Springer, Ballard: Subject to the same process?
Oklahoma’s two largest school districts both will have new superintendents by the end of the calendar year.
Last night, the Tulsa School Board voted to offer a contract to Keith Ballard to take the place of Michael Zolkoski.
But some people in the district are disgruntled over the process, or what they say is a lack thereof, that led to his selection. (The board brought up the possibility of hiring Ballard the same day it agreed to part ways with Zolkoski.)
When the Oklahoma City School District was faced earlier this year with a similar situation — hiring a new leader after the old one departed before the end of his contract — it took a different approach of soliciting community feedback first.
The Foundation for Oklahoma City Public Schools held meetings and compiled a report with patron suggestions.
How about some more feedback now that it’s over?
Do you think that input sincerely influenced the Oklahoma City School Board’s decision to hire Karl Springer this summer? Do you think Tulsa should have taken the same route as Oklahoma City?
Share your thoughts on the superintendent selection processes here.
Wendy Kleinman
Education Reporter
First board meeting for OKC Superintendent
Karl Springer started a new tradition for the Oklahoma City Board of Education tonight during his first board meeting as superintendent.
During each school board meeting, Springer wants time set aside for a “superintendent’s report” – which he says he’ll use to tell the public about what he’s been doing around the district. Springer said he requested this time and received unanimous support from the board members.
“We need to be transparent,” Springer said, during his first report to the board. “We want to cause everybody to rally around the students. . . My politics, my agenda is to make sure every child gets a quality education.”
School board chairman Al Basey applauded Springer’s work during his first six days in the superintendent’s role, calling him “the greatest advocate of employees and kids we’ve ever had in our district.”
As Springer was introduced during the meeting, he received a lively applause from parents and community members in the audience.
Springer appeared enthused about his new role – describing with excitement the various things he’s done during his brief time with the district: media interviews, visits to schools and speaking at the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
As several parents and family members of Classen SAS students spoke about the administration issues at the school, Springer sat attentively and seemed interested and responsive in the parents’ feedback.
~ Kristen M. Daum, City Desk intern at The Oklahoman (reporting for The Oklahoman’s Wendy Kleinman).
** Also featured on NewsOK’s intern blog.
New Degree Programs
Looking to learn to write the great American novel? Or to learn to teach others to write novels, poetry and nonfiction?
State Regents last week approved a new degree program at Oklahoma State University: a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing.
The graduate program aims to train the practicing writer/teacher and will begin enrollment in fall 2012. The Association of Writers and Writing Programs cited an increase in the number of jobs for writers, both in academic jobs and as self-employed or freelance.
The MFA in creative writing requires 42 to 45 credit hours.
Other new programs approved by State Regents are:
OSU-OKC: Associate in Applied Science in Dietetic Technology; East Central University, Ada: Master of Science in Accounting; Tulsa Community College: Associate in Applied Science in Computer Programming, Transaction Processing Facility and Certificate in Computer Programming, Transaction Processing Facility; and Western Oklahoma State College, Altus: Associate in Applied Science in Production Agriculture.
Leapfrogging into retirement
Deputy State Superintendent Andy Young is retiring this summer after seven years with the department.
Among his last duties is cleaning out his office — including, he says, a lot of frog figurines, a collection that has drawn many questions over the years.
“I think it’s stood for the fact that the children we serve are symbols of frogs needing to be kissed so they can turn into princes and princesses, and I think (educators) always try to do what they can to reach out and do what they can for kids,” he said.
That work will continue, he added.
“Our challenges have never been few and they will not be fewer. … I’ve been very proud of the efforts of this state and my colleagues here and I want to let you know that I appreciate that very much,” Young said.
As Young ends his time with the department, Betsy Mabry is beginning hers.
Thursday was Mabry’s first meeting as a State Board of Education board member as a representative of Congressional District 3.
Mabry is a science teacher from Enid and the 1993 Oklahoma Teacher of the Year.
Wendy K. Kleinman
Education Reporter
Time to learn
Complimentary books frequently make their way into the newsroom. I don’t have time to read them all — I’m still working my way through Jodi Picoult’s novels — but did receive one recently about a timely topic I think is worth sharing.
The book is called “Time to Learn,” and its premise is that the last school bell ringing out at 2:30 p.m. “makes no sense at all.”
Authors Christopher Gabrieli and Warren Goldstein write:
We wrote Time to Learn because we think it’s just the right time for a practical, large-scale transformation in American public education. We think it’s ‘time to learn’ from the available evidence — and we give you a ton of it in what follows — that our children need more ‘time to learn’ all of what they need to succeed and thrive in the twenty-first century. No one knows exactly how long the standard school schedule has clocked in at about six-and-a-half hours a day, or how it got to be that way, but just about everyone knows it’s not giving kids or teachers enough time to produce high school graduates well prepared for higher education, for the workplace of our newly global economy, or for citizenship in our democracy.
A little less than a year ago, State Superintendent Sandy Garrett called for a Time Reform Task Force to study the length of the school day and school year in Oklahoma. (Here’s a recap of their recommendations, and you can view the task force’s full report here.)
“If you want to raise expectations, this is the kind of discussion we need to be having,” Garrett said later.
So let’s have the discussion. Is the school day — or the school year — too short? And if you were in charge, what would you change?
Wendy K. Kleinman
Education Reporter
Do you know an outstanding young educator?
Student contest information often comes my way. But this week, I came across an advertisement in Education Week that gives teachers and administrators a chance to shine.
A middle school social studies teacher in New Jersey was named as the 2008 Outstanding Young Educator. Now, the organization that bestows the title – the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development – is taking nominations for 2009.
The organization will, for the first time, honor not only one teacher but also one administrator. Nominations are due Aug. 1; the nominees must be age 40 or younger.
To nominate someone you know, visit www.ascd.org/oyea. And if you’d like, share your stories here about a great educator — young or young at heart – that has crossed your path.
Wendy K. Kleinman
Education Reporter
More on schools’ ‘bad apples’
A little more than a week ago, The Oklahoman ran several stories and graphics about the difficult process involved in terminating underperforming public school teachers.
One part mentioned the Toledo Plan, a unique method of teacher evaluation spearheaded by the Toledo, Ohio, school district.
NPR recently put together an interesting segment about the plan, including conversations with and about teachers who came under the scrutiny in the peer review system.
You can tune in to the “All Things Considered” recording by clicking here and selecting “Listen Now,” and share any comments you have on this blog.
Wendy K. Kleinman
Education Reporter
Message to superintendents: Shape up or ship out
Mississippi legislators want to bring greater accountability to their superintendents, telling those in underperforming districts to bring them up to par or leave the course altogether.
The legislation — which must first garner federal approval because election rules are affected — would terminate superintendents whose districts fail to meet academic standards for two consecutive years.
The governor would removed elected superintendents and bar them from running for re-election, while appointed superintendents would be automatically fired.
The proposal has stirred up controversy in Mississippi. I’d like to know what you think.
Should students test scores be used to hold superintendents accountable? Is two years enough time to bring meaningful change? Is it right for a law to require a superintendent’s departure?
Share your thoughts here on NewsOK’s Education Station.
Wendy K. Kleinman
Education Reporter
Which way is best to slim down, shape up?
Gov. Brad Henry recently signed a bill raising the amount of physical education required for schoolchildren.
Students in California are facing a different approach under a law that went into effect this year: the amount of P.E. students must take depends on how fit they are.
In California, high school freshmen who fail more than one of six fitness tests must repeat P.E. classes until they can muscle through the assessment. The results don’t impact their graduation.
There is a notable difference between the state actions — Oklahoma’s applies to elementary and middle schools; California’s to high schools.
But both states’ approaches could be applied to any grade level, so which do you think will turn out to be more effective in helping kids slim down and shape up?
Share your thoughts on the education blog at http://blog.newsok.com/educationstation.
Wendy K. Kleinman
Education Reporter
Back to school, back to court
Two weeks ago, I talked to families in Oklahoma for a national basketball tournament who defended their decision to take part in homeschooling. They were on the defense because of a California court’s ruling that parents without teacher certification cannot constitutionally teach their children at home.
But homeschooling families also went on the offense after the ruling was handed down, and the appellate court has agreed to rehear the case.
The court this time also asked for opinions from the union and state board of education for California, and the union and school district for the city of Los Angeles. Other interested parties were invited to file so-called “friend of the court” briefs.
Judges are scheduled to hear the case again in June.
What do you think the ruling should say this time around? Share your thoughts here at http://blog.newsok.com/educationstation.
Wendy K. Kleinman
Education Reporter
