Archive: Around Town

Before Monday night's Board of Education (BOE) meeting could begin Dan Brown had an amendment to the agenda. "Take 'Interim' out 'Recommendation of Interim Superintendent of Schools,'" he suggested. Indeed Lansing's new Superintendent Mark S. Lewis has been on the job for a week since he began on Thursday, January 5th. Monday he made his first report to the Board.

Lewis has unofficially worked with the board and Interim Superintendent Tiffany Phillips over the past three months, getting up to speed, and participating in the Capital Project work. Last month the BOE held a reception in the Middle School to allow residents, faculty and staff to meet the new Superintendent. "It was an honor for me to be able to share my activities," he told the Board, "but in the next breath to be able to interact with parents and students and staff members about the status of education in the Lansing School District and where we're going from here. There's only one way and that's to continue moving forward."

Lewis hit the ground running. The evening before his first official day he met with the health Advisory Committee. "It was a great ice breaker," he said. The next day was the first Ad Hoc Facilities Committee meeting of district taxpayers who are learning about the upcoming capital project and providing feedback the BOE will use in presenting the project to the public.

"I was very pleased at the number of community members who turned out for that meeting," reported Lewis. "The questions that were asked... I thank the members of the administrative team and the design team for being here in force. The articulate way in which you outlined the needs and the solutions to those needs. The questions that were posed by the community were questions that we need to record to make sure we factor them into the communication initiative going forward."

Saturday Lewis meets with State Senator Michael Nozzolio, and he is initiating the budget process for 2006-2007. "There is a lot on our plate right now," he told the Board. "One thing has been expressed to me from the time I walked into the High School for my first interview, and that is the importance of face to face interaction and my presence in the community. So despite the number of committee meetings that Superintendents are expected to attend, that will go forward as well. That is just as important."

Lewis concluded his report by thanking the board for their warm welcome. "I want to thank all of you here this evening and those who are not here for really making me feel welcome as a member of the Lansing community."

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