EudoraNews.com

The resignation this week of Eudora School Superintendent Dave Winans likely came as no surprise to those who have been following school district business over the past couple of weeks.

Winans and board members clashed over the school budget last week, when the board rejected Winans' first budget draft. It was clear at the meeting that the two sides seemed to be heading in different directions.

Winans was wise to step down. A poor relationship between a superintendent and a school board will eventually find its way into a classroom, be it in the form of budget problems, policy problems or just general chaos.

Now the district begins the process of rebuilding again.

A year ago, Dan Bloom's brash management style collided with the staff, the board and parents. Now, it appears Winan's management style was unacceptable as well to the board. Perhaps the third time is a charm. Of course, Winans was the third choice last year when the board was hiring, so maybe that is a lesson in itself.

The board is expected to appoint Eudora High School Principal Marty Kobza interim superintendent until the position can be filled permanently.

We have some advice for the board: don't settle for your second or third choice this time around. If Winans was indeed a bad fit, board members should take another look at its hiring procedure. He was after all chosen by them. They must accept some of the responsibility for the fact that it was a bad decision.

If we have learned anything from Winans' brief tenure, it is the importance of finding someone who will take the district in the direction the board and school patrons want it to go.

Kobza knows Eudora schools well and we believe he's capable of getting the district through this tough time. He may be the best one to fill the position permanently. Only time will tell.

In the mean time, we encourage him to immerse himself in the job. Find out the true status of the school district. If it's not in a crisis, what is the state of the district?