BANGOR, Maine — The leader of Bangor’s school system has been named 2013 Superintendent of the Year by the Maine School Superintendents’ Association.
Superintendent Betsy Webb was recognized Wednesday morning during the organization’s annual meeting in Augusta.
“I see this award as recognition for the entire Bangor School Department,” Webb said prior to the official award announcement on Wednesday. “From our students to the administrators, faculty and staff, everyone deserves recognition.”
Bangor School Committee Chairwoman Phyllis Guerette said she nominated Webb for the award in part because of how much Webb has been able to help the school district accomplish in spite of about $5.5 million in funding cuts over the past four years.
“I’ve been saying for a long time that I think [Webb] is the best superintendent in the state,” Guerette said, adding that she was pleased to learn that a group of Webb’s peers confirmed her belief. “Her accomplishments in the past four years have been pretty amazing.”
The award is given based on a superintendent’s leadership in education, community involvement, professionalism and fiscal management.
Despite funding cuts, Webb has kept the school system’s budget flat, making difficult cuts and reductions when necessary, while maintaining quality education, Guerette said. She also credited the superintendent for her “visionary leadership” of the system’s Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Academy.
“She’s the whole package, and we’re lucky to have that here in Bangor,” Guerette said.
In September, Webb received the MSSA Outstanding Leadership Award for her work to improve student learning.
School administrators, former school committee members and U.S. Sen. Susan Collins lauded Webb’s work in a press release.
“I have personally witnessed Betsy working with an individual student and family, giving hours of her time, in an attempt to keep that student in school and on track to graduate,” United Technologies Center Director Fred Woodman said in the press release. “Betsy is not only an outstanding leader in education, but also a truly exceptional woman.”
“Betsy is a rare blend of a systems thinker and field general who is equally formidable in philosophical discussion about the direction of education in America as she is in an analysis of how to lead a teacher or student to new levels of performance,” wrote Bangor High School Principal Paul Butler.
Webb said she has enjoyed brainstorming with administrators and teachers about federal standards and how to come up with “Bangor solutions,” hearing from students who have gotten into their top-choice university, and even working with students and their families after a student “makes a mistake” to be sure the student can get back on track with their education.
“It’s the total sum of all the individual efforts and successes that makes me passionate about this career every day,” Webb said. “I find inspiration in our students and they give me hope. They are so talented and they want to make a positive difference in the world.”
“Bangor is blessed to have so many dedicated educators and talented students and I am honored to work with all of them,” the superintendent said.
The Bangor School Committee plans to recognize Webb during its next meeting at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 15, in the Council Chambers at City Hall. The public is welcome to attend.
Our school committee (and by default our school’s leadership) is a disaster. A completely closed system controlled by a handful of people. What a sham.
Kate Dickerson tried hard . She was not allowed to even bring up many real issues . Seems the rules make that difficult to do. I really wish Kate could go public with the truth.
We don’t often agree, but when I agree with you, I REALLY agree with you. I would like your post 10 times if possible.
Lets look at the drop out rate…………….. Highest paid maybe best depends on how you look at it. Excellence in education for most……………..
Wow – axe to grind for some of you? Betsy Webb has done an excellent job with the Bangor School Department. While you may think that her decisions benefit “certain groups” – you are sorely mistaken. She is very fair and with over 3000 children in the Bangor schools, she needs to look out for all of them – and does. While her decisions may not succumb to one’s desires – she needs to make decisions that are fair to all. Drug problem? If even one student does drugs, it is a problem. Schools educate and have repercussions for violating drug policies. But where are the parents? Betsy can’t regulate what happens outside our schools, off school time. Drop out rate? Have you looked at Bangor’s rate? Have you looked at the statewide statistics? Teachers try to help these kids succeed, get credits needed but again – where are the parents? Are we really going to blame the school system for the problems with the youth of today? This is a well deserved award for Betsy.
Yes I have look at the Rate compare to other schools In Maine From the States of Maines web site. Also teacher pay . Percent getting free lunch and so on. Seems Bangors dropout Rate is higher than Central . More kids on free lunch lower teacher pay and no Football. Bangor actively recruits top students for surrounding towns then tries to Say its all the at risk kids coming in . Please lets see the real facts .
Yes, lets look at the real facts. You quoted that Bangor is 10-15 in dropout rate, but on the State of Maine website (for 2010-2011) it has Bangor rated at approx 60th -far from your initial post. Have you seen the programs in place for the students that struggle with academics? In-school assistance, after school programs, evening programs where they can participate WITH their parents. What does Football have to do with Betsy receiving a well-deserved award? Do you know personally how Bangor’s teachers grew up? I bet not. Let’s be realistic here….every organization has areas that need improvement and people work hard to make themselves better. Bangor School department is no exception. Have you ever walked a day in a teacher’s shoes? Betsy’s shoes? A coaches shoes? You are very critical of all of these people and programs and believe you know how it all works. Is Bangor perfect? No. Can we do better? Absolutely. But I bet if we all look within, we can ask ourselves these same questions and have the same answers.
Guess I did not see 2011 I was looking at other years when Betsy Webb was superintendent and yes it was about that high . 60th our of how many schools? Lets go back and look that then other 60 and adjust for teacher pay . Free lunch etc. That dose not looks so good . Yes I personally know some teachers even related to some. Football Has a lot to do with it when you consider she needs to fund raise $7 million for it. I respectfully Stand By my statement Excellence in education for MOST . Bangor dose a lot of great things . Please do not tell me how far they go to help kids myth unless that has changed in the last year. I personally watched a 3rd grade science fair . Some of those kids had projects the could not have possibly done they got an A . The kid from a troubled home had no project that day and cried the teacher rushed him off . Why not Fail the kids for cheating who’s parents did the project? Or help the kid fit in who had no project? I would not be so proud of 60th in the state . I am not saying she dose not do a good job at somethings but far from the best in the state unless you are just looking at middle class and up kids.
One hand picked year by you.
Blame the parents so its the kids fault who dose not have great parents? To me that is the same as the drunk blaming his dad for his drinking. Yes the teachers job is more difficult for poor kids from dysfunctional homes deal with it. Education has it biases in favor of middle class kids. (The poor kid did not ask for help) Well teachers should be smart enough to know that those kids are not taught to advocate for themselves . Guess that is because most teachers from Bangor did not grow up in poverty . Teachers care a great deal some do not understand . Seems hands are tied by a system that places test score above kids.
So they had one had picked year by you. you may be close for 2010 2011 year but from a lot of other years I am much closer in my statement. “The truth is Know one Knows the drop out rate”. This was straight from a school board member . Even the middle schools recruit top student that pay tuition . How about lets compare Bangor high to John Bapts . Most local schools are not actively recruiting top students to make the number look better. Not even a level paying field . Just look at the percent of kids getting free lunch in middle school compare to high school . Funny how all these parents seem get better jobs in Bangor and not so much in other local towns.
Did you go to John Bapts or that other elite school John Bapst, just wondering.
I went to Bangor schools as a child. Orono HS. 2 years and another local HS my last 2 years. I gave out way too much information haha I do have a son in Bangor school . I will say they made a lot of changes this year. That is not excuse for the other years .
So why doesn’t Webb allow the school children to partake in the drug questionnaire?
Congrats
Examples?
These awards are not about your accomplishments. They are about who you know and who is in the position to make the decision. If you are in good graces or have someone close to the organization, someone calls in a favor. Happens for all administrators organizations.
Let’s try again (slightly modified even though the 1st post violated no B D N guidelines) & get the screen shot (which I nearly always do.)
Unbelievable? Not really.
Everyone knows that almost all educational systems are failing w/in this country.
W/management decisions like this, that ignore the reality of what Webb has done to the morale & standards w/in the Bangor school system
AND
Teachers & their unions feeling fully justified because of Webb’s actions for their own unreasonable
stances, who gets left holding the bag?
Kids & taxpayers.
W/”awards” like this, can anyone really wonder why?
Cue the trolls…
Thank god none of you are in leadership positions.
Finally the Bangor Daily News has smartened up and may be starting to follow their own guidelines regarding online posts. All of you whining about comments getting removed weren’t following the BDN parameters.
Why only on this did the remove the comments? Some made very valid points.
When push comes to shove I’d rather have Webb on my side.
Well i had a comment up there about this was a mistake, but obviously someone got offended. She is not a top one at all, she needs some serious work in her school district and needs new hires
HEY BDN, why not just close down the link if you are going to stop people from speaking on this thread. We are all aware how far up the City Council and School Board you folks run.
Someone is controlling the media Might not be BDN . Seem Like about at least 100 post that were not even saying anything bad got deleted. Some people want to hide certain things that are not perfect yet. Kinda like a school board meeting. Let me get this strait I do not dislike Betsy Webb . I think she means well from her perspective. But she came from the elite so could never understand the not so elite. Her doctoral paper about the unspoken rule is kinda Ironic.
yeah, i swear i commented on this article, and someone commented back.. now i don’t see either. was i dreaming? lol!
Really? Only 25 comments?
Was this vote by her fellow superintendents BEFORE or AFTER the hiring of her assistant superintendent, who was found to have cheated on tests?