills. Administrative work, according to McCormick, is critical to the foundation of a school district.

She also has advice for her successor.

“Take time to listen and learn from the people who are here, the principals, the board, this office staff … maybe take more time than you think you need to listen to what’s going on and watch for what’s going really well and put support in there for more of what’s going really well, and then bring your own. Let your vision and your best hopes come after,” McCormick said.

She also remebered Polson in her advice, trying to pinpoint what message to leave about the town she has come to know so well.

“Polson believes in its kids and wants the best for them. So just listen for what the community wants and hopes for, and listen well because kids matter in this town.”

McCormick is not sure what she will do next, but wants to stay close to education and close to Polson. She is considering again becoming a principa, a consultant or even a career with Montana’s Office of Public Instruction. But after a long tenure with long hours, there is no rush, she said.

“My husband wants me to take some time and think about it. And relax.”

Theresa Taylor is the board member who is heading the superintendent search committee. She said McCormick has done an exemplary job.

“I think she has been a great superintendent,” Taylor said.

McCormick was extremely dedicated on two fronts, according to Taylor, who said firstly McCormick was always very thorough in her administrative duties.

“If anybody was driving by that building (District No. 23 administrative office) after hours, you’re going to see Sue’s car there,” said Taylor.

Taylor said secondly that McCormick’s dedication to the community was above and beyond expectations.

“She goes to football games, plays, concerts. You can find Sue at almost every event we have,” she said.

The committee is currently soliciting community input for its search and will be having a community meeting to take more comments on Nov. 17.

The opening has been posted on the web sites for the Montana School Boards Association and the School Administrators of Montana as well as their national counterparts. The posting will remain open until December 5th and the committee will begin conducting interviews in January, according to Taylor.