- School board re-appoints Dr. Wright Superintendant
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STANDING ROOM CROWD • With a large standing-room-only crowd in attendance, the Juab School board appointed Dr. Kirk Wright as district superintendant for an additional two years. While we understand the interest in the meeting and the large crowd we didn’t understand why Dr. Wright asked Oficer Derek Walk from the Nephi City Police to attend the meeting. Was violence expected? Were the anti-Dr. Wright crowd expected to throw items? Is the school board a little paranoid? We don’t know, but it was the first meeting we have attended in Juab County where the “Police” were asked to attend in an official capacity.
By Myrna Trauntvein
Times-News Correspondent
Things will go on as usual in the Juab School District since the board of education gave Dr. Kirk Wright, Juab School District Superintendent, a vote of unanimous confidence at their monthly meeting on Wednesday.
Wright was offered, and accepted, a two-year contract renewal tendered by the board amid cheers and applause from the Wright family who were located at the back of the board room and pro-Wright patrons scattered throughout the crowded room.
“I appreciate the vote and I appreciate those who are here in support tonight,” said Wright.
The meeting was called to order at 5:30 p.m. and then the board, including Wright and Darin Clark, district business administrator, went into executive session in another room at the district office.
After returning to the open session, Delanie Hathaway, board president addressed the standing room only crowd which included proponents and opponents of the contract renewal.
The appointment of the superintendent, in accordance with Utah law, was the first order of business, she said.
“The Superintendent (Wright) has expressed a desire to retire after one year,” said Hathaway.
However, after contacting the board’s legal counsel, said Hathaway, board members had discovered that there was no flexibility in the law to allow the board to offer a one-year contract. Contracts for superintendents are for a two-year period.
Dale Whitlock, the new man on the board, reminded Hathaway that the board had also discussed the retirement process and the advertising for a new superintendent.
Hathaway said that Richard Stowell, executive director of the Utah School Boards Association, and a Levan resident, had been contacted about the process of replacing Wright for the school year beginning in 2010. Hathaway said that Stowell had said there was actually a service offered by the state school boards association which could be of help in selecting a new superintendent to replace Wright.
Prior to becoming executive director he served as the associate executive director for 18 years and prior to that he served six years as a Juab School District school board member, five years as board president and was president of Utah School Boards Association so the board felt comfortable in seeking his assistance with their superintendent search.
“He suggested we conduct a western states search,” Hathaway said. “We will start the search, at his suggestion, in February.”
Members of the Wright family were granted a closed session meeting. Three district patrons, representing those who had concerns about the board offering a contract renewal to Wright, had also met with the board at an earlier date.
Also present at the meeting, in an official capacity, was Nephi City Police Officer Derrick Walk, who works closely with the schools.
“The superintendent contacted me and asked me to be present,” said Walk. “Chief Mike Morgan also asked me to be present.”
“They both thought it (the contract renewal) would be a hot topic and they didn’t know what to expect,” said Walk.
He said he had also recently been asked to be present at an executive session held but did not think it was appropriate to state which executive session meeting that had been.
Hathaway explained to those present that each board member had indicated that they had a statement they would like to offer as they cast their individual votes. First to offer a statement was Tracy Olsen, board vice president.
Olsen said he had received calls from those on both sides of the controversy. When asked what their objections to Wright were, he said, the reply was that Dr. Wright had been superintendent “too long.”
“I hope my wife doesn’t get rid of me because I have been around too long,” he said.
As people begin a career, Olsen said, they look for one that will be lasting. Most hope that they will be employed for a long time.
Therefore, Olsen said that he had asked himself some questions. One of those was had Wright done anything illegal and the answer had been that, no, he had not. He had also not done any harm and had done as the board had directed.
He had helped the district move in a strong educational improvement direction and should be admired for that.
“We owe him a debt of gratitude for his year’s of service,” said Olsen.
Unfortunately, we lived in a disposable society but that should not extend to those in a position such as Wright held.
“You can’t be in his position and not make decisions that make some people unhappy,” said Olsen.
Therefore, he said, he was voting to offer Wright a contract.
Stacy Brooks, board member, said that the democratic process had had its way. The comments of those both for and against the reappointment of Wright had been heard and considered.
People also had different personalities. Prior to running for election and becoming a member of the board, she said, she had been a president of one of the parent PAC groups and, in fact, had told the former board member, whose place she took, that she wasn’t certain she could work with Wright.
“I thought he was a little weird,” said Brooks.
However, eight years later, she had nothing but respect for Wright and the job he had done as superintendent and the things she had noted while she had worked with him.
“I have come to appreciate him,” said Brooks. “He is absolutely available.”
In addition, she said, he was absolutely dedicated to his job and she was also voting to reappoint Wright.
Dale Whitlock, board member, said he was new on the board and in the community, having lived in Nephi approximately 13 years and having become a board member in January.
Whitlock said he had also received calls from the patrons of the district and he appreciated those calls.
However, he had not changed his opinion from anything anyone had said and had told his callers that.
“He has been here long enough to ‘piss’ off some people,” he said.
Whitlock became teary-eyed during his presentation, which he blamed on allergies which came on when he had to talk, but said he thought Wright had made a lot of good decisions and that he did care. He said he was voting to retain Wright.
“He’s done a lot of good,” said Whitlock. “We do need to look at the positive.”
“It’s a done deal,” said Cheryl Kay, board member. “I vote to retain Dr. Wright for one year.”
Kay said she had had a lot of calls and that she had appreciated those who took the time to voice their opinions to her.
Hathaway said she could say amen and ditto to all that had been said but had prepared a statement and was going to try to stick to it even though she, like Whitlock, became a bit teary-eyed with emotion in presenting her thoughts.
“Being on the board has been a great learning process for me,” said Hathaway. “In the 12 and a half years I have been on the board I have learned a great deal.”
She had become passionate about being an advocate for students.
The question she asked herself on decisions the board needed to make was: what is best for the kids?
“That is the bottom line,” Hathaway said.
There was no question in her mind that she was doing what was in the best interest of the students of the district in voting to offer a contract to Wright, she said.
She said she was grateful for the input from all those who had called her and who had contacted her to express their opinions.
“The board is the face of the public,” said Hathaway.
One thing she wanted to point out to critics was that there was not adequate time, if Dr. Wright’s contract was not renewed, to conduct a proper search for a replacement. The best person for the job was needed and it would take time to find that person.
In the interim, Wright had done and would continue to do an excellent job for the district.
Hathaway said it was in the best interests of the district to vote for offering Wright another contract and she was voting to do so.
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