The conference website features the following description of Huff:
A distinguished educator and inspirational leader who restored hope to the community of Joplin, Missouri, after one of the most devastating tornadoes in history, Dr. C.J. Huff embodies the resilience needed to overcome adversity, the leadership necessary to turn tragedy into triumph and the passion and insight into what our education system must do to prepare the leaders of tomorrow to face the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.
He was named one of People magazine’s 2011 heroes for his role in bringing the community out of despair and providing the focus necessary to unite and mobilize recovery efforts. In his speech “Leadership in Action: Build Better Teams by Creating Common Ground,” Huff shares how teamwork, leadership and a focus on the future can help overcome any challenge.
Today’s organizations face serious threats to their future—from tightened budgets, to motivating workforces, to dealing with unexpected crises. The ability to overcome these issues starts with strong leaders that cultivate a culture of cooperation long before the challenges arise.
Joplin, Missouri School Superintendent Dr. C.J. Huff has become a respected leader through his demonstration of extraordinary focus, drive and commitment to making sure his community moved towards recovery—despite the horrific destruction caused by one of the strongest tornadoes in recorded history. By promoting partnership, embracing a collaborative culture and improving employee morale through communication—he was able to build common ground before tragedy struck—and to mobilize others to achieve what seemed insurmountable in the aftermath. In this moving presentation, Huff describes the importance of teamwork, service to others and leadership in the face of overwhelming circumstances, inspiring audiences to always prepare for unknown challenges that lie ahead.
Dr. C.J. Huff currently serves as the superintendent of Joplin Schools, a position he has held since July 2008. He is the proud father of three children and has been married to his best friend, Jennifer, for 17 years. A native of McCune, Kansas, Huff earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education from Pittsburg State University, his Master and Specialist in Education from Missouri State University. Most recently he earned his Doctorate in Education with a focus in Educational Leadership from the University of Arkansas in 2003.
His wide range of experiences as a classroom teacher, building principal, superintendent and a family farmer prepared him to lead his district of 1,100 employees and 7,700 students through the recovery effort that has followed the devastating Sunday, May 22, 2011 tornado that ripped through the heart of Joplin. Graduation ceremonies for Joplin’s Class of 2011 had just concluded at Missouri Southern State University when the tornado struck around 5:41 p.m. destroying or damaging 10 of the 19 buildings in Huff’s district including the high school and leaving over half of his students without a school to return to on Monday, May 23. The Joplin Schools family suffered loss more precious than the buildings though as they lost a staff member and seven students to the storm.
Huff’s declaration that “We will start school on time” is credited with being a key factor that drew the community of Joplin together just days after the tornado and provided a positive light for the country to rally around in the midst of such tragedy and destruction. To find and create learning space for 4,200 kids—54 percent of the district—in 12 weeks was a daunting task. “Somebody told me it couldn’t be done,” said Huff, “which is all it took to get me going.” On August 17, 2011 Joplin’s 7,700 students started the new school year on time. On May 21, 2012—just one day shy of the one year anniversary of the devastating tornado—President Barack Obama delivered the high school graduation commencement address.
Three years later, Joplin Schools continues to take the lead in the community’s recovery effort. Huff and his team have encountered and overcome many challenges since that fateful day in May. Undaunted, his focus has remained unchanged as he and his team continue to take care of what he refers to as his “Joplin Schools’ family” and crossing the recovery finish line strong. In August 2014, the last of the buildings destroyed by the storm will be rebuilt. Fulfilling yet another promise to build Joplin back bigger AND better, his students and staff will come home to the new Joplin High School after three long years. A 21st Century high school with a forward-looking and rigorous program of study to prepare students for a highly competitive workforce and global economy that has the potential to change public education as we know it.
Huff is well-respected by the community and his peers as a man of vision and a man that keeps his word. People magazine named him as one of their “2011 Heroes Among Us.” Other recognitions include the 2013 Missouri “Superintendent of the Year” award, one of four finalists for the 2013 National Superintendent of the Year award, 2012 Missouri “National Education Association Horace Mann Award”, National School Public Relations Association’s “Bob Grossman Leadership in School Communications Award”, eSchool News 2012 “Tech-Savvy Superintendent Award”, Missouri Association of School Administrators 2012 “Pearce Award”, Missouri School Public Relations Association 2012“Administrator of the Year” and the 2011 American School Board Journal Magna Award/Grand Prize Winner for “Joplin’s Bright Futures” initiative focusing on community engagement and drop-out prevention.
21 comments:
I know we aren't supposed to hate people, so I will just have to say I truly despise this man for all he has done, and is trying to do, to the district. What a truly despicable, greedy, ruthless human being.
All hail fearless leader!
WHo cares now? He's gone..you got your wish. Why is this newsworthy?
This looks like his recommendation letter combined with his resume.
Don't you wish we could all go and hold up signs with the truth about this poor excuse for a superintendent every time he goes on one of these trips?
THAT would be fun!
Because this prick is still using us to further his own agenda.
All for the Kids!
Mission accomplished!
"See, in my line of work you got to keep repeating things over and over and over again for the truth to sink in, to kind of catapult the propaganda."
"Well, I think if you say you're going to do something and don't do it, that's trustworthiness."
The kids with book smarts will go on to college. Those with street smarts will go to work. The rest will fall through the cracks. You see, it does not matter what they learn or do not learn, only the attitude they formulate along the way.
Randy is a good journalist and all that. But, the author of this piece is a master of fiction. I would love to meet the hero of this beautifully crafted story. If only this super hero would have actually existed.,.I mean wow!
The stinkier the shit-the more perfume to cover it.
Unfortunately, all we can smell is Huff's BS puncuated with a gagging amount of flowery coverup.
Oh yes he will be crying there for sure.
There should have been a clause in his severance agreement saying he could no longer make a profit off the district. He's hurt us enough as it is, but he shouldn't get to still claim glory for it.
Infomercial time! "Do you get exhausted from wading through all the bullshit of politics? Tired of reading the same old lies in your local newspaper?" CUE MUSIC. "Well friend, you should be reading The Turner Report. Turner Report slaps those rose colored glasses off your face so hard that you can finally see clearly all the greed and corruption in your local community. Common side effects while reading include uncontrollable anger, nausea and vomiting, strange compulsion to sing show tunes, and occasional bleeding from your eyes and ears. These side effects may be temporary, if not then speak to your doctor."
Would a newspaper let a journalist report on the person who fired him? It just seems like that basic conflict of interest undermines whatever accurate reporting comes out of this blog.
To 10:17: Huff is giving his dog and pony show about the school district that fired him. I don't care what he says...he re(sign)tired so they wouldn't fire his ass, hence the $$$$$ severance package.
Would a newspaper let a journalist report on the person who fired him? It just seems like that basic conflict of interest undermines whatever accurate reporting comes out of this blog.
Today's newspapers like today's Globe, with their pretensions of objectivity, would surely not, and because of that sort of thing it's made them so boringly predicable, party line and generally milquetoast, they're dying a slow but certain death.
But part of that problem is with the very concept of the modern "journalist"; the old fashioned "reporter", which our host is very much like (despite his college degree :-), the sort that was celebrated in movies; heck, you might even include All the President's Men (Woodward and Bernstein and Watergate) in that.
Were they partisan? Sure, all right thinking people hated Nixon with a burning passion since 3-5 years after they were born. Did it matter? I submit not, even if you count their misdirection about how Deep Throat really was (an FBI bigwig angry because he was passed over for head of the agency).
Let's see more reporting and less "journalism".
Mr. Turner does not work for a newspaper. He is currently his own boss, so unless he would fire himself, I can't see what a newspaper for profit would do has any relevance at all. Also, what in the heck is "The society for human resource management"? What are the people that attend or are involved in this society. Sounds like a bunch of think tankers that have likely never managed anything and with nothing else to do but tell all the rest of those with nothing else to do how to manage the resource of people. That shouldn't take Huff long. Rule number one, "fire everyone that won't kiss your rear end".
Wow...that makes no sense at all.
The Globe and local TV claim be unbiased reporters of fact. They are corporate tools.
Turner claims to be a blogger, when in fact he reports facts. When he offers opinions, he does not claim them to be anything else.
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