The Niles Star

NHS grad, Ind. principal interviewed for superintendent job

By AARON MUELLER
Niles Daily Star

It was a homecoming for Tina Templin, the fourth candidate to be interviewed for the Niles Community Schools superintendent position.

Templin, a 1976 Niles Senior High School grad and the superintendent of DeWitt Public Schools, played on her knowledge and love of the community early and often in an interview with the Niles school board Tuesday night at the Westside Administration Building.

“I’m very proud to have been a Viking,” she said. “It’s a fantastic district. It’s an opportunity for me to come home… It means a lot to me to give back to the community I grew up in.”
Templin said her leadership style is one that “brings everyone on board.”

“I believe to surround yourself with talented people, build on the strength of all those people, you come up with solutions that are sound,” she said.

Similar to the other three candidates interviewed before her, Templin said the most pressing issue for the Niles district is finances. She said cuts need to be made without affecting student programs.

“I know the board is between a rock and a hard place trying to balance the budget while still maintaining those programs the community values,” she said. “No one wants to take away foreign language programs, our art programs, our theater programs.”

She cited an example when she found a way to avoid cutting five elementary school teachers in her district.

Templin said she was also drawn to Niles due to its strong curriculum program.

“Curriculum is a strong interest of mine,” she said. “It would be something I wouldn’t change but would be protected at all costs.”

When asked questions about working with political leaders, the candidate highlighted her experience in meeting with legislators at the capitol and fighting for funding.
When dealing with parents and community members, Templin said listening is key.

“By the time parents have gotten my phone number, they’re not very happy,” she said. “It is my job to listen and hear them out completely.”

Other issues Templin mentioned are her belief in a “transparent” budget, the importance of alternative teaching methods and testing and her experience in leading a bond campaign.

Before Templin was interviewed, Mark Daniel was on the hot seat. Daniel is the principal at Leo Jr./Sr. High School, a Blue Ribbon school in Leo, Ind.

He described his leadership style as “collaborative.”

His school has five committees in the building led by teachers, which he says helps them make better decisions. Daniel said he even involves students in some decisions, citing an example of when he had a board of students help solve a parking lot congestion issue.

He also said his leadership style is focused on the “big picture” and is “innovative and creative.”
He said the most critical issue facing the district is funding and the budget, but he also said graduation rate is another important statistic.

“If we don’t graduate students, we doom them for failure in our society,” he said. “And you have a great graduation rate.”

Daniel also highlighted the need for annual teacher and administrator evaluation, the importance of reading in elementary school and internship programs in the high school and his state-level and national-level resources and contacts.

The most significant question for Daniel was how he would be able to make the jump from a principal with no central office experience to superintendent of a school district with a budget over $30 million.

“I would be concerned as well,” Daniel said. “I also thought the same thing when I left the classroom and went to administration…which was a jump. I offer a unique set of assets to make (the transition) happen. You can rest easy.”

Two more interviews, which are open to the public, are scheduled again tonight at 6 p.m. at the Administration Building.