Carly Risom
News Editor
With an open spot for a NCPS Superintendent after Dr. Mary Kolek announced her resignation, the Board of Education is now looking to replace an instrumental faculty member in the school system.
Selectman Nick Williams was chairman of the search committee that selected Kolek as superintendent in 2012, after the Board of Education faced a pool of about thirty to forty candidates from all across the United States. Mr. Williams is confident that the board will once again have plenty of potential individuals for the job. “Because Dr. Kolek was the superintendent for only two years, the memories of old candidates should still be pretty fresh in the board’s minds,” he said. “There are also numerous internal candidates within the school system that could potentially take Kolek’s spot as well.”
As it sorts through applicant forms, the Board of Education takes numerous personal and professional traits into consideration. First Selectman Robert Mallozzi cited communications as one of the largest factors in contributing to an effective superintendent. “It is vital that the person who is at the forefront of our school system can maintain a good connection between students and themselves,” Mr. Mallozzi said. “They also have to be a people person; their job requires discussing sensitive topics such as the placement of policemen and the school’s budget.”
Like any school system, NCPS relies heavily on statistics. Mr. Williams noted one of Dr. Kolek’s best attributes as her ability to analyze data patterns. “Dr. Kolek is very data-driven, and was able to compile, as well as understand, the statistics she was looking at,” Mr. Williams said. “For instance, she would look at trends like the difference between reading skills among thirteen year-old boys and girls, and easily identify any issues.”
From a financial standpoint, Mr. Mallozzi recognizes the superintendent’s responsibility regarding budgets and funds. “A superintendent has to have the financial skill-set to understand and present school funding,” Mr. Mallozzi said. “Dr. Kolek impressed us when we had to make budget cuts within the Board of Education; she really dove deeper into our finances.”
Besides being comfortable with working with the system’s financial management, the superintendent must also have had a significant amount of experience in the educational field. According to Mr. Mallozzi, it is essential that the candidate has been a leader previously, particularly “within the formulation of curriculum, as well as experience as a leader of a large school or entire system.”
Mr. Mallozzi also asserted that a potential superintendent must be willing to promote technology, as the system continues to work towards integrating technological devices into everyday classes. Dr. Mary Kolek agreed, “A keen interest in how technology can be used to create next generation learning opportunities for students and staff would be critical at this time,” she said.
While reflecting upon her two year experience as superintendent of NCPS, Dr. Kolek also highly regards the personal relationships she built with individuals she worked with, as well as individuals within the community. “It is important to listen and take time for people to get to know you as superintendent; even if they know you in some other capacity,” Superintendent Kolek said. “ When you take on new role, take time to learn about what each of your leaders across stakeholder groups are working on and how they all see the pieces that serve the system fitting together.”
From personal experience, Dr. Kolek considers some of the crucial traits of a superintendent applicant as the ability to continue one’s own education while improving those of the students within the system. “It is important that a superintendent has a love for learning and a growth mindset, as well as intellectual curiosity,” Dr. Kolek said. “They need to be an innovative, creative thinker, and a problem solver.”
On the topic of Dr. Kolek’s time in the NCPS systems, Mr. Williams entitled Kolek as “the cream of the crop,” and noted that it will be difficult to find an eligible replacement. “New Canaan Public Schools may not only be one of the best school systems in the state, but the country as a whole,” he said. “The only way to get ahead is to do do something that has never been done.”
