FRESNO (KMJ) — The Acting Superintendent of Fresno Unified School District says he’s doing everything he can to bring stability, after the turbulence experienced since the start of the year.
It was on January 31st when the previous superintendent, Michael Hanson, was fire. He had held that position since 2005.
“It has been my honor to serve the community, the district, and the students,” announced Michael Hanson after the board made that call.
Acting Superintendent Bob Nelson, was then selected to take up the responsibility in the interim.
“It’s going very well on the whole, I think. Fresno Unified is no small lift with 74,000 students and 10,000 employees,” reveals Nelson.
He is set to remain in that position until an interim superintendent can be found, and then a permanent replacement.
But when asked about whether he’d be interested in that role, he says he’s not going to speculate.
“My job is just to provide whatever level of stability I can. I mean, our kids are coming every day – our students are here and our parents…just want to make sure things are going to be normalized and that school is happening as normal.
“That’s the purview of the board to select the superintendent. They’ve asked me to temporarily step in and provide whatever level of stability I can and I see that as my role and I’m really not looking beyond that at this point.”
He adds that the decision on who will be the next in command is in the hands of the Fresno Unified Board, but within the schools themselves it’s business as usual.
“Your principals love your children, and we continue to provide for their safety and their academic success.”
Hear the report from KMJ’s Dominic McAndrew as it aired:
