News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
The Sisters School Board has selected Steve Swisher of Cottage Grove, Oregon, as Sisters' new superintendent of schools. Swisher will take over from retiring superintendent Judy May on July 1.
Swisher served as superintendent of South Lane schools for four years from 1990-94. Prior to that he was assistant superintendent at Eagle Point. He is currently Director of Apprenticeship and Training for the Bureau of Labor & Industries in Portland.
Board chairman Bill Reed said Swisher offered experience with tough decisions and skills at bringing together staff and community in planning for the future.
South Lane (which includes Cottage Grove) was one of six pilot districts for implementation of Oregon Education for the 21st Century Act guidelines.
"We were attracted to him by what he achieved in Cottage Grove with strategic planning," Reed said.
Swisher involved 350 people in creating a five-year strategic plan for South Lane schools that addressed issues ranging from building needs to curriculum.
"He probably has as much experience with Oregon school reform as anyone in the state," Reed said.
Swisher, who was raised in Klamath Falls, said he wanted to come to Sisters for the outdoor lifestyle he and his wife enjoy and for the opportunities inherent in a relatively new school district.
Swisher told The Nugget that his first priority is a smooth transition into the superintendent's job. During the transition period and after he takes the reins in July, Swisher plans to delve into "a real good assessment" of the district's needs, ranging from student needs to building requirements.
That assessment will provide the basis for strategic planning.
"What's important is not to lose the good work that's been done," Swisher said. "Good planning gives you the framework to make good decisions."
Faced with rapid growth and full buildings, within two to three years the district will have to decide whether to build a new middle school or move into year-round education -- or to accept larger and larger class sizes.
Swisher said he sees some real educational benefits in YRE, which can help students retain learning that is lost over long vacations.
"We may need to do year-round school for the sake of the curriculum," Swisher said. "The best way to do year-round education is not when you're faced with being full in your building" but in order to improve education he said.
Swisher believes that community education and involvement is crucial to making decisions about issues like YRE.
The school board cited Swisher's experience in dealing with tough budget decisions. He has faced the kind of fiscal troubles that plague many Oregon districts -- problems that loom on the horizon for Sisters schools.
"He has experience with budget cuts and shortfalls which I fear we may be headed for," Reed said.
The board worries that tightening budgets may lead to cutting programs. Co-curricular programs may have to fight to survive.
Swisher said he believes that even if funding has to be cut for some programs the schools need to "give some of those programs the option of staying alive."
That may mean seeking outside funding and increasing pay-to-play fees, but, Swisher said, the programs should have a chance to save themselves.
Swisher said that when South Lane schools faced $9 million in budget cuts, the schools did not fund any co-curricular programs. The district provided seed money for a foundation to create ongoing funds and raised fees.
The programs suffered, Swisher said, but they survived.
"(The sports teams) are still playing 4A," he said.
Swisher said he and his wife are selling their house in Cottage Grove and will soon start looking for a home in Sisters. The school board expects the new superintendent will fit right in to the life of the town.
Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.
Reader Comments(0)