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Hernando Today

Superintendent Cut From Field In Framingham

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By TONY MARRERO

Hernando Today

Published: January 15, 2009

BROOKSVILLE - If Superintendent Wayne Alexander leaves for a job in New England, it won't be in Framingham, Mass.

A search committee in that public school district late Tuesday narrowed a list of four semi-finalists down to three. Alexander was cut.

The seven-member committee was unanimous in the decision after a 30-minute meeting, according to The MetroWest Daily News, which covers Framingham.

None of the committee members mentioned the unusual circumstances surrounding Alexander's job search that have made headlines in Hernando County - circumstances that were reported Tuesday in the Daily News just hours before the vote.

Under the headline "Superintendent semi-finalist may not want Framingham job," the newspaper cited a Hernando Today story that recounted Alexander's letter to the school board explaining the reasons for his job search.

"Alexander is looking for a new job because of a visitation dispute surrounding his new wife and her two children, who live in Connecticut," the story said. "Alexander reportedly told the Hernando school board in a letter he sent last month that he wants to remain in Hernando County."

Alexander told the board in the letter that he needs to show the courts that he is making an effort to find a job in New England but intends to argue that no job could be an improvement on his current post.

During interviews with the committee Saturday, Alexander appeared "enthusiastic" about the opportunity, according to the Daily News story.

One of the committee members, David Miles, said he liked Alexander, according to the story. But Miles added, "Given his style (though), I don't think we need that type of style in Framingham."

Phil Dinsky, chairman of the Framingham search committee, told Hernando Today Wednesday that Alexander's circumstances and apparent contradictions weren't issues for the committee. Rather, Alexander was outgunned by applicants with "a lot more" administrative experience to lead the 8,000-student district, he said.

"We picked the three that we thought were the best for our district," Dinsky said.

Had Alexander advanced to the next round for the job that would pay between $195,000 to $215,000, "we'd get involved in that" discussion about his intentions and motivations, Dinsky said.

The other three candidates are: Watertown, Mass. Superintendent Steven Hiersche; Stephen Mills, deputy superintendent for teaching accountability and learning in Worcester, Mass.; and David Fleishman, superintendent of the Chappaqua Central School District in Chappaqua, N.Y.

Alexander said Wednesday those three candidates are "outstanding" and he wished the Framingham district well. He declined to comment on the progress of his job search.

"I continue to work diligently to meet the needs of the students," he said.

School board members have said they're satisfied so far with how Alexander is handling the issue and don't want to see him go.

Reporter Tony Marrero can be reached at 352-544-5286 or lmarrero@hernandotoday.com.

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