PRESENTATION TO WASHINGTON COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD FROM RISING TO LEARN
Tuesday, March 17, 2026
Hello, Mr. Evans, Dr. Sovine and Board members. As you know, I am Roger Stenersen, speaking on behalf of Rising to Learn, a nonprofit organization which follows the actions of the Board of Education and reports them to the public. Members of the public are invited to join with us by navigating to our website at RisingtoLearn.com. Tonight I ask for transparency as you approach the most important task you were elected to perform: the selection of a superintendent.
In 2022, at the time of Dr. Sovine’s hiring, several of you board members objected to or abstained from the vote to hire him due to concerns regarding the process used to select the new superintendent and also his salary package. On behalf of WCPS stakeholders, I ask you tonight to identify what exactly is this Board’s plan and process for finding a leader of excellence at a reasonable cost to replace the leader you are unable to retain? Budget pressures are certainly no less today than what they were in 2022. Specifically, what is this Board’s plan to identify, hire and provide the school system with an excellent leader?
To remind and guide you, here’s what was reported in a Herald-Mail article dated June 22, 2022, regarding Board member votes in hiring Dr. Sovine:
Mr. Guessford “mentioned concerns about the contract when another teacher or other staff could have been hired, that he felt rushed to pick a superintendent with a July 1 deadline, and that he struggled with a national search that only produced five candidates from within a 50-mile radius. He said he thought the school system, which had two internal candidates for the position, "missed our mark on growing our own."
Mr. Evans also said he felt rushed and that the contract was a "little bit rich," noting the school board hasn't been able to give teachers the raise they've wanted in some time. He also said it was a "huge red flag" when he received a couple comments from stakeholders that they weren't able to ask their own questions during stakeholder group interviews with the two finalists. Mr. Evans said his no vote mainly expressed his disappointment with the process.
Dr. Zentmeyer said she believes developing talent within the system is the best hiring practice and that is why she was against a national search for a superintendent. She said she was impressed with Dr. Sovine, and when he confided he walked and prayed at 4 a.m., "her vote was secured." But there was a hiccup with a contract counteroffer. "For me, it is not about the measure of the man, but spending money you don't have," she said.”
So, it seems there were reservations about a rushed process in 2022; accordingly, I ask that you please tell us, with approximately ninety days remaining until you are required by law to have a superintendent hired, what you are doing to avoid a rushed search process for replacing the superintendent, to include the public in your decision, and to find, interview and hire the best possible successor for Dr. Sovine. Surely, based on your criticism of what happened in 2022, you have a plan to research and make it possible for WCPS to have the best possible applicants for the position of superintendent.