Troubled year changed ideas on O'Rourke

Board had promised to renew his contract to keep him in district

Pledge called `a mistake'

Members determined last month that they want superintendent to leave

County

Joe Staub, president of the teachers union, said O'Rourke ignored requests to study educator workload. Howard High School parent Jerry Bialecki said O'Rourke did not respond to the concerns of parents. An anonymous letter accused O'Rourke's top staff of changing grades for a relative. And - perhaps most damaging of all - O'Rourke set up a system to delegate responsibility that could carry out his ambitious plan without him.

"That's the true beauty of everything," O'Rourke said. "It's not dependent upon one person. It's about a system, not an individual."

The Howard board determined Jan. 13 that it needed more collaboration and cooperation from its superintendent - a decision that has been mostly praised in letters sent to the board since the announcement.

Even with the support, though, board members are uneasy.

"I'm not comfortable with any of this," French said. "You know, we are a family. So everybody's upset. Some people may be happy and rejoicing, but we're always worried about the next step. We may not do well at all. The unknown is of serious concern."