Beitia prepares for first year as super

Article and photograph By Ruth Simerly

Cutline:

While the summer of 2007 provides a time of relaxation for many people, new Emmett School District Superintendent Sue Beitia has used these months to get to know key persons on her staff, renew ties to the district and the community and do a lot of relevant reading after a seven-year absence from the district.

Beitia, an Emmett native, brings a broad spectrum of experience and education to the challenging job of superintendent. Beitia graduated from Albertson College of Idaho and worked as a music teacher in Emmett for 10 years. After that, she taught first and third grade in Emmett for 10 years and then became the district-wide curriculum and testing coordinator for two years and served as vice principal for one of those years. Leaving the Emmett district, Beitia next was a principal in the Nampa School District for five years, and most recently served as assistant superintendent in the Vallivue School District for two years. She has also earned a master’s in educational administration and an educational specialist degree, both from the University of Idaho.

Beitia said that her assistant superintendent position at Vallivue had provided an excellent opportunity to work with secondary and alternative education, personnel issues, curriculum and parent and staff concerns and helped prepare her for her current responsibilities.

Beitia has spent time learning what has gone on in the district the seven years she has been away — in such areas as policy and plans, academics and business and maintenance.

Interest in SPC

Beitia has been particularly interested in the work of the Strategic Planning Committee and has attended its meetings. The Five Year Strategic Plan (Draft) was released in June. Now Beitia’s efforts are focused on the Mission, Vision and Beliefs portion of the plan, and on working on a new vision statement. She sees the statement as needing to reflect the core values and beliefs about what is important in education. She is revisiting the district’s current mission and goals as part of the process.