WJCC Financial Officer Burckbuchler to Become Essex Superintendent
Scott Burckbuchler
Williamsburg-James City County Schools’ Chief Financial Officer Scott Burckbuchler will leave the division in June to become the next superintendent of Essex County Schools.
Burckbuchler’s position in WJCC schools will be posted soon and advertised nationally, according to WJCC spokesperson Betsy Overkamp-Smith. Superintendent Steve Constantino said Burckbuchler has been a “huge asset” to the division.
“He has filled a number of positions within the division, including as interim superintendent, and has always ably faced any challenge,” Constantino said. “I am pleased that we will continue to benefit from Scott’s leadership as we work to build this year’s budget.”
Burckbuchler wrote a letter to his new division, posted on the Essex County Schools’ website Feb. 11. In the letter, he commends the School Board for its genuine concern for the community, and plans to create “Pathways to Excellence” for the school system.
“Following my arrival in June, we will collectively expand upon the notion of ‘Pathways to Excellence,’” he wrote. “From my perspective, excellence means that we build upon our successes to create a system which fosters a student-centered continuous improvement model that meets the academic, athletic, artistic and vocational needs of all our students.”
Burckbuchler replaces Joseph Melvin, who resigned from Essex County Schools on Oct. 17 to accept a position as superintendent of Petersburg City Schools. Since November, Gail Pope served as acting superintendent.
Essex County Schools, located on the Middle Peninsula, enroll 1,628 students in three schools: Tappahannock Elementary School, Essex Intermediate School and Essex High School.
Burckbuchler came to WJCC in 2005 from Norfolk Public Schools, where he served as senior director of budget. In 2010, he served as Acting Superintendent for the division following the departure of Gary Mathews, and applied to become superintendent, but the job went to Steven Constantino. In 2011, he was one of 43 candidates who applied to become superintendent of Lee County Schools in Florida.
“I have appreciated all the opportunities afforded to me by WJCC,” he said Wednesday. “I have many special memories and wish the system the very best.”
WJCC School Board Chair Ruth Larson praised Burckbuchler’s leadership in a tough economy. “Scott has helped move WJCC toward premier, and we will miss him. His ability to manage our budget during tough fiscal times has enabled our division to focus on our priorities and minimally affect our students and our classrooms,” she said, adding he has worked to establish a positive working relationship with the city of Williamsburg and James City County. “I thank him for his service and congratulate Essex County for making a wise decision.”
Posted by Amber Lester Kennedy
on February 13, 2013. Filed under Local News.
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5 Responses to WJCC Financial Officer Burckbuchler to Become Essex Superintendent
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John Whitley
February 15, 2013 at 7:29 pm
Have a successful venture, Scott.
I think you’re the last of the GaryM initiates.
Treat the Middle Peninsula with great compassion.
MRG
February 14, 2013 at 12:20 pm
A smart move for Mr. Burckbuchler and a loss for WJCC schools. Too bad we did not hire him when we had the chance…
An awful idea
February 13, 2013 at 1:58 pm
Ellie: Mr. Fuentes, along with his fellow board members, has presided over the decline and crumbling of the district over the past few years, doing nothing to stop the bleeding of talent from the district leadership, and basically helping to steer the district into the coming icebergs. Nobody on the board is especially well qualified for their seat or effective at their job, and the direction of WJCC over the past few years shows it. The last thing we need is to in-breed the board’s failure into central office.
Ellie
February 13, 2013 at 1:25 pm
Congratulations to Mr. Burckbuchler. We’ve known he wanted to be a superintendent for a while, so best of luck to him.
I know it’s early to talk about a successor. But, I hope that we give some consideration to Joe Fuentes for this role. Even though there are those out there who make sport of mocking him, he is an engineer and we need that.
Unfortunately, with the latest redistricting, it will be nearly impossible for Mr. Fuentes to win a re-election in his new district. He has become too divisive. But ask yourself this, are we really prepared to meet the challenges of our division going forward with him?
Heartbreaking
February 13, 2013 at 12:16 pm
Another highly skilled leader leaving WJCC. It is disturbing and heartbreaking how the school board has all but ruined the remarkable progress the district had been making up until a few years ago. They were moving our schools in the right direction…..and then they made a horrific series of personnel missteps and have put WJCC on a down-bound trajectory. Now matters are even worse.