Sandusky Schools superintendent’s first day on job - 13abc.com Toledo (OH) News, Weather and Sports

Sandusky Schools superintendent’s first day

It's his first day on the job as interim superintendent of Sandusky Schools. Dr. Eugene Sanders is giving his first TV interview since taking on his new job.

Dr. Sanders weighed in on Toledo, Cleveland and Sandusky and the attendance scandal that's rocked the state.

Sanders says the job is close to his heart. Sandusky is his hometown.

"Once you're a Blue Streak you're always a Blue Streak," he says. "It's really great to be home. I'm excited, and my family is excited, and I am looking forward to a great year."

In 2006, Sanders left TPS to become the superintendent for the Cleveland Public School District. In 2011, he retired. Now he says he wants to help the school district in his hometown.

"Obviously, like so many other districts, we've been dealing with some declining enrollment," he says. "With the economy being the way that it has been for a few years, we've lost some populations due to bigger venues."

Sandusky Schools is asking voters to approve a 4.9 mill continuing levy. Sanders says it will bring in $2.3 million each year for the struggling school district. 

The levy will cost a homeowner of a $100,000 home about 40 cents a day.

Sanders weighed in on the controversy surrounding TPS and the attendance tweaking scandal.

"I don't believe people go into the process and try to intentionally rig the system or anything like that," he says. "Candidly, there's so many overlapping processes, it's virtually impossible to do that. But I hope we can find a series of tests we can stick to, because this is my third time changing tests, and I think that makes it hard to communicate with the public what we are trying to accomplish."

Sanders is clear about what he hopes to accomplish in Sandusky, and school leaders are clear that they'd love to keep him permanently.

"I'm hoping that he takes a look at this come January and sees that we are worthy of his service," says Sandusky School Board President Faith Denslow.