Meet the Candidates

School Administrator, Jan, 1999

Seven members vie for AASA officer, board positions

Four AASA members are candidates for the association's president-elect position and three others are seeking to fill the two seats on the Executive Committee.

Voting among AASA members will take place by mail immediately following the 1999 National Conference on Education, Feb. 19-22, in New Orleans. Candidates will make formal statements during campaign events at the conference to present their views on education and the association's leadership.

Election results will be posted at AASA Online (www.aasa.org) on March 5.

A runoff election for the presidential berth will be conducted by mail ballot in mid-March if none of the four candidates receives at least 50 percent of the votes. Those results will be available at AASA Online on April 1.

Mini-profiles of the candidates follow.

Candidates for Executive Committee

BARBARA ERWIN

Currently: Superintendent, Allen Independent School District, Allen, Texas

Previous job: Superintendent, Tipton Community Schools, Tipton, Ind.

Age: 48

Spouse's name: David Erwin

Children's names and ages: Will, 14; Jon, 13

Academic degrees: B.S., Indiana University; MS., Purdue University; Ed.D. Indiana University

Favorite subject: Philosophy AASA member: 9 years

Greatest value of AASA membership: Provides a network of mentors--those with courage and vision!

Best professional day: I hope my best day is yet to come. I consider myself a work in progress.

Toughest decision in last year: Any decisions I make that relate to individual students, but on a global level the redistricting of attendance boundaries.

Recommended book: The Winner Within by Pat Riley

JOHN W. JORDAN

Currently: Superintendent, Oxford Public School District, Oxford, Miss.

Previous job: Assistant superintendent for human resources, Jackson Public School District, Jackson, Miss.

Age: 46

Spouse's name: Lou Salvo Jordan

Children's names and ages: Jody, 27; Kelli, 24; Allie, 8

Academic degrees: B.S., M.A., and Ed.D., Mississippi State University

Favorite subject: Statistics AASA member: 12 years

Greatest value of AASA membership: Active political lobbying by the staff of the organization on behalf of the membership's beliefs as outlined in the platform and resolutions.

Best professional day: Notification by a research-based public school support organization affiliated with Mississippi State University that our district was ranked No. 1 in Mississippi based on academic achievement and state accreditation level.

Toughest decision in past year: My recommendation to the board of trustees that laid out a procedure to expel repeat offenders of the district's discipline code.

Recommended book: Emotional Intelligence, by Daniel Goleman

JOHN LAWRENCE

Currently: Superintendent, Lincoln County RIII School District, Troy, Mo.

Previous job: Superintendent, Schuyler R-I School District, Lancaster, Mo.

Age: 47

Spouse's name: Lou Ann Lawrence

Child's name and age: Sarah, 19

Academic degrees: B.S.E., M.A., Northeast Missouri State University; Ed.D., University of Missouri, Columbia

Favorite subject: Public school law AASA member: 10 years

Greatest value of AASA membership: Collegiality. Even in the best situations, educational leadership can be lonely and isolated. AASA provides friendships and affiliations that counsel and assure educators during the more difficult moments.

Best professional day: The recent opening day of our new high school, which captures the technological requirements of the 21* century and reflects an architectural design representative of a changing society and economy.

Toughest decision in past year: To systematically reduce class size. While students will be the benefactors, the rate of compensation increases for staff members will be decelerated. Even so, a majority of teachers supported the decision.

Recommended book: The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, by Stephen R. Covey

Candidates for President-Elect

BENJAMIN O. CANADA

Currently: Superintendent, Portland Public Schools, Portland, Ore.

Previous job: Superintendent, Atlanta Public Schools, Atlanta, Ga.

Age: 55

Spouse's name: Doris Canada

Children's names and ages: Julie, 23; Christina, 20

Academic degrees: B.A., Southern University; M.Ed., University of Washington; Ph.D., University of Texas at Austin

Favorite subjects: Music and science

AASA member: 18 years

Greatest value of AASA membership: It provides me with the greatest resource of colleagues who can be accessed to brainstorm on solutions to problems.

Best professional day: I look forward to the opportunities that each new dawn brings forth to improve teaching and learning for all children.

Toughest decision in past year: Which writing method to emphasize: Italic or D'Nelian? I've received more correspondence on an issue only once in my 28 years of administrative experience.

Recommended book: Wake-Up Calls, by Eric Allenbaugh

DON W. HOOPER

Currently: Superintendent, Fort Bend Independent School District, Sugar Land, Texas

Previous job: Superintendent, Galena Park Independent School District, Galena Park, Texas