Direct of Manns Flashcards
Where do you currently reside?
I live at 250 Harriman Way in Poseidon, New York.
How old are you?
I’m 57 years old.
Can you briefly describe your educational background?
I attended schools in the Helios School District and graduated from Athena High School in 1985. I then earned my bachelor’s of science degree from SUNY Poseidon in 1989.
Did you graduate with any particular designation?
I graduated magna cum laude.
What did you do after graduation?
I began my educational career as a ninth-grade history teacher at my Alma Mater, Athena High School! I worked in the school district for 35 years.
Did you do anything else while teaching History at Athena High?
During the 1990s, I attended classes part-time at Cornell University, where I eventually earned my doctorate in educational administration in May of 1999.
Did you write a thesis to get your PhD?
Yes, my dissertation was titled ‘Overhauling public school funding in light of decreasing budgets and the clamour for higher student achievement.’
Were you a teacher the entire time you were employed by the school district?
No, I’d been hoping to transition from teaching to an administrative career and I eventually did.
Tell us about that (What inspired your transition to administration)?
In 2004, the assistant superintendent for finance and personnel abruptly retired, the then-superintendent urged me to apply, and I did! I was offered the position and started working as one of the district’s assistant superintendents in September of 2004.
What were your responsibilities as an assistant superintendent?
I was in charge of overseeing the district’s budget, and wow, did I see excessive spending and wasting of scarce resources. After that, I pledged to reign in some of this abuse.
Did you have any other jobs apart from teacher and administrator?
In May 2006, the superintendent who had been serving for over 35 years decided to retire, and I threw my hat in the ring.
Did you end up getting the job as superintendent?
Yes, after a rigorous application process, the Helios School Board selected me as the new Superintendent effective September 1st, 2006. And I can proudly say I loved every part of my job, but my favorite part was getting the opportunity to interact with the students and teachers.
What was your approach to the job as Superintendent?
I was largely in charge of evaluating, allocating, and finalizing the budget for the Helios School District, but a huge responsibility of my job was always in remaining effective and fair through the tasks I was assigned; and i’ve done my best to fairly distribute funds to all the schools in the district.
During your time as superintendent, what other positions did you pursue?
In 2015, a parent from Athena High School Well in 2015, a parent from Athena High school proposed that I should run for office in the Chronos Country Legislature with his financial support, and after conferring with my family, I decided to give politics a try.
And how did that go?
Thanks to the help of many devoted donors and volunteers. I was fortunate enough to win election to the Chronos County Legislature over a 20-year incumbent in 2016, and since it only demanded a part-time commitment, I continued to simultaneously serve as the superintendent of The Helios School District.
