In Pinellas, another superintendent candidate with 'issues'

Pinellas continues to be a magnet for superintendent candidates who have had issues in their previous jobs. The Gradebook has reported in recent days on the New York City principal who conducted a Santeria ceremony to rid her school of “negative energy;” the Brick Township, N.J., superintendent who is suing his former district; and the one-time Camden, N.J., superintendent who resigned amid a criminal investigation over allegedly falsified test results.

Now comes Sandra Ellis, left, former superintendent of North Chicago Community Unit School District 187, a tough urban district with 4,800 students where superintendent turnover is exceedingly high (19 superintendents in the last 15 years). According to a report in the Lake County News-Sun, Ellis was A.) suspended from her job and B.) arrested and charged with felony retail theft in 2005 for an alleged shoplifting incident at a Wal-Mart in Springfield, Ill. The charges were reportedly dropped, the case expunged and Ellis was quoted as maintaining her innocence and blaming “an overzealous, inexperienced clerk.”

She's also seeking the superintendent's job in Oregon, Ohio, where she told the Toledo Blade that her North Chicago experience had been "challenging."

In Pinellas, the number of serious applicants stands at 17, including Ellis and another new candidate, James F. Habel. Read below for summaries of all the applicants so far.

Sandra Ellis
Mount Pulaski, Illinois
Current job: None listed.
Previous jobs: Superintendent, North Chicago Community Unit School District No. 187, 2005-2008; four other superintendent jobs in Illinois, 1994-99.
Education: Doctorate, educational administration and higher education, Southern Illinois University.
Application received: July 1.

James F. Habel
Point Pleasant, New Jersey
Current job: Superintendent, Wall Township School District, Wall Township, N.J., 2003-present.
Previous job: Principal, Wall Township High School, Wall Township, N.J., 1997-2003.
Education: Doctorate, educational leadership, Nova Southeastern University.
Application received: July 1.

Annette D. Knox
Englewood, New Jersey
Current job: Executive coach for principals, New Leaders for New Schools, Washington, D.C., 2007-present.
Previous jobs: Consultant, Achieve3000, Lakewood, N.J., 2006-07; Camden schools superintendent, 2001-2006.
Education: Master of Science, remedial and corrective reading, City College of New York.
Application received: June 30, 2008

Arthur W. Stellar
Taunton, Massachusetts
Current job: Superintendent, Taunton Public Schools.
Previous job: Chief education officer and vice president, Renaissance Learning, Inc., Madison, Wis., 2003-04
Education: Doctorate, education administration, Ohio University.
Application received: June 26.

Melindo A. Persi
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Current job: None listed.
Previous jobs: Interim superintendent, Brick Township, N.J., 2006-08; various superintendent and administratiave jobs in New Jersey, 1963-2006.
Education: Master’s degree, education, Rutgers University.
Application received: June 24.

Maritza D. Tamayo
Forest Hills, New York
Current job: None listed.
Previous job: Principal/assistant principal, Unity High School, New York, 1995-2007.
Education: Master’s degree, romance languages, The City Collge of New York; Professional diploma, school administration and supervision, St. John’s University.
Application received: June 23.

William R. Frank, III
Bel Air, Maryland
Current job: Special education principal, 2003-present.
Previous job: Elementary school principal with concurrent stint (1992-94) as superintendent.
Education: Master’s degree, education, Rutgers University.
Application received: June 20.

Willie C. Watts, Jr.
Akron, Ohio
Current jobs: Adjunct professor, Ashland University; education consultant; pastor; financial advisor, Primerica.
Previous job: Superintendent, Phoenix Village Academies, a group of public community schools, 2006
Education: Doctorate, educational administration, Pacific Western University; law degree, LaSalle University.
Application received: June 19.

James P. Hoover
Monaca, Pennsylvania
Current job: Chief executive officer of a distance learning charter school in Pittsburgh.
Previous job: School principal and technology coordinator, 1997-2006.
Education: Doctorate, education, University of Pittsburgh.
Application received: June 17

John J. Selch
New York, New York
Current job: Educational associate with the New York State Education Department. Previous job: President of the Science Council of New York, 2003 to 2007, and taught science in New York public schools for eight years.
Education: Post master’s work, school administration and supervision, Hunter College, City University of New York.
Application received: June 17.

Aquine Jackson
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Current job: Chief academic officer, Milwaukee Public Schools, responsible for increasing student performance and addressing the achievement gap.
Previous job: Office of Neighborhood Schools Director, Milwaukee Public Schools, responsible for adding 11,000 seats in overcrowded attendance areas.
Education: Doctorate, physical education, University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Application received: June 9.

Roy L. Higgins
Matthews, North Carolina
Current job: Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools – principal, Right Choices Boot Camp program and Alternative to Long-term Suspension School.
Previous job: Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools – hearing officer for student due process hearings.
Education: Doctorate, educational leadership, South Carolina State University.
Application received: June 5.

Michael P.  Livovich, Jr.
Crown Point, Indiana
Current job: Owner/president of a school consulting business, Partners for Educational Reform
Previous job: Hanover (Indiana) Community School Corp.   superintendent of schools.
Education: Doctorate, educational leadership, Indiana State University.
Application received: June 3.

Rebecca S. Lowry
Dayton, Ohio
Current job: Dayton Public Schools – Assistant Superintendent for Student Support Services.
Previous job: Cleveland Municipal School District – Chief Academic Officer.
Education: Doctorate, counseling/student personnel services and management, Virginia Tech.
Application received: June 3.

Henry J. Hastings
Grosse Pointe Park, Michigan
Current job: Education consultant and policy advisor.
Previous jobs: Lawyer; commercial real estate and property manager; various teaching and lecturing positions.
Education: Doctorate, education, University of Michigan; law degree from Michigan State University.
Application received: June 3.

John R. Phillips
Isle of Palms, South Carolina
Current job: Claflin University (Orangeburg, S.C.)  - Interim dean in the School of Education and Director of University/School District Partnerships and Chair of the Graduate Education Program & Clinical Practice.
Previous job: Atlanta Public Schools – Executive director, Comprehensive Systemic School Reform, responsible for reform initiatives at 21 schools.
Education: Doctorate, education, St. Louis University.
Application received: June 3.

John H. Pertner
Key West, Florida
Current job: Independent contractor for Monroe County Schools, Accountability and Assessment Department.
Previous job: Principal, Marathon High School, Marathon, Fla.
Education: Doctorate (school not specified).
Application received: June 3.

Comments

[JasonR]

Good catch by Sean O'Flannery re: Willie Watts and his questionable degree(s). Watts sure has enough part-time gigs... wonder why not full-time in education management field?

I hope we land someone more dedicated to Pinellas long-term this time.

[smallcap2000]

Willie Watts says he has a law degree from LaSalle University. I actually do have a BA from LaSalle.

LaSalle has never had a law school, although Joe Klock, the democrat Miami lawyer who represented Bush in Bush V Gore, graduated from LaSalle and University of Miamia Law.

[smallcap2000]

Willie Watts says he has a law degree from LaSalle University. I actually do have a BA from LaSalle.

LaSalle has never had a law school, although Joe Klock, the democrat Miami lawyer who represented Bush in Bush V Gore, graduated from LaSalle and University of Miamia Law.

Pinellas County Schools have enough problems without importing other districts' problems. We need someone who can manage to repair the mess that's been created during the Wilcox years.

[Timmy!]

Don't we have enough "questionable" administrators, staff and teachers without importing more?

[Hillsborough Citizen]

Well, our superintendent doesn't even have a pretend PhD.

[Sean O'Flannery]

My name is Sean O’Flannery and I’m a candidate for Pinellas County School Board District #2. After doing some research at home, I noticed that Willie Watts has a PHD from Pacific Western University (PWU). Sounds good till you find out that Pacific Western is a non-accredited school that went out of business in 2007. To read a report about PWU go to http://www.quackwatch.org/04ConsumerEducation/dm4.html .