[Vision2020] Rush Earns Idaho Education Board's Top Job

[Tom Hansen]

Thanks for the insight, Sue.

I was curious as to what type of administrator Dr. Rush is/would be for 
the state of Idaho.

I was hoping that you, having been associated with Idaho public education 
since about the third generation of Westbergs, would chime in and set the 
record straight.

Your endorsement of Dr. Rush means alot.

Thanks,

Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho

> Mike is from Moscow--grew up here with his family.  Kirk, his dad, 
taught in 
> MHS and Imogene his mom, was a supportive parent of her high school 
kids.  I 
> can't imagine Mike doing anything other than an outstanding job.  I am 
proud 
> of him, but not surprised he got the appointment without the outside 
search. 
> He has his hands full and he will do well.
> 
> Sue H.
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Tom Hansen" <thansen at moscow.com>
> To: <vision2020 at moscow.com>
> Sent: Saturday, May 24, 2008 6:55 AM
> Subject: [Vision2020] Rush Earns Idaho Education Board's Top Job
> 
> 
> > >From today's (May 24, 2008) Spokesman Review -
> >
> > ---------------------------------------------
> >
> > Rush earns Idaho education board's top job
> >
> > Interim director's work on budget, morale cited
> > Jesse Bonner
> > Associated Press
> >
> > http://tinyurl.com/3ohj3m
> > Dr. Mike Rush greeting Governor Otter.
> >
> > BOISE - The Idaho state Board of Education has skipped a national 
search
> > for an executive director and instead appointed interim director Mike 
Rush
> > to the position permanently after he helped bring the agency back from 
the
> > financial brink.
> >
> > "They're pretty pleased with the job he's been doing," board spokesman
> > Mark Browning said Friday.
> >
> > The board appointed Rush as interim director in September when trustees
> > came under heavy fire from both Gov. Butch Otter and the Senate 
Education
> > Committee for accounting miscues that left the board with a $1.4 
million
> > deficit last year.
> >
> > The board also flubbed an $18 million federal grant to help low-income
> > students attend college. Board President Milford Terrell, who conceded
> > earlier this year the board was a "dysfunctional family," was forced to
> > ask private foundations for matching state funding so Idaho wouldn't 
lose
> > the federal grant.
> >
> > As interim director, Rush ordered a complete audit of the board's 
fiscal
> > procedures and helped stanch an outflow of personnel amid a morale 
crisis
> > that preceded his arrival.
> >
> > "He has put us on a path that we will finish the year in the black with
> > our budget," Browning said. "Good people attract good people. When you
> > take a guy that has that kind of stability, that attracts stability."
> >
> > The agency's woes made it a frequent target of the Senate Education
> > Committee during the 2008 Legislature.
> >
> > Critics on that panel, including Sen. Mike Jorgenson, R-Hayden, had
> > encouraged the board to conduct a national search for a new director, a
> > new chief financial officer and a new chief academic officer. That's 
after
> > the agency's two previous directors, Dwight Johnson and Karen McGee, 
were
> > hired from within the ranks of Idaho state government.
> >
> > Jorgenson said he's now satisfied Rush's selection is appropriate - 
even
> > though Rush's previous job was as administrator of the Division of
> > Professional-Technical Education, housed within the Board of Education.
> >
> > "If it were anyone else that was appointed from the stockpile, I'd be
> > disappointed," Jorgenson said. "But Mike Rush is a terrific guy. He's
> > worked under some tough conditions. I'm satisfied that Mike is 
probably as
> > good as the board could have gotten on a national search basis."
> >
> > Senate Education Committee Chairman John Goedde, R-Coeur d'Alene, said
> > Rush was a good choice.
> >
> > "I've got a lot of respect for Mike Rush," Goedde said. "That job 
seems to
> > be eating people alive over the last couple of years. Hopefully he'll 
last
> > longer than the last three directors did."
> >
> > The board hired Rush after an executive session this week in Boise.
> > Trustees approved a salary of $110,000 per year for Rush, including a
> > $7,000 bonus for the work he did as interim executive director.
> >
> > ---------------------------------------------
> >
> > Seeya at Farmers' Market, Moscow.
> >
> > Tom Hansen
> > Moscow, Idaho
> >
> > "People who ridicule others while hiding behind anonymous monikers in 
> > chat-
> > room forums are neither brave nor clever."
> >
> > - Latah County Sheriff Wayne Rausch (August 21,
> > 2007)
> >
> > ---------------------------------------------
> > This message was sent by First Step Internet.
> >           http://www.fsr.com/
> >
> >
> >
> 
> 
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"People who ridicule others while hiding behind anonymous monikers in chat-
room forums are neither brave nor clever." 

- Latah County Sheriff Wayne Rausch (August 21,
2007)

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