While the politically divided board stands united behind Connor now, it didn't start that way.
Bridget Ziegler, the longest-tenured board member in Sarasota County and a notable conservative firebrand, was not initially sold on Connor in the search process. She advocated for different candidates and voted against Connor's selection. She was on the losing end of the 3-2 vote to pick Connor.
Her opinion, however, almost immediately changed once he started. In an interview with the Herald-Tribune, she discussed the superintendent's performance and how she sees the district under Connor's leadership.
"We finally have a leader that Sarasota deserves, and that will, in fact, bring us to the next level," Ziegler said.
She pointed to his integrity and diplomacy as traits that immediately stood out. In her 10-plus years on the board, Ziegler said she's never been more excited about the district's direction.
Robyn Marinelli, a Sarasota School Board member and former district employee for 15 years, said Connor has been an "extraordinary leader" in his first year. Connor is always prepared, bringing notebooks full of information to their one-on-one meetings, she said.
Marinelli, who sits next to Connor during board meetings, said that even as the sessions can become tense, he remains unflappable. When concerns are brought forward from the public, he always has an answer.
"I can, or any board member can, ask him to respond (to questions). And boy, he's spot on," Marinelli said. "He is quick on his feet, he pays attention, and he just stays cool as a cucumber."
One would be hard-pressed to find someone with a negative view of Connor, both in Sarasota and in districts where he's previously worked.
Addison Davis, the former superintendent of Hillsborough County Public Schools, was Connor's boss in Hillsborough, Clay and Duval counties. Davis spoke favorably of Connor, echoing Ziegler's sentiments that he believes Sarasota County is headed for the top ranking in the state with Connor at the helm.
"Terry can go anywhere throughout this nation and be a superintendent wherever he wants to be," Davis said. "He chose to be in Sarasota, and I think that that says a lot."
Davis praised Connor's ability to bridge political divides and cut through conflict. Sarasota's School Board is notorious for lengthy board meetings and heated public comment about hot-button culture war issues such as LGBTQ+ rights and political scandals, including one that engulfed Ziegler over the past year.
"He's done a really good job engaging different political sides of the board and bringing them to a child-centric focus," he said. "That's what Terry does. He's a healer. He's a nurturer, and he's very analytically-driven, but also heart-driven for children."
During Connor's tenure in Hillsborough, the district needed to make cuts because of a $150 million debt. Davis would make the tough decisions, and Connor would be the bearer of bad news to the staff. In communicating the cuts, Connor learned how to best engage with staff and the ways to lead despite negative circumstances.
Connor is meticulous with his word choices. He workshops his statements with the district's communications team before they reach the public. He said even the slightest mistake in wording or tone can convey the wrong message when communicating with staff or the board.
"Sometimes I hit the mark, and maybe sometimes I don't, but I try to" communicate effectively, Connor said.
The superintendent launched a podcast series with the district's communications team, discussing topics such as school meal price increases and how to register a student for school. The podcasts are translated through artificial intelligence into Spanish and Russian in order to reach as many people as possible in Sarasota County.
In retrospect, Connor says Sarasota was not on his mind when he considered his career beyond Hillsborough County. Now, however, he says he's found a long-term home.
"I'm happy to be here. I love this community. I love what I'm doing, and want to stay here for the long term," he said. "To say that a year into the job ... that's a huge victory."
Follow Herald-Tribune Education Reporter Steven Walker on Twitter at @swalker_7. He can be reached at sbwalker@gannett.com.
https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/education/2024/09/15/sarasota-county-schools-superintendent-terry-connor-is-winning-praise/75164179007/
