Kent city schools superintendent candidates field questions at forum

The search for a new superintendent at Kent City Schools has narrowed to three finalists: Assistant Superintendent and Personnel Director Tom Larkin; Director of Student Services Justin Gates; and Windham Superintendent Aireane Curtis.

All three candidates made their case to school staffers and community members Tuesday night at Roosevelt High School about why they should be the next superintendent of the district.

For 45 minutes each, they fielded questions from the audience about their experiences and how they would approach the job.

The search for a new superintendent began in April following current superintendent George J. Joesph's announcement that he would retire on Aug. 1.

The six-candidate field was narrowed down to three following a first round of interviews. A second round of interviews took place following the forum. The district expects to make an announcement about the next superintendent before the end of June.

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Here's what we know about the three candidates.

Aireane Curtis

Curtis is the current superintendent for Windham Exempted Village Schools. Before that, she spent six years as the assistant superintendent in Streetsboro. When she left Streetsboro, Curtis said that she intentionally moved to a small district.

"Because I feel like in a small district, you get to see and touch every part of the district," Curtis said. "I felt like I would be a better superintendent down the road if I was able to experience all parts of the district."

She doesn't like spending much time in her office unless it's necessary — answering phone calls and emails, for example. Doing so insulates her from what's happening in the district. People are more likely to find her out in the schools keeping an eye on things and connecting with staff and students alike.

Curtis admits that getting acclimated with a larger district will be different, but said she's got a strength for learning names from her time as a middle school teacher.

The district's children are Curtis' first priority, even though that might sometimes upset staff and parents. Her experience in Windham, where all the students qualify for free breakfast and lunch, prepared her for handling the impoverished students of Kent City Schools, Curtis said.

Asked how she would navigate waters muddied by legislation aimed at restricting how teachers can do their jobs, and how children can express themselves, Curtis said it is important to be proactive and know your elected officials. She said she routinely advocates for funding for Windham.

"We have to keep those elected officials in our court and doing positive things for public education," she said.

For Kent, she envisions a school district where every child, from pre-k to high school, has a trusted adult on staff that they can speak to and where every child is successful.

Justin Gates

Currently the director of student services, Gates has spent considerable time in the district, first as a student teacher and later as a long-term substitute. Eventually, he became an intervention specialist at Davey Elementary before moving to Stanton Middle School. Afterward, he took a role in Barberton as a special education coordinator before becoming the principal of U.L. Light Middle School. Gates is dual certified in special education and regular education and has his principal's licensure.

During his portion of the forum, the question about navigating legislative restrictions was raised again. Gates said that it was important to him that all the kids in the district feel included, but that it might not be up to him to make that happen.

"What you're talking about, though, makes it more complicated because it then becomes out of my control," he said. "And so I think we would have to take a look at that as a district. If any requirements were put in place, I would have to work with the board, and the administration, to see how we wanted to move forward with those requirements. I'd also want to work with my professional organizations to try to push back if I felt like — and the board felt like — those requirements weren't welcome here in Kent."

Gates wants to take a look at the ongoing impacts of the COVID pandemic on reading, specifically the third-grade reading guarantee. He also mentioned doing a better job of helping parents parse out the intricacies of the new math curriculum so that they can help with their children's homework.

Improving student and staff mental health is a priority of his as well.

Another of Gates' goals is increasing diversity in leadership roles by expanding the district's search for personnel into historically Black colleges and universities.

Tom Larkin

Larkin is currently serving as the district personnel director and assistant superintendent. He and his wife arrived to Kent in 1996, where he started out as social studies teacher and basketball coach. In 2001, Larkin became dean of students at the high school. From 2004-2007, he worked as assistant principal at the high school, after which he became principal at Stanton.

"I'm just passionate about the kids of Kent, the families of Kent, Kent City Schools, and this entire community," Larkin said.

Should he be hired as superintendent, Larkin hopes to lead the district using the vision of all the district's stakeholders — parents, teachers, and students alike. Leadership, he said, means listening to those around you, not telling them what to do. It also means having hard conversations.

He hopes to continue close the achievement gap of students.

"We need to make sure we're providing opportunities for all students and meeting them where their needs are, and raising them up," he said. Part of that vision includes continuing the literacy work that's taken place, particularly in the elementary schools.

Larkin was also asked about how he would perform his job should the bills moving through the Ohio Legislature become an impediment to educators and children.

He responded that he's been aware of Kent's welcoming and inclusive nature since he joined the community 27 years ago. It's the city's personality that he believes keeps divisive behavior — community members shouting at school board meetings, for example — at bay.

"What's happening at the state legislature can be extremely frustrating, but we have to play by the rules," said Larkin. The trick, he said, is to use those edicts as a framework, and figure out how to fit them into Kent's inclusive culture.

Contact reporter Derek Kreider at DKreider@Gannett.com

This article originally appeared on Record-Courier: Kent city schools superintendent candidates field questions at forum