HARDWICK – As Dr. David W. Baker’s time comes to an end as Orleans Southwest Supervisory Union (OSSU) Superintendent of Schools, he said he’s enjoyed his time in Hardwick.
Though it was a challenge keeping up with the schedule of meeting with the six schools boards governing the OSSU (Hazen Union, Mountview Union, Craftsbury Town, Wolcott Town, Stannard Town and the supervisory union), he said he’s enjoyed the work, if not the schedule.
“These are my kind of people,” he said. They’re here because they want to serve kids.”
When Baker joined OSSU, many of the administrators and all of the principals except Matt Foster were new. He says the staff was nervous, and principals looked to him for support.
We were able to build teams of administrators, teachers and boards that allowed the staff and boards to begin strategic planning.
Baker said he’s established a strong music and cultural community, which still has room to grow.
He added that he sees the cultural side of area towns, with many creative people that will take off from the base of local and organic food systems that have grown in this area, supporting future economic vitality.
photo by Lisa Stinson
Budgeting in his first two years went smoothly, said Baker. “I’d never lost a budget until the last two years.”
Moving forward Baker said he sees school consolidation as inevitable. White the Vermont Legislature didn’t force consolidation this year, the foundation formula allocating funds to schools will not support small schools with higher costs. Those schools will be forced to consolidate to avoid cutting costs below even the minimum to provide a quality education.
Even now, small schools are not able to provide the same range of classes and extracurricular activities that are available at larger schools, he commented.
In his final June newsletter to district faculty, staff, parents and whatever students find their way to it, Baker wrote, “This is my Swan Song newsletter, and I will attempt to keep my comments brief so as to avoid any tears falling on the paper.”
Always the teacher, Baker wrote, “‘Swan Song’ comes from a long-believed tale that swans, after a lifetime of relative silence, sing a beautiful song right before they die. It dates back to the 3rd century BCE and has become part of Greek mythology. It is now more commonly used not to refer to death, but other final stages in a lifetime, maybe the finale performance, or say, a retirement. The latter is my case, especially in my Vermont retirement. I am moving on and have thoroughly enjoyed my tenure in this great state. But, to be clear, I am not leaving the profession. God willing, if my health holds up, I am moving on to New Hampshire. I have signed a contract with the Plainfield-Cornish school districts for a one-year interim position. I have to go back to my Upper Valley commute that I did for 16 years. I can do one more. Lots of Audiobooks.”
photo by Lisa Stinson
He continued to say he will take on two districts that operate K-8 schools and tuition their high school students. They are separate districts with separate boards, but only two school boards that meet once a month, he said. .
A co-op subcommittee has been exploring the possibilities of forming one board for over a year and have made some progress, said Baker.
“I hope to contribute to that effort using the old adage that we are stronger together than apart. You have heard me say that more than once.”
Baker’s life began in East Providence, R.I., In 1972, at 18 years old and two years out of high school. Baker ran for a seat on the East Providence School Committee and won. He became and still is, the youngest person in East Providence to hold elective office, wrote the Reporter Today, in Rehoboth, Mass., in a story five years ago.
Since leaving there, Baker has been a teacher, director, assistant principal and a superintendent of schools in a few districts. He has both Bachelor and Masters degrees from Rhode Island College (RIC) and a Doctorate from the University of Vermont. Although working in education for 50 years, Baker’s early path to success was paved with hard work, faith and encouragement from others, he said.
With seven children, six of them girls, “It has been a great run for which I feel blessed,” Baker said.
He described how he found his way to Vermont, saying, after the Catholic school where he worked closed “I sent my resume almost everywhere in New England. I had a beautiful wife and three children at that point. I had three responses from my applications, Wells River, Tilton, N.H., and Saco Me. We piled the kids in my B210 Datsun with the dog and took the road trip. We had agreed that I would take the first job offered.
“That was the principalship at Blue Mountain Union School in Vermont. It was a K-12 school with about 700 kids. I was 32 years old. I was very young but it just felt natural.”
“I had a successful five years and then applied to another district for much more money and a bigger middle school,” said Baker.
After eight years in Barre, he applied for his first superintendent position in St Johnsbury.
By then, he had earned a doctorate from the University of Vermont.
After that he served 10 years as the school superintendent in Windsor before coming to Hardwick. “I should be retired,” he said five years ago but we had seven children and we helped all of them with college expenses. I’ll be paying that debt off forever,” he told the Reporter.
In his final newsletter, Baker wrote, “Because you made this journey with me, I want to give you a couple more important personal updates.”
Sharing family news, he said, “My grandson Sam is now in his third year of remission. He was a warrior, and it looks like he has beaten the disease.”
“My deceased daughter, Courtney’s family, continues to fight the good fight. It will never be easy. Her oldest graduates from high school this year, and her youngest heads off to high school. The middle child, Sawyer, continues to soar in his musical capabilities. He is so good at so many instruments. And Dad has become a great single parent. He takes good care of the family. The strength and courage of the whole family just mystifies me, he said.”
About his own health, Baker said, “I am finishing my first year in complete remission. All scans have been clean, and I feel the energy has come back. All cancer survivors know that “only by the Grace of God go I,” but so far so good. I thank this community for all the support you gave me.”
Wrapping up his newsletter and time in Hardwick, Baker wrote, “I want to express my appreciation to all of our board members for their continued support over the years. They saw me through some of my darkest hours, and they did it treating me with dignity and respect. I will never forget that.”
In addition to all of the board members, Baker remembered the staff he worked closely with, “I want to thank all of my administrative team. You, too, have supported me through thick and thin. I will be forever grateful. This SU will always remain in my thoughts and prayers.”
Looking to the future of OSSU, he said, “My successor, Becca, will serve them [the boards] well, and she has me on speed dial.”
