A healer for tough times

It is an unfortunate sign of the times that one of the most important

traits the new Ocean View School District superintendent brings to

the job is the ability to heal district wounds following a school

closure, looming salary cuts and lingering financial woes. But with

parents and teachers mounting protests and the students of Kettler

Elementary having to prepare for life on new campuses next year, that

is just what the district needs.

By all accounts, Roberta DeLuca fits the district’s needs

perfectly. Her people skills were among her qualifications

highlighted last week by interim superintendent Duane Dishno. More

substantially, though perhaps no more importantly, DeLuca also has a

range of experience in a career that led her to be the assistant

superintendent of educational services at Norwalk-La Mirada Unified

School District, where she has been in charge of curriculum and

instruction for 18 elementary schools, seven middle schools, four

high schools and one adult school. She’s worked as a principal, a

reading expert and a special education teacher, experiences that

should make her keenly aware of the troubles that teachers and staff

in the Ocean View district now face.

And there obviously are troubles. The district still has $1

million in cuts to make in order to balance its budget, which is

ailing due to declining enrollment as well as ongoing battles between

school districts and the state government. DeLuca, who begins her new

job Monday, faces tough decisions from the start and is not going to

be able to enjoy any honeymoon in her new role.

We hope, though, that a new personality in the mix will lead to a

softening of stances and renewed efforts to find the best solution

possible to the district’s woes. DeLuca will have to salve the wounds

suffered this year by parents, teachers, staff and students. Her

willingness to do so is already a great step in the right direction.