District Administration - July/August 2011 - (Page 68)

LOOk, Listen, Learn achievement gaps. From there, Barry and his team developed the next strategic plan, “VISTA 2015,” which focused on supporting seamless education from preschool to college. “My advice is to develop your own strategic plan that everyone can understand and support with their ideas. Then review the data each month … so it stays a living and breathing enterprise,” Barry adds. Challenges Rear Their Head Every superintendent, no matter how popular, will have critics. The best plan is to not take anything personally. Barry of Aurora, Colo., schools, who was named the 2011 Colorado Superintendent of the Year by the Colorado Association of School Executives, recalls a lesson he learned the hard way. In 2008, Barry thought the district could use unspent funds in the employee dental insurance program to begin a student scholarship program. Barry’s team put out a survey asking employees if they thought this was a good idea. Barry recalls that the survey only allowed participants to agree with the idea, not vote yes or no. “People thought we were framing the questions to get a specific answer,” he says, which he learned never to do in the future. In the end, after Barry acquired additional feedback, the scholarship idea was dropped. Barry worked with employees to create another solution for the excess funds. Employees received a dental holiday, a time when they didn’t have to make contributions to their dental plan. If You Had a Do-Over A few superintendents admit to being so focused on the students and community that they ignore the people right in front of them. “Do not forget about the people who work within central office,” says Becoats. “I think it’s easy to have somewhat of an external focus, and you sometimes lose the internal focus. I would suggest a balance of the two.” Becoats says that when he learned of this problem, he responded. During a pro68 July/August 2011 At a 2010 townhall meeting at Wooster High School in the Washoe County School District, Superintendent Heath Morrison informs parents and community members about the effects on the district given a Legislative Special Session, where Nevada legislators discussed potential budget cuts. fessional development event he provided for managers, senior managers and executive leadership team members on understanding different operating styles, he took part in a dance routine to Janet Jackson’s song “Control.” “We had some fun, just being silly,” he recalls. “People have to see you are human.” Morrison also admits that he didn’t spend enough time getting to know his central office staff members. “The people who work in the central office are probably among the most impacted by a new superintendent, and there is a lot of nervous [energy],” he says. “I didn’t sit in my office until October,” he adds, which was about three months after he started the job. “It’s all about time management.” Barry says he has learned many valuable lessons. “Among the top lessons I’ve learned is the value of transparency and developing a sense of urgency for high expectations,” he says. When he started, the district was in the bottom 10 percent in the state in terms of literacy and in the bottom 18 percent in math. “Most parents, staff and community members didn’t know what the real state of the school district was,” Barry says. “By being transparent with this low student-achievement data, we helped staff and the community realize and understand the significant challenges we faced, and how important it was to change current practices.” Becoats adds that he would have been in more contact with certain board members when it came to relaying information about ideas. Some board members thought at least one decision was rushed and didn’t have all the details of a particular plan as it developed over time. “I [now] try to pro- vide more board members with more information and check in periodically. … I’ll probably call them more,” Becoats says. know When to Run Away Jewell-Sherman, who was named Virginia Superintendent of the Year 2009 by the Virginia Association of School Superintendents, left Richmond about seven months after then-Mayor Doug Wilder tried to move the school district offices from City Hall to another building. One night in September 2007, Wilder hired movers to pack up administrators’ and board members’ computers, desks, file cabinets and files, and to move them out. The mayor had criticized Jewell-Sherman and the district for years and had wanted to take over the education system. Jewell-Sherman advises superintendents with critics to surround themselves with supportive, inspirational people and with objects that “give you a sense of accomplishment.” Wilder was forced to allow the district offices to stay in City Hall, but the damage was done. In April 2008, having accomplished everything she had wanted, Jewell-Sherman quit. “[Wilder’s move] was devastating. It was like having someone beat you up publicly, in the biggest arena, and you still had to hold your head high. I knew I couldn’t fight back,” she recalls. She points to the lyrics of the Kenny Rogers song “The Gambler” for advice: “You got to know when to hold ’em, know when to fold ’em, know when to walk away, and know when to run.” DA www.DistrictAdministration.com Read quick tips on how to succeed as a rookie. Angela Pascopella is senior editor. District Administration http://www.DistrictAdministration.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of District Administration - July/August 2011

District Administration - July/August 2011
Contents
From the Editor
News Update
Facilities News
Inside the Law
District Profile
Administrator Profile
The Social Media Dilemma
Is Year-Round Schooling on Track?
After 50 Years, Ethnic Studies Still Controversial
Finding the Right Purchasing Solution
Look, Listen, Learn
Research Center
Supervisor’s Opinion
Going Mobile
Superintendent’s Insight
Books
Product Focus
New Products
Online Edge

District Administration - July/August 2011

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