Editor’s note: This op-ed is by award-winning journalist Telly Halkias. It first appeared in the Bennington Banner.
About a decade ago, the appearance of several inconspicuous road signs at Bennington’s gateways caused something of an uproar. No one serving on the town’s boards or committees seemed privy to their approval or installation.
The tableaus read: “The Schools of Bennington: Striving for Excellence.” It was a positive, symbolic message meant to uplift a long-beleaguered school system. Town Manager Stuart Hurd came forward and claimed the brainchild, emphasizing his desire to send the community affirmation regarding the educational potential of its children.
This week, the Southwest Vermont Supervisory Union also took such a step — albeit far from symbolic — when announcing the hiring of new middle school principal Timothy Payne. He will take over his new duties this summer, when longtime educator Warren Roaf retires after 35 years of service.
Past the benefits to the middle school, bringing in Mr. Payne, 43, gets the SVSU back on track to potentially grow one of its own into a future executive. That doesn’t make it a goal of Mr. Payne’s, or suggest that current Superintendent Catherine McClure isn’t performing. It simply means with regard to leadership development, good organizations always think ahead.
In this case, strong young talent that got away came back to the fold after seasoning elsewhere. That doesn’t happen very often.
For all the criticism heaped on local boards of education, this move must be applauded. Mr. Payne, a former Mount Anthony Union High School history teacher, has children of his own in the SVSU and is closing out his tour as a principal in one of the region’s top school systems, Mount Greylock, in Massachusetts.
Experience with a different demographic broadened his educational view and honed his management style to a prudent edge. Already, Mr. Payne is saying the right things about taking time to observe before jumping into the change-and-reform fray. It suggests a maturity gained from his Greylock tenure that no graduate degree or certification can teach.
Bringing that vision home to Vermont is a coup for locals. In a state where so many gifted young people leave for reasons too long to address here, Mr. Payne’s willingness to depart a highly desired job for a different type of challenge — some call it thankless — speaks volumes of his confidence and character.
But before everyone sings hosannas, a history teacher such as Mr. Payne would appreciate the following retrospective: Another homegrown educator, former MAUMS principal and SVSU assistant superintendent David Adams, was long considered a natural choice to lead area schools.
As such, Mr. Adams had supporters and detractors. For whatever reason — they don’t matter now — he left the area years ago to become superintendent of the Windsor Southwest Supervisory Union, and is poised to assume the mantle of the Addison Northeast Supervisory Union this summer. While it’s hard to look back and claim Mr. Adams’ departure was the SVSU’s loss, reports from the north this past decade confirm it was someone else’s gain.
To be clear, no one is saying Mr. Payne has any of those aspirations, nor should they. But as it looks ahead strategically, the SVSU can’t afford to lose someone with his talent, energy and experience. So kudos for landing him. As his performance evolves and dictates, retaining him should be a priority.
Mr. Payne took an opening at Greylock, and seems to have grown as a result. Now he is back, to a place he never quite left, and will give it his best. The middle school is the area’s newest facility, and he’ll be working with an age group and demographics that present even bigger challenges than the elementary or high school level: tweeners who will either gain traction or lose their way.
In this endeavor, Mr. Payne must be prepared to make some enemies, even of former friends and allies, despite his best intentions. It comes with the territory: In a small bowl, he will be one big fish.
So during Tim Payne’s honeymoon, maybe everyone can get just let him be. He seems capable of the task at hand, and without getting ahead of anything, perhaps even greater responsibility on the distant horizon. Time will tell. As long as no one goes the route of Stu Hurd’s traffic signs, and somehow manages to stir up something negative from a positive.
