David Grover can’t imagine a more challenging time to step onto the top administrative rung of USD 257.
With more state funding cuts in the wings, the district’s budget promises to be a challenge.
Grover, Iola High School principal, is one of four candidates seeking the district superintendent position. Board members interviewed him Monday night.
Grover has worked on the district’s administrative team as it has dealt with state aid losses of more than $2 million since August 2008 and seen enrollment decrease by 113 students. He sees that experience as crucial in preparing him to take the lead role from Dr. Craig Neuenswander, who becomes director of finance for the Kansas Department of Education on July 1.
In his fourth year as principal, Grover said his approach to solving problems was to build consensus.
“The days of the boss style of administration are over,” he said.
He commended school administrators and teachers for their dedication to district students.
“When something needs done, you don’t have to knock on a bunch of doors. People are eager to do what they can for kids.”
Grover said school finances shouldn’t be the controlling force for education.
“It can’t be the last word,” he said. “We don’t want to see a generation of kids left behind and have them remember only that they were part of the biggest recession since the Great Depression. Many teachers are willing to do extra things — come in before 7:30 in the morning and not take off all of their summer — to help kids.”
THE MAGNITUDE of the job hasn’t escaped Grover.
“We have over 1,300 kids and 250 employees,” he said. “Education is the most complex business in town,” and affects a wide swath of the population.
Grover said he admired Neuenswander’s accomplishments of the past 12 years.
“He’s squeezed blood from turnips (in funding) and continuously raised academic performance of our district,” Grover said, but noted, “I will be my own person. Education is a job that never is done. Even the best things can be improved.”
During his time at IHS, Grover has introduced a job-shadowing program, encouraged students to be more involved in community service projects and mandated that students may not go off-campus for either lunch or to attend classes at Allen County Community College.
GROVER WAS graduated from Great Bend High School in 1982 and earned a bachelor’s degree in history and education at Kansas State University four years later. He also earned a master’s degree in building administration from Emporia State University.
His first job in education was as a social science teacher and basketball coach at Golden Plains in Rexford, a town of 250 in the northwest corner of Kansas.
Two years later he trekked diagonally across the state to teach and coach at Erie. He then was at Ottawa High School 15 years, teaching seven years before becoming an assistant principal. All along he coached basketball.
When he was selected Iola High principal, his arrival was just as the floodwaters were receding in early July 2007.
“My first job here was to help wash down the football stadium,” Grover recalled with a chuckle.
“I think I have a good background, with 23 years in education in this part of the state at Erie, Ottawa and Iola,” and having been a teacher, coach and building administrator.
He and his wife, Jodi, a counselor and volleyball coach at IHS, have three sons, Micah, a fifth grader, Isaiah, eighth grade, and Ely, a sophomore.
IN ADDITION to board interviews, receptions are scheduled for each candidate to meet people from the community and district staff at 3 p.m. in the middle school music room.
Brian Biermann, middle school principal at Louisburg, will be here Wednesday; Brian Cordel, assistant principal at Nickerson-USD 309, Hutchinson, Thursday; and Brian Pekarek, superintendent of Clifton-Clyde USD 224, Friday.
