Legg picks insider for second-in-command post of Pasco schools
Even before he won as Pasco County’s next superintendent, questions circulated over whether charter school operator John Legg could turn the district on its head in pursuit of expanding choice at the expense of public education.
On Monday, Legg signaled that while he wants to see changes, he has no intention of completely overhauling the system of more than 10,000 employees and 80,000 students.
To that end, he named Betsy Kuhn, an assistant superintendent under retiring leader Kurt Browning, to serve as deputy superintendent.
“She is not my assistant,” Legg said of Kuhn. “She is there by my side helping me guide our system to get it to the next level.”
A lawyer by training, Kuhn, 43, first joined the district in 2010 as a supervisor in the employee relations department, which deals with contract negotiations and employee discipline. She left briefly in 2012, returning less than a year later as director of employee relations, where she got a reputation as tough but fair.
In short order, Browning named her assistant superintendent for support services. That position put her in charge of areas including hurricane response, school construction and maintenance, and student transportation.
Legg, who never has worked for the district, said he expected Kuhn to maintain operational steadiness as he pushes for improved student academic performance. He stressed he does not want wholesale structural change, but rather “incremental changes for the positive.”
“She is a phenomenal leader,” Legg said. “The operations side of the district is really outstanding here in Pasco. I could not think of anybody better to work alongside me.”
Kuhn, who has children in the school system, said she was excited for the opportunity and looked forward to continuing to work with the people she has worked with over the years. She said it was too early to comment much about future plans, noting that the school board still must approve her appointment next week.
The announcement won praise from school board member Colleen Beaudoin, who called Kuhn “well-liked and respected.”
“I’m pleased to have some stability in the leadership team,” Beaudoin said. “She knows the job and this district.”
Jeff Larsen, president of the United School Employees of Pasco, also had positive views of the move.
“We are most effective when we are able to work collaboratively with the district,” Larsen said, anticipating a good relationship with the new administration. “We’re excited to work with Betsy.”
Legg, who has spent the days since his election visiting schools and departments in preparation for officially taking office, said he expected to have additional leadership announcements after Thanksgiving. He complimented Browning’s team and anticipated that all would have roles to play in his administration.
“That doesn’t mean we’re going to keep everyone in the same seat on the same bus,” Legg added, saying he is evaluating everyone’s strengths to determine their best fit moving forward.
Communications remains a key area of concern, with both Legg and Kuhn noting the district must improve its efforts. The most recent communication director abruptly resigned in September after less than a year on the job, and has not been replaced.
Jeffrey S. Solochek is an education reporter covering K-12 education policy and schools. Reach him at jsolochek@tampabay.com.
Legg picks insider for second-in-command post of Pasco schools