Well, so much for trying to have a quiet, smooth, unemotional, well-organized opening of the school year! This past Tuesday, superintendents received an email from the Governor's office that he would meet with us via conference call at 3:00 p.m. that afternoon. At that point, we knew it was bad news - he wasn't just calling to chat- but we didn't know how bad! The Governor began the conversation thanking superintendents for our work and led right into the purpose of the call. With continued decline in State revenues, it is necessary for school districts to be cut another 3% in state funding. For Muscogee County that is $5,321,769. That news was bad enough, but he wasn't finished with the conversation. He then began to talk about furloughs. The Governor doesn't have the authority to furlough teachers, but the legislative leadership has given him the authority to withhold funds; therefore, he will be withholding the funds for three days of salaries and requested that school districts furlough personnel for three days prior to December 31, 2009. The money will be withheld during the next five months. Three days of QBE salaries for our district is another $2,182,76l! The total to be withheld from us will be $7,504,530! Given this amount of budget reduction, we are really having to make some tough decisions.
A teacher posted this question? If we furlough, does that mean we work and don't get paid? No, if we furlough, we wouldn't work and we wouldn't get paid. We would not be asking employees to work without pay. We would shut all schools and all school offices down; no work, no pay for three days. We are still looking at all of our options. Stay tuned!
Friday, July 24, 2009
Friday, July 10, 2009
School Transfers
There is alot of concern about school transfers right now - specifically the transfers to Northside and Hardaway. I understand that concern. The bottom line is that No Child Left Behind requires the district to allow parents the choice to transfer their child to a school within the district making Adequate Yearly Progress when the school in which their child is enrolled doesn't make Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP). Lack of capacity at a school is not a reason for not allowing transfers. We are told the district "must create capacity;" therefore, modular units will be placed on those campuses.
What is the solution? The solution is for every high school to make AYP. Then the district doesn't have to offer choice under No Child Left Behind, but only under the new State law which requires us to offer choice. The difference between the Federal law and the State Law is that the State Law allows us to define capacity and we do not have to transfer students to schools which we have determined are full.
The guidance for NCLB states that districts can come up with creative and ingenious ways to create capacity. Believe me, I am searching for those creative ways, but I am not sure that parents will like the creative ways any better than they like the increased usage of portable classrooms! Time to brainstorm with some of my Superintendent buddies who are also dealing with this problem. I will keep you posted!
What is the solution? The solution is for every high school to make AYP. Then the district doesn't have to offer choice under No Child Left Behind, but only under the new State law which requires us to offer choice. The difference between the Federal law and the State Law is that the State Law allows us to define capacity and we do not have to transfer students to schools which we have determined are full.
The guidance for NCLB states that districts can come up with creative and ingenious ways to create capacity. Believe me, I am searching for those creative ways, but I am not sure that parents will like the creative ways any better than they like the increased usage of portable classrooms! Time to brainstorm with some of my Superintendent buddies who are also dealing with this problem. I will keep you posted!
Friday, July 3, 2009
Great Summer Reading
I am excited that I have discovered some great leadership books this summer. I am constantly on the lookout for books that will help the leadership team and me to reach the next level in leadership. It is necessary to be reminded how great leaders act, talk, react, and operate so that we don't get stale and that we remember it is not about the individual, but about taking the organization to higher levels!
John Kotter's book Sense of Urgency communicates so vividly what I have been discussing with Principals and with the Cabinet. We must do our work with a greater sense of urgency. Jim Collins in Good to Great reminds us that we are to lead with "rigor not ruthlessness" but there must be a sense of urgency promoted in the organization. I have been calling it intensity. I told principals, "We need to work with more intensity! Teach with more intensity! Lead with more intensity! Think with more intensity! Prepare with more intensity! We must understand how important our work is in the lives of our students!" I am now going to change my discourse on intensity to a discourse on urgency! Similar meaning, but I think urgency is really the term I need to use. We must truly develop a greater sense of urgency in all that we do. Our work is too important not to be "on the edge of our seats" as try to improve the lives of children.
Another great read is Real Leaders Don't Use PowerPoint! This book issues advice on when to use a powerpoint presentation and when not to! Great! I love it!
Why Some Things Stick and Others Don't is another book on how to make your message real to others and get the message out in a way that makes people remember it and buy into it. Teachers, principals, and, yes, superintendents must tell the great stories of public education! When someone asks how are things going we must be able to relate the successes and communicate the stories of the good work being done in today's public schools. Bus drivers, food service employees, custodians, clerical employees, and all support personnel must join the effort in communicating our good stories!
Leaders as Communicators and Diplomats is another good book on how important communication is and how to be an effective communicator.
All of these books have something in common. They remind us of the importance of communication, of how great leaders get out front and carry the message of the organization, and how to motivate others. It is so important to relate to people's heart, not just to their minds.
Our jobs in education must be linked to the brutal facts of accountability, but we must never forget the value of the public school experience. The joy of teaching and the difference that we can make in the future of our students must be communicated over and over again. When we look at individual children, we can't imagine how great their potential is, but we must treat them all as if they were going to grow up and have great value for society. We must do this, because, in reality, they all do have value and they all have the potential to contribute.
Well, I am ready to read some more! I have ordered Primal Leadership because Mr. Johnson, Principal at Richards Middle School recommended that. Can't wait to get it.
By the way, I am creating a Professional Library in the Superintendent's Office. It will be a library focused on leadership. The books I have mentioned in this blog will become a part of it and as it grows, the leadership team may borrow the books. If you don't return them, though, there will be a great penalty (to be discussed privately!). By the way, I know that the titles of books should be underlined but I haven't figured out how to underline in my posting. I am still learning!
Happy Fourth of July! Celebrate America!
John Kotter's book Sense of Urgency communicates so vividly what I have been discussing with Principals and with the Cabinet. We must do our work with a greater sense of urgency. Jim Collins in Good to Great reminds us that we are to lead with "rigor not ruthlessness" but there must be a sense of urgency promoted in the organization. I have been calling it intensity. I told principals, "We need to work with more intensity! Teach with more intensity! Lead with more intensity! Think with more intensity! Prepare with more intensity! We must understand how important our work is in the lives of our students!" I am now going to change my discourse on intensity to a discourse on urgency! Similar meaning, but I think urgency is really the term I need to use. We must truly develop a greater sense of urgency in all that we do. Our work is too important not to be "on the edge of our seats" as try to improve the lives of children.
Another great read is Real Leaders Don't Use PowerPoint! This book issues advice on when to use a powerpoint presentation and when not to! Great! I love it!
Why Some Things Stick and Others Don't is another book on how to make your message real to others and get the message out in a way that makes people remember it and buy into it. Teachers, principals, and, yes, superintendents must tell the great stories of public education! When someone asks how are things going we must be able to relate the successes and communicate the stories of the good work being done in today's public schools. Bus drivers, food service employees, custodians, clerical employees, and all support personnel must join the effort in communicating our good stories!
Leaders as Communicators and Diplomats is another good book on how important communication is and how to be an effective communicator.
All of these books have something in common. They remind us of the importance of communication, of how great leaders get out front and carry the message of the organization, and how to motivate others. It is so important to relate to people's heart, not just to their minds.
Our jobs in education must be linked to the brutal facts of accountability, but we must never forget the value of the public school experience. The joy of teaching and the difference that we can make in the future of our students must be communicated over and over again. When we look at individual children, we can't imagine how great their potential is, but we must treat them all as if they were going to grow up and have great value for society. We must do this, because, in reality, they all do have value and they all have the potential to contribute.
Well, I am ready to read some more! I have ordered Primal Leadership because Mr. Johnson, Principal at Richards Middle School recommended that. Can't wait to get it.
By the way, I am creating a Professional Library in the Superintendent's Office. It will be a library focused on leadership. The books I have mentioned in this blog will become a part of it and as it grows, the leadership team may borrow the books. If you don't return them, though, there will be a great penalty (to be discussed privately!). By the way, I know that the titles of books should be underlined but I haven't figured out how to underline in my posting. I am still learning!
Happy Fourth of July! Celebrate America!
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