News-Record.com

8:11 a.m. - I’m here at the central office belly full of eggs and sausage and desktop full of paperwork. A few scheduling changes have been made to the agenda but we’ll start off with personnel allotments. This is directly impacted by enrollment numbers and many of you have stated concerns about crowding at schools so stay tuned for info on that.

9:03 - Lots of questions from the board about why positions were taken from some schools and given to others with similar rolls. Staff explain there is a set formula they have to work with and a set number of positions to work with.

Several questions also about why schools are opting to trade teacher assistant positions for other position types (technology specialist is a popular one) when they’ve heard again and again about the need for teachers’ assistants from the schools.

Finally there were several complaints that the figures given were based on the projected enrollment numbers. Board members were disappointed staff did not present even the 10-day count in their presentation, let alone numbers from Friday. The staff rebut they don’t have those numbers. There’s debate about that.

9:42 a.m. – After a long and at points baffling presentation on Magnet school evaluations the final prognosis from Dr. Gongshu Zhang is that the programs are working when it comes to math and reading scores.
From his conclusions “Overall, all students, as well as (African American) students, in GCS Magnet programs performed at least equal to or significantly better than corresponding control group students in reading and math of 2007 EOG, especially Math.”

10:55 a.m. – Green is presenting his portion of the day’s undertakings. First up is tackling the system’s mission statement. The board approved one two years ago but many members who were there say they didn’t like it and still don’t. Green says he needs a clear statement with board approved core values so he can develop a strategic plan that will guide his leadership over the next four years.
Lots of conversation about how to change the statement. Board member Nancy Routh notes some core values are little redundant – Diversity and Equality – and member Anita Sharpe talks at length about how the rural residents of the county feel disenfranchised.
Conversation now shifts to why improvement doesn’t occur more at with top student performers as well as the bottom.

11:05 a.m. – I should back up and say there was a great deal of discussion about Magnet schools, mostly about why some schools are crowded while the sytem is paying into Magnet programs that are well below enrollment capacity. Sharpe spoke passionately about this, condemning the 1999 redistricting vote.
Expect to see some additional reporting on Magnet school programs in the coming months.

11:45 a.m. - Board members seemed please overall with High School Ahead Academy Principal Michelle Hayes’ report on progress at the school. The school works with underachieving and excessively absent middle schoolers to prep them for high school. This year 125 students were recommended to the program and 102 committed to it.
The school posts homework assignments online. Hayes answers questions about how well that’s been received, especially among lower income families. She says no complaints, those that don’t have computers at home can get to a library to access one. Kris Cooke asks Green to look into the feasibility of having a computer at the schools accessible to parents. Sharpe notes not enough libraries in the county. Green says he’s heard the complaint out in the community and is looking into some options for computer access.

12:21 p.m. – Twilight Academy gets high marks from the board as well. One big question loomed, how can the system find more room? Pandora Bell, principal at Twilight, said with 88 students on rolls currently and another seven due next week the program is bursting at the seams. She described a pre-calculus course being taught in an office.
“I can’t tell you what would happen if the fire marshal came,” Bell said.
The program helps students with 1-9 credit hours left to complete to graduate obtain the credits. The program is housed in a cramp wing of Smith High School.
Most of the board appeared concerned about the crowding and want to see a resolution found.

12:55 p.m. - I realized I’ve not mentioned attendance. Deena Hayes (District 8) is the only board member yet to show up. Walter Childs (District 1) was here this morning but left after about the first hour. Garth Hebert (District 2) showed up about 30 minutes late. Dot Kearns (At-Large) ducked out around 11 a.m. but was back by 12:50 p.m. Amos Quick (District 9) slipped out shortly before noon or so.

Also the board voted 7-0 approve an amendment to the school assignment policy, changing only some minor wording to accommodate for the High School Ahead and Twilight School programs. Kearns was present but walked in right at the vote so abstained.

1:19 p.m. - Preschool programs got a talking about. Key among the discussion is how to track the kids enrolled in both public and private Pre-K programs. Suggestions include creating a central database so vacancies can be quickly filled with eligible students and common screening and assessment tools. Kearns requested the report be placed on the agenda.

2:03 p.m. - The school board agreed to have the staff come up with options and recommendations for addressing the overcrowding at Northern Guilford Elementary. The school is at 830 students as of Friday.
Among the options to review – breaking the school board’s policy of a minimum four years between redistricting. The board could vote to dismiss the policy, giving them the needed authority to redistrict the area, breaking up the school.
Three trailers will be added to the school by December.

2:43 p.m. - Participation in bond projects among minority and women owned businesses is performing better than the goals set. However, board member Amos Quick raises some concerns about the lack of more minority owned businesses taking part.
Women owned business only include white women owned, according to staff.

3 p.m. - Board member Deena Hayes arrives.

6:50 p.m. - The board wrapped up about an hour ago. Sorry for so much time between posts, I got busy with...well reporting. The board closed with all but Anita Sharpe in attendance - she left around 2:30 or so. There was some discussion about how the board might support the sales tax increase referendum proposed by the County Commissioners. Mo and Kearns seemed the most interested. Jill Wilson, the board's attorney, noted that while the board itself could not come out in support of the referendum they could individually support it and talk it up.

Tomorrow's paper will have more in-depth coverage. Thanks for following along.

For better or worse, Guilford County Schools stakeholders will have to wait a while to find out exactly how the district will change under the leadership of Maurice Green. Of course, he just got hired. But I have been working over the past 10 days to pin down his educational philosophy and approach to tackling this district's greatest challenges. Look for a full story on Sunday.

It's easier to figure out Mr. Green on certain issues, including school climate, teacher pay and the achievement gap. He wasn't so clear on other areas such as gifted students, construction, and improving the graduation rate. At the same time, Green walks into a district that is already undergoing several program reviews -- think magnet schools and Advanced Learners -- and he'll have practically no say in the approval of the 2008-09 budget.

I, like you all, am awaiting today's release of the finalists names for the superintendent position. Lekan Oguntoyinbo, district relations officer for Guilford County Schools, said this morning he doesn't expect to release the information until after 5 p.m. today.

Remember that a public meeting with the finalists is scheduled for 5-7 p.m. Wednesday at central office. Any of you going and what do you plan to ask?

The Guilford County Board of Education will meet twice next week to narrow down the list of candidates for the superintendent position, Deena Hayes told me today. I'm assuming those meetings will take place on July 9 and 10 as I received special meeting notices for those dates today.

Hayes said the board still hopes to have someone in place by the start of school. Just in case you missed the announcement last week, Ray and Associates received 135 applications from 33 states, including North Carolina. Thirty-one people passed through the screening procedures and eight made the semi-finalist list (although the board plans to review all 31 applications).

The semi-finalists are from Alabama, Georgia, Ohio, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia.

I'll update as I get more information.

The Guilford County Board of Education will, after 15 years, stop insuring school property through the N.C. Department of Public Instruction.

The reason? It was able to get a stronger policy through Surry Insurance Co. (underwritten by Berkley Mid-Atlantic). The policy will cost more than $781,000, but sublimits have been increased, which in the event of a loss, would keep the district's out-of-pocket expenses low. Examples: Berkley Mid-Atlantic would pay $750,00 for extra expenses, such as moving students, whereas the old policy offered $100,000. The state also offered a total of $1 million for both demolition and cost of construction expenses. The new policy: $3 million.

Risk Manager Wanda Frazier said she was told the district could have received $20 million more in its settlement for Eastern Guilford High School had it been covered under this new policy. GCS received a settlement of $17.6 million from the state. An expensive lesson to learn.

Keep in mind however, that even with a $37.6 million settlement, GCS is building the new Eastern at a cost of $61 million.

By the way, the school board spent a great deal of time Tuesday discussing (and questioning) the Haberman process of interviewing teachers and administrators. Turns out former Superintendent Terry Grier is using the same process in San Diego -- and ruffling some feathers -- as he overhauls the positions there.

The district is one of six in the country to be recognized by the National Education Alliance.

I rarely have time to flip through the educational publications that pile up on my desk, but an article in the current The School Administrator caught my eye. The article, "It's the system (not the staff) that needs a tuneup" by Lee Jenkins, states the case that school systems must deal with the underlying systematic flaws that hold back student progress, rather than loading up on program after program.

Current system flaws, according to Jenkins, include:
* Teachers spend more time than they should reviewing material from the previous academic year;
* Schools hold students accountable for their short-term memory, but schools are held accountable for students' long-term memory;
* Schools use ranking, the bell curve and other statistical tools suitable for competive sports, but unacceptable for nonathletic endeavors;
* Schools rarely collect baseline data prior to a change, so opinions abound but facts are minimal.

Reading this article got me thinking about Guilford County Schools and the complaints I often get from teachers and students that the district tries program after program to improve student achievement and behavior and other areas. Without systems thinking, administrators (whether they be inside a school system or other government entity) work in silos and make changes without realizing their impacts on other seemingly non-related areas.

In what areas do you think GCS is doing well when it comes to thinking systematically and in what areas does the district need transformation?

A bit of everything, based on the online comments that were submitted in response to the school board's lengthy list of desired superintendent traits.

I took a look at the more than 200 comments submitted since Feb. 21 and the suggestions ranged from leader who would pursue more release time for religious activities to a someone who would staff schools with teachers and administrators from a wide variety of ethnic groups. Some even mentioned names of desired candidates, such as former Page High Principal Terry Worrell and Superintendent Sharon Patterson of Bibb County, Ga. (she was a runner up in 2006 for the national superintendent of schools award).

There were a few general themes. Many commenters said they wanted:

1. A superintendent who would improve discipline in the schools, particularly by kicking out disruptive students or at least placing them in an alternative learning environment.

One comment: "We should have zero tolerance in our schools for poor behavior and foul language. As adults we owe it to all kids to set a better example by enforcing consequences."

2. A superintendent who was not obsessed with numbers are career-building.

One comment: "Our leader needs to be concerned about learning and not numbers. A 2.9% drop-out rate does not indicate highly motivated students. It merely indicates that students over 16 are opting to stay in school where they are free to loiter, attend class at will, create constant disruption, and conduct their social and other business; and ultimately deny other students their right to an education."

3. A superintendent who better supports the arts.

One comment: "It is imperative that we continue to educate our children in differing art disciplines and thought processes; we must help children tap into their creativity so that our nation can survive in the global market."

4. A superintendent who will be more supportive of teachers, particularly by increasing the number of teaching assistants in elementary schools.

One comment: "I understand the decision to scale back or eliminate teaching assistants and try to limit class size based on findings that test scores rise with lower class sizes. While I think the goals is a worthwhile one, its implementation is flawed because it fails to consider the psychological effect on a teachernot to have another adult in the room for instructional differentiation, as well as temporary relief for a teacher or student who is losing it."

Be sure to check out a story coming out on Friday about the new roles of Sharon Ozment and Eric Becoats.

Find here the interim superintendency contracts for Ozment and Becoats, courtesy of school board attorney Jill Wilson.

Also, resumes for the two.
.