Brevard schools fills two new high-ranking cabinet positions
Just two weeks after Brevard Public Schools announced restructuring within the district that would eliminate two high-level cabinet positions and replace them with new roles, two staff members were selected internally to fill the positions.
At a June 27 board meeting, the school board approved two cabinet positions, with Superintendent Mark Rendell giving a presentation at a work session later that day describing district restructuring. He created new positions: assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction, and chief of schools.
At Tuesday’s school board meeting, Tara Harris — director of elementary programs — was transferred to the position of assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction, while James Rehmer III — principal at Merritt Island High School — was transferred to the position of chief of schools.
Each of them will work on an annual contract effective July 24, with an annual salary of $140,000.
“I do look forward to the challenges and the experiences that await here at the board office in the chief of schools role,” Rehmer said. “I look forward to serving our great district in a different platform but with the same excitement, passion and purpose.”
Harris was not present at Tuesday’s meeting.
BPS Administrative Secretary Lena Farnam was also made administrative assistant to the school board, replacing Tammy Aguirre, who resigned in June.
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What are their responsibilities?
Rendell’s presentation, which included an organizational chart, showed the chief of schools overseeing leadership and the assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction overseeing learning with Rendell.
As chief of schools, Rehmer will be the area director of north, north central, south central and south elementary schools, as well as north and south secondary schools. He will also serve as director of alternative sites.
As assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction, Harris will serve as director of elementary, secondary, federal and choice programs, as well as accountability, testing and evaluation; adult and community education; and career and technical education.
The positions were approved at the June 27 meeting in a 4-1 vote, with board member Jennifer Jenkins dissenting.
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Why eliminate two roles?
The new positions replaced the roles of assistant superintendent of secondary leading and learning (held by Stephanie Soliven) and assistant superintendent for elementary leading and learning (held by Jane Cline). Soliven and Cline were with the district for a combined total of more than 60 years.
Soliven has resigned, while Cline has retired. The two women will finish their time at BPS as of July 31.
Though Rendell did not respond to request for comment prior to the June 27 meeting, his presentation cited concerns about overlapping responsibilities, a lack of single ownership related to discipline and programs and support or supervision of schools as reasons for restructuring the positions.
Finch Walker is the education reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Walker at 321-290-4744 or fwalker@floridatoday.com. Twitter: @_finchwalker.
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Brevard chief of schools, assistant superintendent of curriculum chosen
