MIDDLETOWN — Dr. Korby Olson, who began his career in education by being rejected in his bid for a teaching job in the Middletown Unified School District, on Tuesday of this week officially became the district”s new superintendent.
Olson, who has spent his entire 25-year career in Lake County schools the last 20 in MUSD has the rare distinction of attaining the superintendent”s position by working his way up the district ladder.
Before securing a one-year contract as superintendent, he held administrative posts in alternative and special education programs, and prior to that was a teacher and assistant principal.
“I feel very excited about the opportunity,” said Olson. “I prepared myself for it. There are some advantages and disadvantages of being an insider.”
Among disadvantages, he said, was the different role he will have as supervisor of teachers whom he taught alongside for more than 20 years, including 10 years at Cobb Elementary. Many of them will recall how Olson had his first job interview in Middletown.
“It was the early 80s. Jobs were scarce and I didn”t get the job. They actually chose someone else,” he said, smiling at the recollection. “But I moved to Lake County anyway. My wife got a (teaching) job here and I was a long-term for a lady who was on maternity leave. The following year I got a job at Lower Lake High School and stayed there for four years.”
An additional disadvantage as an insider, Olson says, is that “a new person coming in has kind of a honeymoon period. But I already know everything that goes on here, so my honeymoon period is going to be a little short.”
Olson may need to hit the deck running. The district is counting on a November school bond measure that would enable it to enter a major construction period that includes building a new grammar school.
“The parts I”m really going to have to get up to speed on are the construction and the bond measure,” he acknowledged. “Once we pass the bond, then, of course, we have the big construction project. I”ve been on the periphery of people doing those kinds of things, but I”ve never really done them myself.”
With new subdivisions such as the 100-plus home Vintage Faire coming on line, an influx of new students in the district may be just around the bend. However, Olson said that enrollment has been flat the last couple of years and actually declined slightly last year with the opening of a new charter school.
Olson moves into the superintendent”s office at a pivotal time. During the past few years, relationships between the district board and those occupying the superintendent”s chair have been rocky. Dr. Don Martin, whom Olson succeeds, was a popular leader with teachers and administrators at all levels of secondary education but tendered a non-negotiable resignation to the board after only a year and a half in the post. Martin was the fourth MUSD superintendent to resign in the last five years.
Olson paused briefly before addressing the subject.
“It”s obviously a challenge,” he said. “I had to think about that, because I worked for Don and I was pleased with working for Don. But I”ve known the board members a long period of time. I really think we can work together.
“That”s what I mean when I say challenge,” Olson said. “To set a new direction and make sure we”re working together. Not just understanding, but setting a direction with them so that it”s not my direction we”re taking, it”s our direction.
Olson met with the board on Thursday with that idea in mind.
“I think that”s going to be an important start for us,” he said.
Contact John Lindblom at jlwordsmith@mchsi.com.
