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Meet Gary Pflueger, new Superintendent of
Boundary County School District 101 |
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June 2, 2015 |
 Last week, the board of Boundary County School
district 101 selected Valley View principal Gary
Pflueger to serve as the new superintendent for
the School District.
Personal and professional background
Mr. Pflueger grew up in the Seattle area,
attended a Catholic school, and later graduated
from a public high school. For college, he
attended the University of Idaho.
His first teaching job was at Marsh Valley, a
school in southern Idaho, where he worked in
Special Education. He later taught at schools in
Nampa, Idaho, and in Pennsylvania.
Deciding to apply for superintendent
His first administrative position was at St.
Anthony's Catholic School in Pocatello, Idaho.
He later was principal at a junior high in
Salmon, Idaho. He has served as principal at
Valley View Elementary School in Bonners Ferry
for the past four years. As the district has
looked for a new superintendent, Mr. Pflueger
decided to apply for the position. What made him
decide to apply?
"I have seen firsthand, the high quality of our
district personnel and I understand the dynamics
of the community," he said. "When I came to
Boundary County four years ago, these two
factors were loud and clear. Valley View was
open and ready for change. With clear direction,
consistency and a new level of passion and
trust, a great level of growth occurred. I
believe this support and leadership can be given
in all grade levels and within each support
group as well. We can always find improvement,
the kids are depending on it!"
Philosophy as superintendent
Regarding the philosophy he will bring to the
position, he stresses that foremost, the
students come first in all decisions made. He
further believes students should be taught the
"Six R's," which include the traditional basics
of reading, 'riting, and 'rithmetic, but also
responsibility, including responsibility for
their own behavior as well as their homework;
also respect for others, and a principle he
calls "rightness." He describes "rightness" as
soundness of moral principles, lifestyle, and
good deeds.
He believes teachers should set clear classroom
procedures for everything, and make very clear
the consequences for not following procedures.
"Do not expect students to know how to behave,"
he says. "Students need to be taught all the
skills necessary for success, including
academic, social, emotional, and behavioral." He
also recommends that teachers not bring
yesterday's problems into the classroom. Every
day is new.
He encourages teachers to be an expert in their
field, and to be overprepared in their
preparation.
He recommends that teachers laugh with their
students.
On starting out as superintendent
Mr. Pflueger says he never really set out to be
a school administrator, much less a district
superintendent. "I never thought I would become
a principal, I liked being a teacher. I have
been a school principal for 23 years now and
enjoy (almost) every minute. The superintendent
opportunity arrived, and now here I am."
"The business of education," he continued, "is
very emotionally charged. We all want the best
for our children; we all want to provide the
optimum opportunity for their future. If we, the
parents, district staff and he community work
closely together under a unified goal, we will
succeed. This is our challenge."
When will he start his new position as
superintendent? "It feels like it already has,
things are moving fast! Superintendent Conley is
still in charge of the district. I value his
knowledge, experience and support. I look
forward to spending time with him, learning what
he has gained during his many years as
superintendent. After the school year ends on
June 4 and the students progress to their new
challenge, I will be ready. So much for a summer
break!"
Top priorities
Asked about his first few priorities as the new
superintendent, Mr. Pflueger responded: "First,
to listen and learn. I have never done this job
before; my learning curve will be great.
Understanding the budget is a huge priority.
Getting to know the needs, concerns and
suggestions of the staff and community starts
now."
In the longer term, he identifies two crucial
groups in the schools that he believes need
extra attention and emphasis, and that will be
his primary focus: the primary grades and the
high school. He explained: "The Kindergarten,
1st and 2nd graders need to begin their school
careers with the best teachers and optimal class
sizes. Basic skills are necessary, enthusiastic
learners are critical. These students must be
prepared to find success and to flourish."
"Equally important is the high school program
and how we prepare the students for success in
the world. The students need to leave BFHS with
college credit and ready for a post secondary
program or strong vocational skills to enter the
work force. The new welding and auto program
offer great opportunities. I strongly believe in
the arts, music and robotics programs; these and
traditional athletic programs provide boundaries
that keep the students actively engaged in
school and moving forward."
Other points of Mr. Pflueger's philosophy as an
administrator:
• If you have $10.00 don’t
spent $11.00.
• Involve the parents; involve the community.
• Remove poor teachers, remove disruptive
students (provide an alternative).
• Do more than you are expected to do.
• Have fun—work hard, play hard.
Biggest challenges
Mr. Pflueger has lived and worked in our
community, and has been directly involved in the
school district over the past four years. He was
asked what he identified as the biggest and most
important challenges facing the district at this
time.
"Declining enrollment and a lack of state
funding is easily the number one concern," he
answered. "I also believe we need to become more
unified in our district focus. 'Kids first' is
an easy slogan, truly implementing this is a
tall order. Personal agendas and distraction
often get in the way of what is truly best for
our students."
"Two things I do know are, school choice is a
good thing, and not all children are cut out for
public school. That being said, I would like to
hear from the home-school population; it is a
fair question to ask, “What do you feel we can
do better to serve your children?”
Success achieved as a team
Mr. Pflueger believes the best success in the
district will be achieved through the effort of
the entire district team. "The superintendent
cannot make decisions alone. It is the
conscientious and absolute dedication of the
entire program: the teachers, support staff, the
kitchen crew, bus drivers, custodial and office
support. We all must be on the same page. We all
need to keep the students as the number one
focus. As I mentioned during the public
interview meeting last week, the charge is to
manage the entire program. I understand the
challenges at all grade levels. My years as a
junior high principal in Salmon taught me
volumes."
He recognizes the challenges that lie ahead as
he begins his new position as superintendent,
and is looking forward to meeting those
challenges. "I am happy to join a school board
who has strived to provide clarity and openness.
I look forward to continuing this new tradition
and need. I have never backed down from a
challenge and this one is big. My door will
remain open to all concerned members of the
Boundary County Team. I will listen, discuss,
research and explain all decisions. I am proud
to serve Boundary County and the Great State of
Idaho—Go Badgers!"
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