NORWALK, Conn. – The departure of Norwalk’s superintendent does not mean that Norwalk Public Schools cannot continue to move forward, Manny Rivera and Mike Lyons said at Tuesday’s Board of Education meeting.
Rivera, abandoned his superintendent’s report to thank the many people who had praised him and who had expressed grief over his announcement that he was resigning effective Jan. 31. Lyons ended the meeting with promises to forge on, including trying to hire an interim superintendent who would follow the strategic plan developed by Rivera and approved by the Board.
“My decision to resign was not the result of one factor or two, there are many different factors that contributed to a very, very, incredibly difficult and emotionally wrenching, most difficult decision of my entire personal, professional career, to leave Norwalk,” Rivera said.
Norwalk’s “tremendous passion to move forward” motivated him, Rivera said. “In my heart and in my head I know that Norwalk Public Schools can turn the corner and are destined for greatness. This is a good community. The only way to do it is when we are working together we are working in collaboration.”
Rivera also addressed the many comments about obstructionists on the Board and in the school system.
“I understand that we live in a democracy, I understand that everyone has differences of opinion,” Rivera said. “I am not a new superintendent. I am not a rookie. I’ve been around the block. I have been in divisive situations before and I admire when you get into a debate over the merits of an issue, over a good professional discussion over what’s right, what’s not right for children, and it’s a focus on children, not driven by other purposes or means.”
Plus, he said, “I am going to do my damnedest to make sure that, hopefully, we don’t lose some of the foundation funds that have come in.”
Lyons said it is important that parents stay involved beyond voting on Election Day.
“We heard you,” Lyons said. “I am absolutely determined not to allow this district to slide back. We are not going to tolerate mediocrity. I have said the Norwalk school system is a good system that has the capacity to be great but there are people in the system who like it just the way it is and unfortunately we have seen superintendent after superintendent.”
The history of revolving superintendents goes back decades, Lyons said.
The next interim superintendent will be someone who “is going to take the strategic plan … and continue running with it and lay the groundwork for the permanent superintendent who comes in later, to continue the momentum going,” he said. “We have done a lot of great things in the last 18 months and we have broke through some barriers in the last 18 months.”
He concluded, “I am not going to let this sidetrack us from moving forward with significant improvements to our school system.”
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