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Potential Schools Boss To Meet With Those Who Nixed Pick

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By STEVEN GIRARDI | The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 11, 2008

  Alberto Carhalvo

LARGO - School board members are in a wait-and-see mode while Alberto M. Carvalho decides whether to take the Pinellas County superintendent job or remain in Miami-Dade County.

Carvalho, who was offered the Miami-Dade superintendent job Wednesday hours after Pinellas offered him a job, said he would make a decision within 72 hours.

"Miami is a tough job. One of the toughest," Pinellas board member Janet Clark said today. "I'm hoping we're going to end up on the right side of this."

Clark was among four board members who voted to enter contract negotiations with Carvalho on Wednesday.

But she said Carvalho's decision might rest with the three board members who voted against him. Carvalho has asked to meet with them, perhaps as soon as today, she said.

"As far as I know, it all hinges on their responses," Clark said. "I can't blame him. I think he does need to find out if there's going to be support for him here."

Carvalho, 43, the associate superintendent in Miami-Dade, was in meetings today and not immediately available for comment, according to his office.

Linda Lerner, who voted against Carvalho, said that after a four-month hiring process she is not interested in meeting again.

"We had a process. It was a very fair process," Lerner said. "It's not part of the process to start talking to any candidate again."

"He did say his heart was in Miami. I hope he takes the job there," she said.

Lerner and board members Peggy O'Shea and Mary Brown voted to hire interim superintendent Julie Janssen, a 38-year employee of the district who was a teacher and principal before becoming deputy superintendent.

O'Shea and Brown could not be reached today.

The board chose Carvalho over Janssen, 59, and Nicholas Gledich, 55, chief operations officer for Orange County public schools.

Should Cavalho stay in Miami, the two might have another chance, although board members would have to decide how to proceed. Board member Carol Cook said Gledich is a candidate for the Manatee County superintendent's job.

Janssen was a popular choice with some community groups, the Pinellas Classroom Teachers Association and the PTA. Some had warned that going outside the district to hire would be a gamble and the person might be leave sooner.

"I think there will be a lot of, 'I told you so's,' " if Carvalho remains in Miami, Clark said. "But that's life."

Cook said she was not troubled about Carvalho taking more time to decide.

"I would hope someone would afford me that option. These are life-changing choices," she said.

Clark and Cook said they knew Carvalho was popular in Miami-Dade and a potential candidate to replace Superintendent Rudy Crew. Carvalho began as a high school teacher in the district in 1990 and moved quickly through the administration.

When Crew offered his resignation Wednesday at the Miami-Dade board meeting, members moved immediately to offer Carvalho the job.

"With Rudy Crew walking out, that all fell into his lap," Cook said.

"I feel sorry we couldn't support him as an entire board. He truly is a good choice for our district," Clark said. "We just have to wait and see.''

Pinellas, the 23rd largest school district in the country with a $1.5 billion budget, has offered $200,000 to $240,000 a year for the superintendent job.

Miami-Dade is the fourth-largest school district in the nation, serving about 340,000 pupils. Salary was not discussed Wednesday, though Crew was making more than $300,000 with about $100,000 in benefits.

Reporter Steven Girardi may be reached at (727) 451-2333 or at sgirardi@tampartrib.com.

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