Janssen to be interim Pinellas schools chief; district's first female superintendent

Dr. Julie Janssen, deputy superintendent and chief academic officer talks with reporters after Pinellas County School Board members put an item to have her appointed interim superintendent on the agenda for the May 13 meeting. [ATOYIA DEANS | Times]

The Pinellas School Board informally agreed in a workshop today to appoint deputy superintendent Julie Janssen as the interim replacement for outgoing superintendent Clayton Wilcox. The board will make the decision official in a formal vote May 13. Janssen, 59, will be the first female superintendent in Pinellas history. Several district staffers and board members congratulated her with hugs after the meeting.

The seven-member board remained split on the separate question of whether Janssen would be allowed to apply to be Wilcox's permanent replacement. The board will conduct a national superintendent search. Three board members said some candidates would be scared away if an inside candidate competed for the job. Three others said they wanted a full range of candidates, including Janssen and others within the district. Board member Janet Clark was the only board member not to take a position.

Janssen was born in Belize but raised in Pinellas County, graduating from Boca Ciega High in 1966. Wilcox, who is leaving for a job with Scholastic Corp., appointed her as his top deputy in 2006. She previously was principal at St. Petersburg High and Countryside High.

Comments

[David]

Janssen was my Geometry teacher at Lakewood in the early 1980s. She was a wonderful teacher then, and I think a good choice for interim superintendent now. I hope to see her in the running as the permanent super!

[kitty]

They should make her the permanent superintendent. In these times of fiscal austerity, when the County needs to cut $43m from the budget, why are they planning to spend a minimum of $50k on a nationwide search? Locals only!

Who said they are planning on spending 50K on a search? Better check your facts-- that is incorrect!

Please ask Dr. Wilcox to pay for the national search or he could reimburse the District for 4/5 months salary if he expects to leave June 1.

[Truth Shall Set You Free]

Ask Dr. Janssen if she's going to bring the "Gay Parade" with her to the Administrative offices like she did at C-side and SP High...
Yeh, you had no idea that those two were involved in a "relationship". Even though they have been investigated at least two separate times, the Mother Hen always seems to protect them...

First female? That's the best frame you could come up with? How about slippery slope? Now that I'm sitting, I may as well stay for good, said Janssen.

[Rodger]

Interim in place, dont let wilcox in the front door. keep his pay get our money and be done with him. nobody needs his kind of help to get adjusted to the job he could'nt do. keeping him around is the same kinda crap as suspended with pay.

[justhinking]

I don't know her but the fact that Wilcox liked her tells me all I need to know! Get someone else!

[Qualified?]

Dr. Janssen is a nice and beautiful personality. Unfortunately she is simply not qualified to hold Interim Supt and certainly not Superintendent. Serving as a principal in two schools and sitting in meetings with Dr. Wilcox for less than 2 years does not offer her the years of experience necessary to tackle the major crisis this district faces. Hopefully the national search will find an experienced person who has dealt with major budgets has a business sense and measurable accomplishments. With new and fresh leadership our children have an opportunity to receive the education they have been deprived of for generations.

We moved from FL six years ago and after reading some of these comments I know we made the right decision. Pinellas County should consider itself lucky to have Julie, she has worked through the ranks and has been in the trenches. You can't beat that kind of experience.

[TMS]

Wow sour grapes! Hey, "Truth Shall Set You Free"? Just because you lost your job, don't point fingers and blame everyone else. Dr. Janssen is a fair, honest and dedicated individual. She truly cares about all involved in the Pinellas County School system and has integrity which is something you obviously know nothing about.

[terry krassner]

When you have qualified professionals right under your nose it makes no sense to go outside our District! The learning curve in just changing schools is huge, much less Districts!!!