Thursday, May 13, 1999
Griffin's successor likely to be named today
CPS had interviews with four possibles
BY DANA DiFILIPPO
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Cincinnati Board of Education members are expected to pick a successor today for Virginia Griffin, who resigned unexpectedly last month after 32 years on the board.
The board interviewed four candidates Wednesday afternoon to finish Mrs. Griffin's term, which ends in December.
Candidates are:
• Florence Newell, 55, a Roselawn resident and associate professor at the University of Cincinnati's College of Education. Ms. Newell coordinated the Cincinnati Initiative for Teacher Education, a partnership between CPS and the University of Cincinnati to train college students to become better teachers. She also taught in Blue Ash and Sycamore schools for a combined 13 years and has numerous volunteer posts in CPS schools and community groups.
• Rick Williams, 43, of North Avondale, a management consultant for Neighborhood Reinvestment Corp. He served on CPS facilities advisory committee, which plotted rehabilitation of school buildings, and volunteers at Douglass Elementary.
He listed low student achievement as the district's main challenge.
• John Kruse, 30, of Hyde Park, who works for Sun Microsystems, ran unsuccessfully for City Council in 1993 and 1995 and won a lawsuit last year challenging the city's campaign financing limits law. He also has taught math and business technologies at Cincinnati State Technical and Community College and UC.
The district must address shrinking enrollment, crumbling buildings and poor test scores in order to beat the competition offered by private schools and charter schools, he said.
• Louis Buschle, 54, a Columbia-Tusculum resident and accountant who served on the Forest Hills school board for 10 years. He also is former president and board member of the FreeStore/FoodBank, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and Hyde Park Country Club.
Becoming better than the charter schools, private schools and suburban districts that compete for CPS students is key to CPS survival, he said. He also listed funding and safety as priorities.
Ms. Newell and Mr. Williams plan to run for a board seat in November regardless of whether they are appointed today. Mr. Kruse and Mr. Buschle said they would investigate the feasibility of a November run.
Today's 4:30 p.m. meeting will be at district headquarters, 2651 Burnet Ave., Corryville.
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