WTI may get new director today

If the School Board accepts the recommendation of Superintendent Pete Kelly, Steven C. Hand is expected to start work on Wednesday.

By BARBARA BEHRENDT

© St. Petersburg Times, published July 11, 2000

INVERNESS -- Superintendent Pete Kelly will recommend today that Steven C. Hand, a longtime vocational education administrator with experience in several Florida school districts, become director of Withlacoochee Technical Institute.

If the School Board accepts that recommendation at today's meeting, Hand is expected to start work Wednesday. "Everything that we've got on him is that he is one of the most knowledgeable people about vocational education around the state," Kelly said Monday. "He will be an instrument of change and he works well with community colleges."

Those are key qualities for Kelly, who earlier this summer announced that he would not reappoint Steve Kinard to the director's job that he has held since 1985. Kelly has said he needed someone in the position who would take the institute in a new direction.

Kinard had publicly opposed Kelly's plan to create a charter technical school at Withlacoochee with Central Florida Community College. The School Board ultimately turned down the charter idea because there were too many unanswered questions about the proposal. Shortly after that vote, Kelly told Kinard he would not be reappointed.

Kinard also suffered reprimands and a 20-day suspension without pay during the past two years for violations of school policy.

Kelly said he and Hand met last week to discuss Withlacoochee and what needs to happen there. "His view of things and my view of things are the same. His concern is that we need to change the image of WTI," Kelly said. "He's aware of what's been going on there."

Hand, 55, has worked for the Lake County school district since 1995. Most recently he has served as campus administrator for AP Lee Adult Education Center and countywide extension adult education programs.

Previously, Hand served for three years as director of the Lake County Area Vocational-Technical Center and, before that, director of the St. Augustine Technical Center.

He earned his associate degree from Chipola Junior College, his bachelor of science in social studies education at Florida State University and his master of education in administration from the University of North Florida.

Before working in vocational schools, Hand was a teacher in Gulf, Leon and St. Johns county schools, including working as a part-time firearms instructor for St. Augustine Technical Center law enforcement academy. He has his law enforcement certificate, which he needed to work as a reserve deputy for the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office.

Hand's resume includes other education-related activities, including work on a statewide community college and Department of Education committee to develop coordination plans between vocational centers and community colleges.

Hand could not be reached for comment Monday, but in his cover letter to the Citrus school district, he outlined how his work in all facets of vocational schools, including business and support departments, would help him.

Kelly said the district's search committee unanimously recommended Hand from among the four qualified applicants. A check of references, which had delayed his appointment for the last week, was completed several days ago.

Because Kinard is a tenured educator with the school district, he is guaranteed a job even though he will no longer be Withlacoochee's director. Kelly said Kinard moved himself into the job of school recruiter, a key position because Kelly and the School Board have emphasized the need to do a better job pulling high school students into institute programs.

One of Hand's first jobs will be to discuss the recruiter role with Kinard, Kelly said. Hand also will choose one of his three assistant directors soon.

Kelly already has issued Hand his first big challenge: Cut $25,000 from the school's budget. Those cuts are a part of the district's efforts to balance the proposed budget for the coming year.

Kelly chuckled about the welcoming gift.

"You've got to see what people are made of," he said.

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