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Out with Sanders, in with Tellone
By ROBERT KING, Times Staff Writer The year 2001 may prove to be a watershed for Hernando County schools because of the change that took place in the superintendent's office. John Sanders, who seemed to have grown comfortable in the job after six years in office, applied in May for the superintendent's job in Lee County. He said it was a chance for more money in a bigger district that would put him near friends in the Fort Myers area. By mid July, it looked as though Sanders' bid might come back to bite him. The Lee County School Board chose someone else. And though Sanders quickly pledged to stay in Hernando County, no matter what, School Board members weren't pleased that their man had cast a lean and hungry look elsewhere. There was even talk they might not extend his contract beyond 2002. But Sanders caught a lifeline when Lee County's first choice backed out. Soon he was driving a hard bargain on a contract worth close to $166,000, plus a rich benefits package. He made $97,000 in Hernando County. Before the ink had dried on Sanders' contract, a push arose to make veteran administrator Wendy Tellone his successor. Tellone, 50, had spent half her life working in the district as a teacher, principal and district level administrator. But the School Board was divided on the issue. Members Gail Coleman and Sandra Nicholson questioned Tellone's abilities and asked for a broad search for superintendent candidates. Their wishes were cast aside by Jim Malcolm, John Druzbick and Robert Wiggins, who said Tellone was well qualified and a search probably wouldn't yield a better candidate. Tellone won the job on a 3-2 vote and, by the same margin, a two-year contract worth $90,000 a year plus a benefits package that included an $800-per-month car allowance. Tellone became the interim superintendent on Sept. 4, six years to the week after John Sanders took office, and was officially sworn in on Sept. 18. She spent her first two months in office touring the county, talking to staffers about the district's needs. By December, Tellone had gained the board's approval for a plan to reorganize her administration and trim costs, with a promise of more changes to come.
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From today's Hernando Times |
