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Valley
School District is considered a blue-ribbon district, with consistently
high scores on state tests. The district is predominantly white, and
because of residents' relatively high socio-economic status, the
district has never qualified to receive funding to supplement education
programs. Now, as a result of the construction of a large, low-income
housing development, new families have started moving into the district.
As the school superintendent, what must you do to maintain the same level of student achievement in the Valley?
First I will meet with my building principals and discuss the coming changes in student population. Agenda item #1 will
be a review of our test scores, attendace figures, graduation rates,
ascension and retention rates, and discipline data. When we have
finished disaggregating and distilling the data I will look them in the
eyes and say,
"It is of vital importance that the Valley always maintain the highest set of standards possible. Our district motto is "Valley: Setting the Standard!"
This standard will not change, it will guide us through any storm that
comes our way. In the days gone by armies would march into battle behind
their flag, their standard! Behind the standards were the musiciains
that sang of the victory that was sure to come. Remember the Marine
Corps War Memorial depicting six brave Marines raising the second flag
over Iwo Jima. One of the inscriptions on the base of the statue is from
Admiral Chester Nimitz about the fighting men of Iwo Jima. It states,
"Uncommon Valor was a Common Virtue". These same values must guide us
today, regardless of a new housing development, students and families,
or state expectations. We WILL set our standards high, UNCOMMONLY high.
The students that we educate, all of them, are OUR children. What they
learn at this school is OUR responsibility. We WILL be guided by the
principles of excellence and truth. We WILL set our own standards. Who
amongst you is average? Who amongst you wants to be paid the state
average in salary? Who amongst you wants to have your students score in
the median range? Who amongst you is happy to be labled "adequate"? If
you agree with any one of these comments I will accept your resignation
on my desk in the morning, as we will never be satisfied with meeting
the status quo. Ladies and gentlemen, leaders lead and it is in this
period of change that we will embrace that fact and lead our school with
honor, excellence, truth, and piety. We will be in the community
meeting the people, new and old, and we will effect change. Remember
that the universe is full of darkness and the only light we have is from
a star that shines and burns brightly, from a continuous series of
hydrogen and helium reactions that keep it in a constant plasmic state.
We too must be that light in the darkness. When we burn bright all of
the time we will assuredly face a time of burnout, and that is when we
will lean upon each other. I am here for each and every one of you, and I
WILL do what it takes to refill your tanks and keep your fire burning,
just as the Board of Trustees has committed to do for me. Together we
will shine the way for our staff and students to set the standard high
for all to see. Now take this message to your campus, your teachers,
staff, and students. We will continue to excel in the Valley!"
How will you reach out to families of your new students, and how can you use the National Standards to inform your efforts?
As the superintendent in this community it is a given that I will have established strong relationships with area employers, business leaders, and government officials. I will meet with these individuals, formally and informally, to leverage information that is key as to the impending influx of families. There is a chance that we might have information on families prior to their arrival due to a large hiring or vocational plant/factory opening. I will contact the schools where the new students are arriving from to learn about my new students. By reviewing National Standards I will be able to ascertain what differences there might have been between what we do at The Valley and their old school. I will assign a team of educators from each campus to find major differences in what we do and what exists in the national standards and come up with a plan to bring new students up-to-speed with our existing students while maintaining high levels of productivity in all areas. We will implement a home visit team to make contact at the home of new families, followed by meetings Valley facilities to help integrate new stakeholders into the culture and fabric of our community. We will have homeroom teachers assign study buddies at the primary and elementary levels, and study partners at the secondary levels in each class for our new students. We will arrange an extracurricular fair in conjunction with an open house for families and students to learn more about what we do at The Valley. I will also make a point of being visible at my campuses and district activities so that I am available for those who might have questions and/or concerns.
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