On Friday the public had a chance to meet and pose questions to the three top superintendent candidates at Ferguson-Florissant School District: Kim Dyce Faucette, Art McCoy II and Michael Munoz.
Student demographics in the district are 79.7 percent black, 18.1 percent white and 1.3 percent Hispanic, according to Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education data.
The district’s current superintendent, Jeff Spiegel, will retire at the end of the school year.
Kim Dyce Faucette
Kim Dyce Faucette is chief of staff at Rochester City School District in Rochester, New York.
Kim Dyce Faucette holds a doctorate in educational administration, a master’s degree in educational administration and education, and a bachelor’s degree in political science, all from the University of Rochester.
“I am truly blessed to be in a profession that, without a doubt, I know that God put me here to do this work,” Dyce Faucette said during a forum held in the board room at the district office.
“Education is fun. I love the students that I work with, and I believe that our kids deserve people standing before them who have a passion for what the work is and truly believe that they can fulfill all of their dreams.”
Art McCoy II
Art McCoy II is assistant superintendent of secondary education at Ferguson-Florissant School District.
McCoy earned his doctorate and master’s in education and leadership at the University of Missouri – St. Louis and a bachelor’s degree from Harris-Stowe State University. He is also the president and founder of Sages Consulting & Professional Development.
“I love this district, and I am a product of the North County area – I am you. We are family, and I am vested in making sure that, as a family, we get along and we do our best and that we accomplish the goals that we know we are capable of accomplishing,” McCoy said at the forum.
“This district is a beacon of light and hope for the entire St. Louis region, the entire state and the entire country. We are the only district that is accredited with a population of minority students that we have, which is about 80 percent. Every other district in the state is unaccredited with the same population of minority students that we have.”
Michael Munoz
Michael Munoz is the chief academic officer of Des Moines Public Schools in Des Moines, Iowa.
Born and raised in Lexington, Nebraska, Mr. Munoz earned his bachelor’s degree in secondary education from the University of Nebraska, a master’s degree in Developmental Counseling and administrative degree from Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, and specialist degree from Iowa State University. He, has spent his thirty-two years in education and prior to his appointment as chief academic officer, Mr. Munoz served as regional executive director for the northeast region of Des Moines Public Schools.
“I think I have the skills and experience to move this district forward. You have a lot of great things going on in the district. Students should be very fortunate to have the opportunities that they do have currently,” Munoz said at the forum.
“Until we are 100 percent proficient and we’re being perfect at meeting every child’s needs every day, every year – we have to continue to look at ways of getting better as a district, as a building and as individuals.”
Ray and Associations led the candidate search. Out of 162 inquiries and 49 completed applications, 20 candidates from eight states were interviewed and eight were recommended to the school board for review.
The school board interviewed five applicants and presented the top three to constituents in three open sessions at three district locations on Friday, Nov. 19.
Questions were read from index cards, and participants gave their own thoughts on each candidate’s strengths, weaknesses, personal qualities, competence, leadership and professionalism through interview feedback forms turned in after each presentation.
“After the last session, we are going to go through all of the inputs and really hope that one of the three will come to the top,” board president Les Lentz said.
The first of the three forums was heavily attended by administrators and staff with a sprinkling of students.
Candidates were asked about teacher tenure, the gifted program, support of early childhood education and Parents As Teachers, bullying, increasing morale, improving test scores and whether suspended students should be allowed to go to another district school during suspension.
Being an advocate for the district and publicizing its positive attributes were other community concerns.
District resident Emily Byrne’s son attended district schools. Although she reserved comment on the candidate she favored, Byrne is an involved resident who is ready to work with the new superintendent to improve the district and the community.
“Each would bring something special to the district and take us from where we are further down that road on behalf of the students, and that’s the bottom line,” Byrne said.
“They all have said it, some more direct than others, but it’s about the students and it’s for the students and we as a community, individually and collectively. We need to come together for our students so we all can succeed at our greatest potential.”
Whoever is chosen as the new superintendent will inherit a district which encompasses 92-square miles and includes three high schools, three middle schools, 17 elementary schools and nearly 12,000 students.
Ferguson-Florissant School District employs nearly 2000 personnel and spans 11 municipalities in North St. Louis County.
Adequate Yearly Progress figures for the past two school years show the district met standards for attendance and graduation, but not for proficiency targets for communication arts and mathematics. Several schools are in some stage of school improvement due to low test scores.
An announcement on the superintendent selection is expected by December.
“Our goal is to select the right person to build on Ferguson-Florissant’s successful history,” Lentz said. “The school board is confident that we will identify the right leader for our students, our employees and the communities we serve.”