Doing More With Less

Richard Zimman:

"What should be the top priority for Ripon's next superintendent?" was this newspaper's readers' poll question in late-February.

Teaching is a people business, and the most significant school-based influence on the quality of a child's education is the classroom teacher. With so many retirements occurring these days as boomers are leaving their teaching jobs, did the readers choose hiring quality staff as the top priority?

Or were readers concerned about the numerous curriculum changes being required by the state as Wisconsin schools convert to the concepts of the Common Core and 21st century learning skills in order to prepare college and career ready graduates?

With our middle school facility approaching its 75th birthday and the building showing obvious strains as we try to prepare today's students with a building designed for a 1930's world, did readers rank updating our facilities the highest priority?

Sadly, those three priorities collected only twenty-five percent of the votes while another priority garnered three-quarters of the votes. What, you may ask, was so important that it won in a landslide against the aforementioned three priorities which are staring us in the face like a tidal wave on the horizon?

Much more on retiring Ripon Superintendent Richard Zimman, here.

Posted by Jim Zellmer at March 21, 2013 4:02 AM
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