Is Pinellas Superintendent on Her Way Out?

Pinellas County school board members are trying to move up a hearing on Superintendent Julie Janssen’s future with the district, according to the St. Petersburg Times. Board members declined to say whether they would support Janssen staying on at the proposed Aug. 23rd meeting.

“‘We need to have, I don’t want to say closure, but a definite decision about Dr. Janssen’s employment situation,’ said board member Linda Lerner, who declined to say whether she felt Janssen deserved to keep her job as leader of the state’s seventh-largest school system.

Lerner and board member Robin Wikle, who also has called for the special meeting, said they didn’t want to wait until the board’s next scheduled meeting — Sept. 13 — to make a decision.

‘Whatever may happen on the 23rd, we need the ability to take action,’ said Wikle, who also declined to say if she wanted Janssen to remain.”

The timing could be difficult for the district, which starts classes next week and, like all Florida school districts, is in the midst of implementing state-mandated reforms such as teacher evaluations and pay-for-performance.