Contract renewal time for the Superintendent, Lori Ward and the Treasurer, Craig Jones. There may be others, but these are two key contracts. Last contracts were three years.
Considering we’re probably two years away from a state takeover of the district, it doesn’t make sense to offer anything more than a two-year contract.
There is no time for an outside search at this point- the Board of Education waited too long. Even if an outsider were brought in, it would be too little time to assess, manage and implement strategy as well as earn the trust of the community, the staff and the students.
Before any contract is offered to Ms. Ward, who has little to show for her last 6 years at the helm, the board should consider the existing staff with superintendent’s licenses and ask them each to come in and give a 20-minute presentation on what their vision would be, what changes they would make, and what they think they could achieve in the next two years.
The possible candidates (if I missed anyone- let me know)
- Robert Buchheim- the newest guy on the list, he’s the “Executive Director Curriculum.” Probably doesn’t know the district well enough.
- Sheila Burton- the current “Associate Superintendent”
- Erin Dooley- Principal of Stivers- the only school in the district with an A grade.
- David Lawrence- “Chief Of School Innovation” I’ve written about him before [1].
- David White- left the district for Trotwood after being offered a raise, he was the turnaround guy at Belmont and then Ponitz. Knows the district.
The board is scared of the “optics” of a white lead board firing a very well liked African American superintendent. Burton and Lawrence qualify for minority status. Lawrence is a Dunbar grad. Sadly, it’s 2016 and we’re still talking about the color of people’s skin.
Either way, the board could use the ideas that are presented to sharpen their direction of the district, which still seems to struggle with getting focused on what is really important.
It’s not police in schools, it’s not suspension rates, it’s not computers, it’s about providing an excellent education and learning environment in every building.
Does anyone at all cognizant think that this board of education is anything but dysfunctional?
The same as it ever was…
Thought you might be interested in this link regarding “poached” businesses. It’s the usual swamp of crony capitalism. Besides the new HQ, there are tentative plans to build them a new hangar. You can’t have Larry mingling with the common private aircraft owners. If you needed any help cutting thru the morass, just ask.
Bismark, there have been periods when DPS had a board that played well together and thus created a period of relative stability–which is somewhat important as a factor in success.
We should note that DPS graduation rates have risen rather steadily since year 2000–so why is that part going right?
Is there any way the State of Ohio can take over DPS earlier? Tomorrow would be good.
Get the week off to a good start. Give the admin folks until noon to clean out their offices.
[…] on Feb 4, Esrati.com readers have known my position on the Superintendent. And on Saturday, Feb 20, I suggested a plan of action for the school […]
Dave C., what makes you think a state takeover will make things better? Does the Flint Michigan water supply inspire confidence in what a governor-appointed administrator might do?
Note that this administration’s board of ed. has already been caught cheating on the test scores: http://www.ohio.com/news/break-news/resignation-of-ohio-school-superintendent-richard-ross-sought-by-state-lawmaker-1.608769
I don’t know what will happen when the state takes over. But I know that the current state of affairs at DPS is lousy, and that leaving things the same will probably result in continued lousiness.
H@ll, try SOMETHING different, for chrissakes.