STEM is almost to the finish line after a long and inclusive process to name the next Executive Director for our flagship school. The final three candidates spent almost two hours answering questions from students, staff and parents on Friday. This is the final step in collecting feedback from our stakeholders and seeing how the candidates answered your most important questions.
All three final candidates are exceptional school leaders and could each fulfill the role with dedication and skill. The three are: our current high school director, Ryan Alsup, our current K-5 director, LynAnn Kovalesky, and former K-12 director, Leanne Weyman. All three are dedicated parents and understand the complexities of leading one of the best schools in Colorado and the USA.
It would be my honor to work with each one of these exceptional leaders. What will distinguish the selected candidate? STEM’s Mission and Vision. Leading at STEM requires a fundamental belief in the unlimited potential of every student. Our brand distinguisher is the Problem-Based Learning model- open-ended problem solving while mastering the content and the latest technology. The arts are a fundamental component of the STEM curriculum. Our students have it all and thrive.
I have reflected many times in past newsletters on how other schools manage students and call it good while we unlock talents at STEM to solve the world’s most challenging problems. Our students are empowered to lead wherever and whatever their post-secondary plans might be.
After three very hard years, our extraordinary teachers and staff have voiced their needs. Caring for dedicated staff has long been a priority and one of the pillars of our strategic plan. The selected Executive Director will continue the positive improvements to STEM’s culture.
As the team has already shared with me, the data from all of our stakeholder groups prior to Friday’s “Meet the Candidates” event indicated that our entire community was divided among the three candidates, making for a very tough decision. As I weigh the last data, I know that two-thirds of our community will not have the candidate of their choice as the next Executive Director.
I sincerely request that we can all get behind the selected leader and support their success to continue STEM’s ascent as the premier school in Colorado. Each of the three deserves our united support to allow them to thrive and reach their potential at STEM.
Ramadan Kareem to our families who observe Ramadan,
P.J. Eucker PhD