Carnine served as the Little Rock School District Superintendent from October 1997-1999.
...so the Arkansas Arts Center is the perfect place to hold a reception to welcome our new Little Rock School District Superintendent, Dr. Leslie Gamine, to our community in an artful way. You are invited to attend this special reception for Dr. and Mrs. Gamine on Thursday, September 11, from 5:30 p.m. through 7:00 p.m. at the Arkansas Arts Center. Please RSVP your attendance plans today by calling 370'9300. This special reception is being hosted by the Greater Little Rock Chamber of Commerce artd the Little Rock Alliance For Our Public Schools. UnUROCK FOR OUR PIIBUC SCHOOLS tStm BuriMBOxnaDirtw Entei^ The rccefiiion is spotxsored by Entergy. ITS ART an5 .'J SC>-lv^r^ 3 1997 s 7. OWfOF '^^^SREGATION MONITOHIHS)1 09 11 .'9" 09
10 301 524 2025 LRSD COronMCATI ODM 001 001 Little Rock School Distrirt 810 West Markham Little Rock, AR 72201 Phone?
Fax: (501) 324-2020 (501) 324-2032 DATE
September 'n/l997 TO: Central ^\rkansas Media (11 FROM
Suelien Vann. Director of Communications SLJBJEtj Special Board Meeting Situation - 9/11/97 MESSAGE
l.ittie Rock School Board members have been invited to attend a reception to welcome the new LRSD supenntendeni. Dr. Leslie Gamine, to the conimunitv. ITie reception, n(
)sted by the Greater Little Rock Chamber of Commerce and the Little Rock Alliance tor Our Pubi.ic Sdiools, will be from 5'.30 until 7:00 p.m, this evening at me Arkansas Arts Center. Immediately foliowing the invitation-only mcepiioc Board members wil! attena a dinner in Dr Carnine's honor at ttie Vineyard at the Park, also at the Arkansas Arts Center A special Bo.ard meeting situaiion exists when more than one Board member attends the same event. c Psges {indjcjidgcc'ver) ro .pax # Speed Dial___ 1 Pr-gpiiririg studeni<
tor success every' day01374413? LfiLkER LAW FIRN I 02 SER 12 17: .lOHN w. walker RALPH WASHINGTON \LARK BURNETTE AUSTIN PORTER, JR, John W. Wxlker, P.A. A'fTC'R.MY At Law 1723 Broadway Little Rock. .^Yrkansas 72206 Telephone (501) 374-3758 FAX (501) 374-4187 September 12, 1997 Dr. Leslie Camine Superintendent of Schools Little Rock School District 810 West Markham Little Rock, AR 72201 Dear Dr. Camine: As I read the newspaper this morning, I noticed where you were welcomed to the city by a reception sponsored by the Greater Little Rock Chamber of Commerce. I further note that the reception was by invitation only. I have checked with my office and confirmed that I, as counsel for the Joshua Intervenors, did not receive one. This has been the history of the District and others, to exclude, rather than include. Best wishes to you during your tenure here. John W. Walker JWWijs cc: Honorable Susan Weber Wright Ms. Ann Brown Dr. Don Roberts Mr. Rhett Tucker II9.16' 97 11:20 0501 324 2023 C: LRSD CWBIVNICaTI ODM 001/OOI Little Rock School Di-strict 810 West Markham Little Rock, AR 72201 Phone: Fax
(501)324-2020 (501) 3.24-2032 DATE: September i6,1997 TO
Centra! Arkansas Media EROM: SuelJen Vann, Director of Communications SUBJECTT
Press Conference - Dr. Les Camine MESSACi Diitric: . amine, newly appointed superintendent of the Little Rock School /rork in Little Rock this week. Dr Camine will meet with media ciL dseikatives at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, September 17, 1997. Dr. Camine will make a brief statement and take questions. The pre.ss conference will be held in the Board Room of the LRSD Administration Building, 810 West Markham. vViio
D -e.s Camine. LRSD SLiperintend.erit tMat
When: Wiiere: Press Conference - First Week on the Job in LRSD Wednesday, Setitember 17, 1997,10:00 a.m. board Room, LRSD ^Administration Building, 810 West Mark'^arn. Rock # Fdg, riCiuding cover) To Faxiii Speed oral___ I Prepdi Kig students tor sufce.'^s evtp/ day iiLittle Rock School District JUN 3 jggg June 2, 1999 OFFICE OF ofsesregation monitoring The main thing is to keep the main thing the main THING! Dear Colleagues: What a yeai! I hope all of you have the sense of accomplishment that I do! The positive opportunities for the school district continue to develop. We have had great individual and collective accomplishments, but the most exciting aspect of the year has been that the instructional indicators are pointing to very positive future results. A parent and a teacher asked me how that could be true. Hadnt I seen the newspaper story showing results of the 4' grade literacy and math exam? Yes, but when we looked at those we noticed the schools that were pilots of the ELLA program K-3 and math, all had strong gains. Staff development has not been universally accepted or appreciated, primarily because of the many failed promises of programs and quick fix elixirs of the past! But this time this very basic and focused approach appears to be just what the doctor ordered. Most educational reformers who have produced results over time have agreed it is a matter of focusgetting everyone on the same page with a standard or basic program. All the efforts of parents, students and teachers, regardless of the specialty, are focused to produce progress on a limited set of goals. ELLA training and the focused math training will continue to produce results on basic reading and math achievement goals. And let us not forget district graduates really had no peers when it came to top student awards in a number of state and national academic categories. Student activities have been a very pleasant surprise. The numbers of students participating grew impressively, and I know this helped to produce an improved year in student behavior. Many of you remember when state winners were most often decided within the schools of Little Rock, and Im talking about a variety of co-curricular activities. The district again has asserted itself with impressive performances in music, art, drama, speech, debate and athletics. With the implementation of the middle schools and neighborhood schools our students and programs will only become stronger. Without question, the academic reasoning for middle schools and 9-12 high schools will provide academic strength, and it will have a positive impact with increased student participation in career/technical programs and co-curricular activities. (continued) 810 West Markham Street Little Rock, Arkansas 72201 (501)324-2000Arkansas Democrat 7! (Dazellc SUNDAY, JUNE 22, 1997 Camine Pi Continued hotn Page 1A . Cooliouedlroierago 11. neded Uie diiriciilt reciivciy to help him lyiiw as a poison and ins now job as a bank ollioor (o slienglhon ns credentials as a school adinnlisbatoi. I H Age
55 Family
Wile, Lii it la Jo (Glipsey) Cai- iiiiieidiildien.'lNciidyCaniiiioliessoli. 20 and lliaddcus Alan Camine. 24. And as nan naiiiicneo sevei.i times before, advice from mlliicntia educators helped point him toward tlie ncxtslcp. J Iv AV >l\. !' . I lia<! sewial pixfesst's who wcit "I had several "y'' eriuluales oiUie llnivei-sily of Arleui- ............/rlfwl IIKV lu* .^nUl. 1 Ami when he arrived in Wichlla Falls, Texas, II) yeais ago, he exiieclei students there to improve and schools to grow and Un lye. Since his arrival, test scores h.ive increased steadily, a IIWI desegregir lion lawsuit has been resolved, .uid fewer droti outs, lights and .1 incK! Uicrc are Educalion: Sloiiii l ake I lii|h &ll. Stone Like, Iowa. I'.M
BA. Diieea Visla Coleqo, Stone I .ake. Iowa. MA, Ceelial Minaiun Stole Uniycisily, Waneesliuiil. Mo., tUKk sily ol AikansJis al I ayoUevillo, I JOO. n ExiXJiiencc
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social sliKlies leadier. ay- , ..i fin- //uiiicnkll. lew* lUat,v.y v't Liiv k Kis.Tlioyoncomaged me. 'said. bad Uiree inorcssoi^ who really took me aside and said. 'Yon need to get your doclorale. and we wiuil yon to go to Ilie tJniveisity of Altairsas 'I'lie couple went lo 1' ayellcr dk in rail imn and fell in love wiUi Uie college town. A year later, however, Uiey Leslie Gamine
' Texas hopeful enjoys the heat on front burner I crimes in the dislricl. 'fhrougli it all. Camine has iiiit been surprised because, he m.vcl Uiouglit of any other result. "'I'here's a tendency soinelnitcs for peoiile to focus on iiroblems. le said from behind a desk covered with family photos and memorabilia Iroiii past jobs.'"niafs wrong. "If you really want to have, a situa- lion lliat's veiy pimluctive imt -'7 posilivc,you'llemphasi/.e hose h ugs you want You'll focus on Uio.se iteius Now Uie administrator, oa, lupjcs '''^Carnine. W and willi a doclorale in hand, accepted the principal s job MWr social -a......... ........... , . 1 ill .111 Independence. Mo., junior high town. Mo.. 1965 60
axiiiseloi. Hay- ! .school - his wile salina inak ' '................. ..ncQinni **Im siii c gljul slu.' WHS a gieal siu- dent and a great kid." Camine said with a laugh, "because I the cachei-s really thouglitil was neat to have h.id uiwn. ivHi., ................................ lowii, Mo.. 190167 I.liadiialo ausislaiil. Uiiivoisily ol Aikaiisas. 1967-6U
liMoi high piiocipal. Indepeiideiw, Mo l'Jt'18-69
depiily su|ieiiiileiitoil. Man ..pa,.j. -----------_ halian. ^all.. 11169 75
'all''?,l>'^'^|' u,e principal's wife as one of tlieii Kaiifias Sialo Univcisily. 197U75 uink . officer. Manhallaii. Kan., U75-7JUiigh sclKKJl piiiicipal. Haiiison. Aik. 1917 79. assistinl suponnlendonl. Tcxoikana. Aik., 11179111
siiltoiiiilcndeiil. lexar- kaiia. Aik.. 1991-1)7
siipciinleixlenl. n- cliila Falls. 1 oxas, 1987piesenl. Kansas students. . . Thev just took me luider Uieii ' y J -_.i ...... (t.fMii Inn lev JUOl vvvo and nurtured me Iroin the wing nurtuied iroiii me standiioinl of a young principal and Jally helped me gruw.' to focus on another challu ge Heis UY DOUG I'ETERS me oflwo Unahsts lor Uie i.'tut H a ARKANSA.S DtMocRAT-OAZEnE School District lihimHiitem^ WfCIUTA FALLS, TexasLeslie na-'m-baciguie Little Hock job would V. Camine lias spent Ids caieer ex- " immeconiing of sorts. He re- pectoiggooclUiingstoliappeit his doctorale in When he poslponed graduate r,oni the University of Arkansas at school to stay close lo his dying iravelleville in IIXW- lalor spent mother, he expected his job as a two yeare in Harrison and nine in social studies teacher to prepare Texarkana before moving lo Wicliiui him well for life as a college pro- Falls in 19SJ7. -is //vex-z..** ri.- tldirv I'lim LCl JUL. xJ.' fessor. It did much more. Wlien he left education for two years alter a serioihs iniie.s.s, he 'Alter a one-year crash course in nrincipalship, Camine and Ins wile philosophy
"My goal as a pioles- imiejicndence and went lo Man- Xnal educaloi is lo Help W realize its dreams lor its cliiklien ,. m lust 10 suivivo. bill to le,ad a veiy salisty- Iiij.veiypn^utlivo'ife-------- worked as an aujunci iiiuie.>.-.v. ... "i UliIlk 1 was kind ol a typical boy stato University, leaching at at Unit time, and Uierc wasn't a lot ol eyeing class a semester, pre.ssure from Uie slandpoinl ol hav- y,,,i pme, the Camm-'s ing really goml grades," he bail two children, Wendy "i }''
" ' "1 guess 1 was one ol Uiose people ,^(1, now are married. Ihad.MwUl who wits just sliding by, and one oliny meilical school in Oklahoma . leachem rcall.v hxik me aside and said, ^,. wendy, '211, holds a nias- 'You luiow, you really have a lot iiioic j(,gree in educalioti. 10 a P,'''',"'''.'mi7,',,
,,:i, i|, rep- ' promise Uianwhatyou'rcs iownig , jg-jj carnine fell severely ill ounorlunlly, Uie Little HOCK JOO lep i ........ ........i,.i resents a project with too much pm , UU U IIVIIIVVV... -o ceived his doclorale ui education cx- See CARNINE, Page 17A 'man who sees chaUenue as tenlial to resist. '1 don libink you can go inlo l.ib . lie Hock today and not leel like Is L going to be a five- to seven-yeai pl.in, he said." It's going to hike Uiat kiiI of lime mid nurturing lu create i italiy .} posilive situation. -^KlitVhaVK true, 1 would lialelo lliiiik about going there loi jnst ,i (on pie of years. 1 don't tinnk that would a con- bnUan. Kan 'I'liero Cinnine sereod as depubv siiiiei inlendent I'roni llKiin.i. Ho also worked as an adjunct prolcssoi at bel'aiitnUiecily.' iHejba!san,ld.,ea,nbtn^ jor project of a careel r that so far has spanned veal'S and started bj' jmise ui.u............-------------.1 " In 1975. Carnine ni .Suddenly. Camine had a luentoi, ccepbalilis, an inllanuiialion ol andavision. . hie brain. He spent weeks at Uie Ulil- "I was going lo gel a ih.D. in hislo- n| i<nns
ts Medical I enler be- ly and leach college. Ihals where illness faded, leaving hull was headed." . . ileafinhislellc.-u'. lie kept Uial vision all the w.iy ...rdmtimc.lwasalinostdcviLshit- 1 threugli higli school - through liisse- . .. ..pni i.nier on. 1 siiw nior class jiresidency, debate chain- .i|p,(|i,r.benefiLs,fi'onllhesbmdiionil pioiiships and track medals. m l,,kingatlifc a lotdilferently. He kept it all lliroligli Ins uiidei- AHei' liis illness. Carnine loiik a graduate years al Buena Visla tol- edticalion. A friend ap lege in his hutneluwn. Ihrough his j,
|,ribiniwiUianollertoworkal - time in student governinenl and Ins I siresslul envi- term as fralennty president t.aniiiic acceiilcd. He stayed focused on his goal. two veal's, gaining hands-on expeiT By his senior year. Ihe pltccs imUiolighl would help Hi^Xg^inemor.ahd adviser. Him when he relumed to ediicaUon. and a vision. dial way .1. i.i-.i. __ihi'diioli hisse- dealin hislelteai-. au tn uivuvih ,. ol Uxildnitatlilealotddlereiitl . ' Aller his illiios.s. I ainnie lo break liom siK noin vuuv''*- ' , lUcliL'il himwiUi an ollerto woikat i m^SaiaS/llw l^Je in noH^ .vho w S of SiX^ d
^
iL and :n,entatBuenaVisla,hel(^i^mne younger broUicr. i.i.,iiiie Ills faUier,lx-sler. winked .I nosl oUice
his nioUier, I hyllis. w.is .i iiomeiiiaker who workeil paid lune in rKing store. Family trips weie ' rare and modest- usually across the border to Minnesohi. .-hv ISiil recreation was always n ..u A ^as a ' >|*v.** i.r***T arnince u joh and sciiolarships al the Univei-sily of Iowa, 'fhere he starlet work on his maslcr s deuree Uic next fall. . a diagnosed of many glacier ' i Storm Hike, one glac Cl lakes Uiat dot Uicaiea. t he Caimiics , lived only about l'/< Woo^'^V nine's faUier, now ill Ins tills, stii lives ' in Uie laniily's while, two sloiylraiiie house. lam- il^die didn't have long to live. C.n- witli cancer miles li-oiii home. "I biuiihlllicre on nnilvenllyenjnynl ,'''Srewingup.cariiinedidii't^^ it
'S "1 maUy l-i , give much thought to schm.. U. s c i ,, m eat mtpcni'iw . wcresiiiiplysoiiieUiingtugetUiH uUi (s,mines inolhei .J'J. - prerequisites For sports, which e y,e advice ol '> 'j in i loved. "If if was a ball, 1 played iL Havekicklogelhisniastc . 1 . , I l inior biell hislo- sbUlg. Il was not until a juino high nisui ' IV leather stepped in to oiler encoui - ageinent Uiat Camine's dedication to his studies began to match Ins cnUiu- siasni for aUileUcs. said. Hwas ^!SStohmtmSSS^Uier Si^''Sh3siXhsi' in reading and gilled education. ......, m SUNDAY, JUNE 22, 1997 'line ycare after leaving Fayetlc- Caniine's faiiiily irtunietl to Ar- -sas. They moved to Harrison. re Gamine worked as a high >ol principal. Harrison was a .'ice for Gamine to return to his iove. teaching, if only in a limited . He taiiglit sunmicr classes in ad- ?n to his duties as principal.
1979. Gamine and his family ed to Te.xarkana, where tliey
t die ne.xt eiglit years. Wendy .'ualed from higti school tliere. '-tie Gamines go hack tliere occa- ally to visit old friends. lie family moved to Wichita Falls S7 and has been tliere since. die first several years of Gar- s tenure as superintendent of Wichita Falls Independent ol District, he worked widi .1 members and members of die munity to develop a strategic to raise student achievement jvver the drop-out rate. of magnet schools, earning praise from teachers and boaixi members. "It really could have evolved into a very divisive tiling. said Shelby- Patrick last year's president of the Wichita Falls Glassroom Teachers /Association. "Sometlung like Hint can tear a conununity- apart if you don't contain if sonal strengtii. "In large districts, you depend on an awful lot of people to get the job done. In fact if you try- to do the job by- yourself, you're going to run into some problems." he said. His job, he said, is to keep things organized and make sure the dis- nomenal." Wien he isn't running die schoc. system. Gamine is active in the Pres by-terian church and sometimes Ln dulges odier passions running ar.c art collecting -though Gamine has stayed in .
-La Falls letter than he original- -umed. staying has allowed him tch programs he set up start to avidends. took us a couple years to really ..e strategic plan in place." he "Ever since then, it's been a " climb upward in student vement across die board."
hts and crime have dropped 3 same time, he said. About ears ago. the district began a -tolerance' program to keep "oblems of violence and drug .'.at were spreading from Dal- :rt Worth out of Wichita Falls IS. .-e recently. Gamine helped die ?: resolve a 27-year-old desegre- . lawsuit by developing a system trict's efforts are focused on goals But even those who appreciate that will help students. Gamine's effectiveness don't always agree vrith his style. In a board meeting last Monday, the navy-suited Gamine sat quietly "I think there's been some dis- while president David Flack ran the agreement on some issues and some meeting. Gontent to listen, he waited of his management style, but Les has to speak until board members asked Gamine and his wife have a collection of prints tliey started more tha.-. 30 years ago. Several of them, inducing the fust of the collection, a museum-quality- woodcut called River Sunset hang in his ofBce. Above the cre- denza where his laptop computer sits hvo watercolors adorn the wall. During their time in Manhattan. been successful." said Kerry-.Maroney, his opinion. The meeting went Kan., die Gamines met painter one of three school board members smoothly and ended with Gamine Thomas Hart Benton through mututo who voted against e.xlendmg Gar- giving a report on the progress of the friends in the Kansas State an de- nine's three-year contract this year. One problem, he said, is ftat Gar- nine doesn't always share his ideas with the board as early- as some members would like. Maroney- was quick to stress that his vote was not against Gamine's performance, but against the busi- districts strategic plan. Even so. he knows not every-one in the community- agrees with his eagerness to delegate. "Some people would say I have too many- committees, and I w-ork partmenL They spent time with Benton at his home tn Kansas Gity. Gamine used to dabble in watercci- ors himself but hasn't for many years. And the athlete in him is stiH tr--- ing to get out and find new chai- with too many- thin^ that way, Gar- lenges, nearly- 40 years after he won a nine said. 'But I think over the long state track medal in the quarter-mile, ness practice of constantly rolling haul its been very successful. I've Icu- over contracts. But Maroney was on planted a lot of seeds." the losing side of a 4-3 vote to e.vtend the contract Every- year. Maroney said. Gar- Gamine. 6 feet tall and fit with gray hair thinning on top and round, dark-rimmed glasses, smiled as he Gamine is a runner. .A. marathoner. in fact He started running regularly- after his illness. It helped him recover, he said, and now- helps him w-ard off the nine's three-year contract would be explained his team-oriented philoso- stresses of the vvorkdav and kee'- extended by one year, so after 10 phy and what he calls "the power of him in shape. ' ' years as superintendent Gamine still doubling. Sometimes. Gamine wor.de.n has three years left. He told of speakmg to a group re- what his life would be like now if r e "I don't alway-s agree with Les. but cendy, asking, "if I offe'red you SI mil- had gone on to the University- of Iowa to become a history- professor all those years ago. But that curiosi?.- is by no means regret speaking re" alw-ay-cently, offered he's a smart man. He's a man of vision, lion right now. or told you I'd pay you and he's always about nvo years ahead ' . in his thinking Maroney said. "You've got to hustle to stay up with him." Maroney and other board mem- a penny' today and double it everyday for the ne.xtSl days, which would you take? "It was a pretty- large group, and bers and administrators attest to Gar- several people said they'd take'the Si nine's skills as a delegator. Finding million.' he said. skilled people and letting them do . . _ But they w-ould have passed up a eir jobs without interference is payoff of mo re than SIO.000.000. "I feel blessed. I happened to luck into a profession that seriousiy is about as challenging and demanding as any-thing. "If you want to be on the front something Gamine considers a per- burner in life, this is a great place to "The pow-er of doubling is phe- be.MONDAY, JUNE 23, 1997__ LR schools get Texan for top job UA grad calls post positive challenge BY CYNTHIA HOWELL .ARK.ANS.AS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE Camine Continued from Page 1A scores, which is something we all have been real concerned about, and with leading a community out of a desegregation suit. Riggs said. districts intention to pay a salaiy of about $115,000 to oveisee a district of 25,000 students and he anticipated no difficulties in reaching a final settlement. He currently earns about $105,000 in a district of 15,750. The board does not intend to offer any kind of bonus to Camine if We were all impressed with the he stays a certain number of years, things he has done with his commu- nor does it intend to offer bonuses nity in Wichita Falls and tlie length for the accomplishment of specific of time he stayed there. Prior to the board's 6 p.m. meeting Sunday, T. Kenneth James, sugoals. Such provisions were includ- -m, T ---I r, , perintendent of the Batesville The Little Rock School Board School District and the other final- voted unanimously Sunday to offer jst for the Little Rock job, withdrew Leslie V. Car- his name. line of Wichita Ba knowledge and I plan to seek his counsel often, Camine said. He will be part of the team. An actual starting date for Car
nine is yet to be deteraiined. All of our candidates said they would not leave their old school districts in a lurch, Riggs said, I an-. ticipate Dr, Camine will want to. work for the next 60 days, maybe longer, maybe shorter, until his board is comfortable tliat tliey have a process in a place to replace him.'', Riggs said he doesn't expect Car- nine to make immediate changes in- tlie district. One of the things Dr. Camine, said is that you listen to the community and you adopt the rtsion that the community wants, which tells us that he is not bringing his own agenda here, but that he is going to carry out the agenda tliat people in Little Rock have, Riggs said. We are not looking for the white knight to come in and save us.l Riggs said. Really,'it is the community tliat must decide to save itself- Education is not in disarray in Little Rock but we do need stable leader-- ship. When you have stable leadership, you can count on things getting done and that is what we are expecting with Dr, Camine," The Wichita Falls district has been involved in a desegregation lawsuit since 1969 but expects to be- released from federal court supervision by 2000, The districL 64 percent white, is using ma^et schools to aid in its desegregation and has been successful in getting federal funding for those schools, which Little Rock district has not gotten in recent- years. Wichita Falls is on the verge of reaching unitary status, and we hope we aren't too far behind. Riggs said. We need one final push to get us there and particularly somebody with his kind of experience in raising test scores and closing disparity gaps will do us a great deal of good. Like Little Rock, the Wichita Falls district does employ some private companies, including Laidlaw Transit Inc., to operate some of its departments. Unlike Little Rock, Wichita Falls teachers do not have a collective bargaining agreemenL Camine is president of the Urban Superintendents Association of America. He and his wife, Linda, who is also an educator, have two grown children. Wichita Falls is on the verge of reaching unitary status, and we hope we aren't too far behind. We need one final push to It was our decision, after count- -Texas, less hours of thoughL to stay in me job of super- Batesville, James said Sunday in intendent in Ar- an interview. It was a family deci- kansas' largest sion. This is best for the entire fam- get US there and "'tSj t. iiy. I don't regret the decision, but it The selec- was a hard one to make, Falls, school district. _, ................. particularly soiii ebody tion was made The Little Rockboard met for an with hi^ kind nf easier when the hour and 15 minutes in private be- . ? fore opening the meeting and voting experience ill raising test for the job with- to make the offer. Board member r ., L'y IS name pat Gee made the motion to offer . ro consideration before Sunday Camine the contract and Sue ni^,. s board meeting. Strickland seconded iL Gee and - - - - nf ^s home Sunday Strickland went to Wichita Falls a great deal of gOOd. night. CariMe said he hadnot spo- last week to survey residents about . _ c . , ken dmectly to any of the Little Gamine's work in his districL Little Rock School Rock board members, but he was aware of the board's 7-0 decision and he intended to accept the offer. Im looking forward to it. said Camine. who has been superintendent of schools in Wichita Falls since 1987. I look at this as an extremely positive challenge. I am coming to a school district that has i tremendous potential. The Arkansas job represents a homecoming for Camine, 55, a self-proclaimed Razorback fan who earned his doctorate from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. An Iowa native, he worked in both the Harrison and Texarkana, Ark., school districts before moving to Texas 10 years ago. He was superintendent of the Texarkana district for six years. Little Rock School Board President John Riggs IV said Camine succeeded in dealing with challenges similar to those in the Little 1 Rock districL Leslie Camine finalist He's got experience raising test See CARN I NE, Page 3A scores and closing disparity gaps will do us I'm ecstatic, Strickland said Board President John Riggs later. I just think he 11 be a fine su- T', perintendent. Im impressed with the way he does business. Hes a thoughtful, careful planner, she said, also calling him humble but a recognized visionary in the community. Board member Larry Berkley said he was impressed with the way Camine works with his staff and community, and with the develoi> ment of a technology program in Wichita Falls. Every classroom in the district has Internet access, which isnt available yet in most Little Rock schools. Im very interested in technology and he's done some fantastic things with technology there, Berkley said. Rig^ said the board and Car- nine will spend the next few days working out the fine details of ed in the contracts of previous district superintendents but were not successful in keeping the superintendents in the districL Riggs said. The board decision on Camine culminated a search process that began in March, when Don Roberts, interim superintendent of the district since August 1996. announced that he wanted to retire by the end of 1997. Roberts, 62. has said he is willing to continue to serve as superintendent while the new person familiarizes himself with the city. Riggs said Sunday that Roberts may work until early winter but tlie decision on his actual length of service will really be made by him and Camine. Camine and Roberts have been acquainted since the late 1960s ! what will be Gamines three-year i contract Board members explained tlirough the graduate program at the the parameters of the contract earli- University of Arkansas. Camine said ! er this month to all the finalists and Sunday that Roberts' continued in- 1 Riggs said he did not anticipate any volvement in the district was key to problems in the final negotiations. Camine said he was aware of the his-interest in coming to the districL I have a high regard for hisArkansas Democrat ''^(Gazette TUESDAY, JUNE 24, 1997 Superintendent contract talks start at $115,000 ' BY CYNTH lA I lOWELL ARKANSAS OKMfX RAI-OAZhl IS i. A day after the Little Rock School Board voted to offer Leslie Gamine the job of district superintendent, contract negotiations began. ' Little Rock School Board President John Riggs IV said Monday that he sent Gamine a copy of a proposed district contract that includes an annual salary of $115,000 f6r 260 days of work. YRi^s said he doubts contract negotiations will be completed by Thursday, when the school board will hold its next regular monthly ineeting. He anticipates reaching a settlement within two weeks and said that board members may invite Gar- nine to attend the meeting at which they formally approve his contract. Gamine, 55, has been superintendent of the 15,759-student Wichita Falls, Texas, school district since 1987.He was superintendent for six years in Texarkana before that. The Little Rock board voted 7-0 Sunday night to offer Gamine the job of overseeing the operation of about 50 schools and 25,000 students. Gamine said later that he saw no reason not to accept the job. A starting date hasnt been de- termined for Gamine, who is expected to complete some projects ill Wichita Falls before beginning work in Little Rock, possibly by September. The Little Rock district is offering him a three-year contract that includes a $10,000 payment to a retirement program of his choice. The draft contract also provides for 10 days of vacation, which will increase by two days on each anniversary of the contract, to a maximum of 20 days a year. The superintendent would get 10 days of personal leave time and 10 days of sick leave per year. He would be required to tell the school board each month the basis for the number of vacation and leave days taken the previous month. Other terms of the proposed contract call for paying Gamines moving expenses and providing him with up to $1,000 a month for six months to offset the costs of moving. The contract obligates the district to pay the superintendent's membership fees for two professional organizations and one seiwice organization. The superintendent will also be: Reimbursed for expenses incurred while promoting the district and perfomiing his duties. Supplied with a district car for personal and professional use. Entitled to seive on paid boards.Arkansas Democrat ^(jwcUe TUESDAY, JUNE 24. 1997 EDITORIALS W" w!s5ae 1 Old hand, new hope Welcome, Dr. Coniine ,t^OR a. new school superinten- F1-4 deni taking on the biggest school JL. district and educational challenge in tlie state, Leslie Gamine is an old hand. After all, hes been presiding over a plan to get Uie Wichita Falls, Texas, schools out of court by the end of tlic centurytliis century, that is. More impoilant, he has been educating Uie next generation. (We may all tend to forget Uiat litUc deUiil, wrapped up as we are in court oixlers and technological innovations and generally fussin and feudin.) Now, once again, Ure people of Little Rock can feel hopeful Uiat a new ^superintendent will lead Uie way to a new era that restores some of the shine of Uie old, when a public education was more Uian a gateway to success. It was an education. For a lot ,of students in Little Rocks schools, lest we forget, it still is. But for all too many of Arkansas young people, public education has been reduced to a lick and a promise and a diploma. (See some of Uie latest statewide test scores.) Without decent public schools, opportunity becomes just a bitter joke. Ilappily. Uic Natural State is still the Land of Opjioilunitybut for not nearly enough of our kids. Various of Little Rocks public schools continue to surprise Uie cynics by leading Uie state in quality. But too often Uie American dream is denied. And Uie tax-paying publics sad experiences wiUi a rapid succession of short-time superintendents has not brought Uie dream any closer. Suffice it to say Uiat not all of Little Rock's recent superintendentsthey tend to blur into one indistinguishable mass of upwardly mobile mediocrityhave been as successful and salutaiy as Don Roberts. lie may be a temp, but he has given Uiis district a new steadiness and a new confidence. Leslie Gamine seems just Uie riglit man for Uie job, in large pait because he seems so much like Don Roberts. The newest school superintendent is new superintendent ui a long and uneven line to Get Vs Out of Court, or Save Our Schools, or Unite Usor in some oUier way bring Uie milleniiiuni wiUi him in his briefcase. Slowly, painfully, it may finally have dawned Uiat education is not a one-man or one-woman or one-superintendent job. It hikes a family, a community, a whole school system. Ilappily, Ulis school system has considerable slrenf^hs as well as Uie all-too- fainiliai strains. A recent series in Uie Demoend-Gazette spoUi^iled some of Uie best schools in tlic district And Uie heated debate over wheUier we had slighted oUiei-s is a good sign Uiat school spirit is not just alive and well in Little Rock, but Uiriving. The whole district could be on Uie vei-gc of flowering, given Uie efforts of Leslie Camino and thousands of oUi-cr folks. AS EVERY gardener knows, there is no magic road to (hiitioii. Hie haivest takes a lot of seeding and weeding, hard work and tender loving care. Yes, all tlic technical aids helpsometimes. But sometimes tliey just distract. Most of all, education takes patience
it takes sustained attention. 'rime is tlie stuff education is made of, and so much of it has been lost. But witli a new superintendent to keep Uie funws sti-aigliV Uie districts friends and suppoiters, its critics and ! fans, Little Rocks business conununity also a veteran of tliis teiTibly inipor-and neighborhood associationsindeed, all of usmay finally have learned to keep our hands on Uie plow. They say it helps to pick out a distant point on Uie horizon and head for it One such goal, not so far off for better schools everywhere, is mentioned in that fine, plain-spoken report on Little Rock's schools put out by UALR: It cannot be said often enough or loudly enough that the main goal of any pidflic school distJTCt must be sludetit achieoemeni. Thal reminder ought to be en-tantganie, cliallenge, opportunily, and graved .somewhere, like over district pain in the neck. School adminislra- headquarters, or behind every new tion is like Uiat its so easy to get supciinlendents desk. Maybe it would bogged down in Uie details and forget help, when distracted by Uie usual ht-that administration also involves igation and frustration and iiegolia-leadership. Just surviving Uie selec- Uon. to lift our eyes and remember Uon process is someUiing of an what schools are about They are not about lawsuits and counter-suits, fads I .achievement for a new school super- - ------------------------- intendent Now comes Uie delicate and counter-fads, but Uie shaping ol transiUon and later what all hope will individual minds, of strong character, be Uie long, long haul. of competent citizens. Student by Arkansas wont be new tenitory for student by student Dr. Gamine. At 56, hes already worked So welcome. Dr. Caniine. Now on in Uie Hairison and Texaikana school to work. Laboi- mnuiavined. And when districts
he was Tfexai'kanas school su- Latin is restored to its rightful place perintendent for six years. LitUe Rock in Uie curriculum in Uie public should be a homecoming
Uie welcome schools, and is no longer Uie trade se-mat is certainly out cret of an elite few, all graduates of By now folks in Little Rock must LitUe Rocks public schools will know have learned not to look to Uie next Uiat Lalxn' Conquers All. I 1 Arkansas Democrat (Ciizcllc FRIDAY, JULY 11, 1997 Contract signing puts Texan at schools helm BY SUSAN ROTH ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE have found anyone better. Im pleased to be here. I feel ARKANSAS i -----T? For the 10th time in.M^ears real goo^l about it, said. the Little Rock School District has Carnine Continued from Page 1B complimenting the board on the efficient interview and selection process. He spent the day in toe new superintendent day evening to offer a^eear ^wSS o7 August, Car- sas'
s'ci5.o3 SxtXl distriS""*' Board ot his intent to retire Aug, Gamine and each board member signed toe contract which oni- cially hires him Aug. 1. Gamine a district administrators and local media representatives. 3L J * He said toe board s president approved toe date, but didn t want sole remaining candidate him so work to do to ensure that school starts smoothly in Wichita Falls in mid-August He said he plans to be on toe job in Little Rock by mid- See CARNINE, Page 10B was the ----------- for toe job June 22 after two final- ists withdrew. , Im ecstatic with what we goL Board President John Riggs TV said. If we had our pick of anyone in the world, I doubt we could LR School Board OKs pre-budget for 98-99 September. . To ensure a smooth transition in Little Rock, the School Board voted unanimously to extend interim Superintendent Don Roberts contract ... .1 ---J 4.V.ZX l-fnhPrT<
SSrend of the year. Roberts I contracL for the same annual salary ' of $115,000, would have e.xpiredAug. . _ k 'I'Kt 17*C 31. Roberts was out of town Thi^ day, but board members smd he d agreed to stay on to help Gamine The Little Rock School Board approved a tentative $139.5 million budget Thursday for toe 1998-99 fiscal year. , To support toe budget, toe board proposed a school tax rate of 41.4 mills 2 mills below A mill is one-tenth of 1 cent <
The proposed budget represents a 3.6 percent incre^e over the 1996-97 budget of about $134.7 million. It would be a 1.5 percent increase over the proposed budget for 1997-98, which is $137.4 million. State law requires school districts to make the proposed budget and supporting tax rate pub- last years rate. Mark Milhollen, toe districts manager of financial services, said S'jSel" rSSS'ua'l. iS'to My'it the previous year. tak6 over ' leaves, probably in Novemter. Ri^ ^Roberts, 62, told the board in Klarchthathewantedtpretotor^ district through court hearings on the 13-year-old desegregation case re- tirement by the end of the year but would remain on the job while his successor became familiar with the I I I ! i fessional school association and one service organization of his choice. Hell receive $650 per month for car expenses. . , , For his move to Little Roclq the district will pay $1,000 a month for Gamines first six monto plus moving expenses up to $5,000. Until he Riggs said the district has enoi^ money to pay both men becai^e Dr. Roberts has been extremely ^al. The board felt strongly that we I l^ve a ^^mofhis^^ce^^^additio^a $lte.,^_^.in Roberts to stay and even asked Roberts wife to let him stay longer the job full-time,.he^l be L Hnfpl STlfi ' Dr city rr According to his contracL Car- ninp^ salary covers ^0 work days . . . tion days and 15 personal leave days assumes JOD luu-ume, uc u mc paid $460 a day plus travel, hotel ana The district will also pay Car- nines membership fees in three pro- dents.8 ARKANSAS TIMES * JULY 11,1997 <: a B.- I ri" .
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arktlmesSarktlmes.com New LR school chief sets some goals Les Camine says specifics await more study. BY JAN COTTINGHAM I H e wont lake over as Lillie Rocks new school superintendent until September, and hes cautious about 1 J I I j 8 j I ) 1
! J t 1 discussing his plans for die district, but Les Carnine has some aims in mind. The first goal is to get acquainted with die community, said Camine, who will be leaving as school superintendent in Wichita Falls, Texas, to come to Arkansas. Tlie second goal is what can we do to increase student achievement. Tlie third goal is getting the community back into the educational syslem. Tliat diird goal would be true whedier 1 was in Wichita Falls or in Lillie Rock, Carnine said. 1 diinkdiat for loo long weve just allowed things to happen. Camine, in a telephone interview this week with the Times, look care to stress dial he needed to learn more about the problems of the Lilde Rock district before prescribing soludons to them. In interviewing for the Lillie Rock job, Carnine said, he told school board members that he would seek to develop community pardcipadon, but that ultimately die emphasis has got to be on die children. Carnine said that he hadnt yet reached agreement with the board on his employment contract, though they were close. And he hasnt yet had time lo hunt for ahouse. He was scheduled to be in Lilde Reckon Thursday lo allend the school boards monthly agenda mcedng. The Lilde Rock School Board voted June 22 to offer Camine die superinlendency. The odierfinalist for the job, Kenneth James, superintendent of die Batesville School District, had wididrawn his name from consideration before the boards vote. Camine, 55, will replace Don Roberts, who became interim superintendent in August 1996 after Superintendent Henry Williams left Litde Rock for the Kansas City, Mo., school district. In an earlier interview, Camine noted that he had planned lo interview more ihan three years ago for die Lilde Rocksuperinlendcnls position, die job dial Williams eventually look in October 1993. Camine had plane dckels lo Little Rock but relumed them. Speaking to die Times diis week, Camine listed several reasons for deciding against pursuing the Lilde Rock job earlier. First, he said, it wasnt the right dme to leave Wichita Falls, dial die district was jusl entering die phase of our work with the courts seeking to end its 27-year-old desegrcgalion case. Second, after talking with people in Lillie Rock about the Carnine school system, he got a sense of a lack of com- milmenl to die schools. And finally, Ive always put my family first, and a move then wasnt die right diing for them. Carnine has been superintendent in Wichita Falls since 1987. Tlial school district has an enrollment of 15,750 and an annual budget of $89 million. Tlie Little Rock district, die slates largest, has an enrollment of 25,000 students and a budget of $158 million. Camine earned his doctorale from die University of Arkansas al Fayelleville in 1969. He also worked as a high school principal in Harrison and as assistant superintendent and then superintendent in Texarkana, where he served until 1987. In applying for the Lillie Rockjob, Camine cited an improvement in student achievement test scores during his tenure in Wichita Falls and Texarkana. How would he seek to bring about a similar result in Little Rock? Tlie first thing you have lo do is get a tremendous amount of data to look at and lo WiKS looking at a road atlas, I noticed tliat some parts of Arkansas are on tlie eastern side of the Mississippi River, and parts of Mississippi are over here. I understand that the river has changed its course many times since the boundaries were drawn, but do the two states really AsklfuTuneswelcoitiestjuestioruoTiArkaruaslopics, includingcomplaintsaboulmallen of general inieresl. Sendthembyfaxto375-3623:e-mailalarkiimes@ark{imes. coin
orniail toPO Dox 34010, LitlleRock72203. analyze dial, Camine said. And dien do whatever you need lo do to make die focus instruction. Camine also was asked about several coiitenlious education issues. Tlie role of religion in public schools? Camine said he supported strong character education programs in die schools. He thinks such education has been a part of schools all along (Teachers have really done a great deal of modeling behavior) but that such programs could be more structured. I ihink there are things lb at we can agree on I with churches J when it conies lo character educationhonesty, for example, he said. 1 hope we have a very, very strong relationship with die religious community in Little Rock. Tlie role of programs for gifted and talented students in public schools? It would be a tragedy if we didnt provide gifted and talented students with a proper education, Carnine said, adding that his wife, Linda Jo, is an educator who has worked in gifted and talented programs. Al die same time weve got a lot of kids in the middle. We need lo have a strong educational program that looks at each individual. About charter schools, die slate program dial waives certain stale education requirements for schools with innovative leaching methods? Camine noted dial Texas has ils own charter school initiative, and we may futuristically look at what do we want to do in that same way in Lillie Rock. recognize these patches of land as belonging to tlie other? Tre Baker Yes. Arkansas collects taxes and enforces Arkiuisas laws in lliose patches of its lerrilory liiat arc on tlie Mississippi side of die river, and Mississippi does likewise. Last year, a group in Lee County proposed to build a casino on land dial belongs to Mississippi, but is on die west side of die river, but die Mississippi Gaming Commission declined to license die proposed casino. MONDAY, JULY 14, 1997 I.* A I laal* ' * hU School chief Continued from Page 1A sees LR job I think most of my colleagues "would say I use the style tliat fits the situation, Gamine said. as long-term three-year contract effective Aug. 1 for a $115,000 annual salary plus benefits. He said he expects to be in Little Rock by mid-September. Interim ______ Superintendent Don Roberts will stay until the end of BY SUSAN ROTH ARK.ANSAS DEMOCRAT-G.AZETTE Leslie Gamine, new Little Rock School District superintendent, is preparing for the long haul. The haul will not be his im- pending move from Wichita Falls, the year to smooth the transition and guide the district through court hearings on the 13-year-old desegregation case this fall. There are no quick fixes, Car- nine warned, refusing to offer a time frame for his goals or make , , . promises about when district pa- Texas, where he has been supenn- expect changes. tendent for 10 years, but the - , ,, People always wonder how lengthy process of learning Uie things will happen. The first strengths and weaknesses of the ygaj-, I will just take a hard look at Little Rock district, and seeing everjlhing. 'That doesnt mean we what he can do here. He assumes wont work fast on the things that that important accomplishments need to be done quickly. But Im will take awhile, and he intends to not here to sell any kind of snake be here to nurture them. oil. 'There are no elixirs in my In Wichita Falls, Gamine has bag. been credited with rising scores a marathon runner who always on standardized tests, fewer finishes the race, he measures his dropouts and less crime in the words. His thoughtful, deliberate schools, as well as leading the dis- manner conveys a stability that he trict out of a desegregation law- means to impart to the districL suit. knowing stable leadership is a Ive come in and stayed concern in a district that has had Sometimes I will make decisions when they need to be made. Other times, I get a lot of people involved in the process. One of his first priorities will be getting to know the teachers and administrators in each of the schools another project he expects to take about a year. He said he likes to spend time in the schools and be accessible to staff. Gamine attributes his success to the fact that under his leadership, school districts have focused on childrens basic educational heeds instead of embracing every trendy new program touted on the school circuit He said he considers himself a Jbiue-collar type who advocates hard work, perspiration and data analysis and, especially, a cooperative effort with parents and community. i In his first year on the job. Gar- nine said he plans to request a tremendous amount of data in all areas to start to get a picture of the district He compared the school district with a pointillist painting composed of a million dots of col- places, Gamine said Thursday in 16 leaders in the last 14 years, his first interview as superinten- I have to get the sense out dent sitting in white shirt and red there that theres stability here, an suspenders at a table in what will expectation that you can depend be his office. Im not going to be on the organization, he said. here two or three years. Im com- People have a tremendous ca- ing in to look at this situation for a pacity to be creative. With stabili- long-term basis. ty, but even without resources. Gamine on TTiursday signed a they know they can try something < See CARNINE, Page 5A and they will be appreciated and supported. Without stability, people dont do that, and you dont get the growth you might have gotten. He said he considers good communication a necessity among district staff and termed his management style pretty low-key and very pragmatic. or. In the data, he will look for un- ! usual characteristics, and for parts that may be missing from the picture. Everything you have in the district has to support student achievement physical facilities, programs, discipline, personnel, he said. Once the picture comes into focus, Gamine said he plans to set benchmarks based on staff and community goals, as well as his personal beliefs about where the district ought to be. For help in that process, he said he also plans to use a national educational data service to look beyond Arkansas borders for districts comparable to Little Rock that appear to be achieving maximum results. You want to see the best prod- ucL and use that as a model. Gar- nine said. Meanwhile, he is getting acquainted with the city of Little Rock and house hunting. Gamine said he did not yet know which neighborhood he preferred for his new home. The only thing I can say safely is that it will be in the Little Rock School District Arkansas Democrat T^^azclk Ji^yRSD^^WLY 31/1997 , Old job giving superintendent $80,000 in leave pay :fn LR schools, unused benefits wont accumulate to levels allowed in Texas system ::: by gynthia howell ' ARKANSAS UCMOCRA r-GAZK 1 IC
Little Rocks incoming school su- perintendent, Leslie Gamine, will ^apparently leave his job in the Wi- '.qhita Falls, Texas, school system mext month with about $80,000 to be paid him for unused sick leave and
vacation time. Dr. David Flack, president of the Wichita Falls School Board, said Lesfie Carnine sick leave when he started tire job, tlien awarded another 12 Falls School Board was on the board when Gamine was hired. Flack said he expects the board to fulfill its legal obligation to Gamine the superintendent will not be re- imbursed for unused personal leave when his contract is terminated. As for vacation. Gamine will get 15 days of sick leave without any challenge. days his first year, 17 days the second Gamine wont be able to collect year, 19 tlie tliird year mid M days ' each year thereafter. Five of those while working in Little Rock. days iiiust be taken each year during The contract he signed earlier UiedisbictsCliristnias vacation. each year of his employment. Flack was un- sure Wednesday of the exact number of unused Qie payment stems from contract provisions that date back 10 years to ---------------------- when Gamine was first employed cumulated. The superintendent had the potential to collect as many as by the Texas system. According to the contract terms, Qamine was credited with 89 days of sick leave days in tlie same fashion this month credits him witli 15 days of personal leave for illness or per- sick days and un- ------------------- used vacation days Gamine had ac- days of personal leave for each sub- 209 days in sick leave alone. No one currently on the Wichita UlSU lClb VIUlbUiKO vavauvu. Gamines miused vacation days cmi be carried over from year to sonal business. He will receive 15 year, but tlie number of accmed days caimot exceed the number of vaca- sequent year he is employed. tion days allotted to the superinten- The days will accumulate from dent in tlie current year. When Gar- year to year if not used, to a maxi- nine leaves Uie district, he will be mum of 20 days. The contract says paid for his miused vacation days.Arkansas Democrat ^d^azcltCj THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30, 1997 Gamine takes helm of LR district BY CYNTHIA HOWELL ARKANSAS DEMOCRAr-OA/rriF. Les Camine officially became superintendent of the Little Rock School District'this week. He replaces Don Roberts, who served a little more than a year as interim superintendent of the states largest school district. One of Camilles first tasks will be meeting with the districts School Board on Friday night and search and evaluation, are retir- all day Saturday at Petit Jean Mountain to decide how best to work together to accomplish dent of Wichita Falls. Texas, and school district goals. The meeting agenda includes Little Rock board in June. He be- reviewing the districts five-year strategic plan and recommenda- ber, but Roberts continued to tions for improving the district proposed by eight teams of citizens and employees. The facilitator will be Judith Faust, an instructor in the School of Social Work at the University of talked with principals and teach- Arkansas at Little Rock. One of the most important things we can do is make sure that communication is strong and very' open between the board and the who came out of retirement tem- superintendent, Camine said Wednesday. The discussions this weekend also will influence how Camine organizes his staff. He is drafting Judge Susan Webber Wright to ap- an organizational plan and e.x- pecLs to begin filling positions in January. Several administrative positions have been vacant for more than a year, including chief officers for business and desegregation. Also, Margaret Gremillion. an assistant superintendent for ele- mentai-y education, and Ed .lack- son, the director of planning, reing. Camine former superinten- Texarkana. Ark. - was hired by the gan working here in mid-Sepleni- serve as the distiicts chief administrator to give Camine time to acquaint himself with the system. Camine ha,s visited all of the districts almost 50 schools and ers. He is speaking to civic groups and will address the west Little Rock Rotary- Club on Wednesday. Roberts is an Arkansa.s native porarily to head the Little Rock district. He will remain on the payroll through December to lead efforts to persuade U.S. District prove revision.s in the district'.s desegregation and education plan. Wright has set a Dec. 1 court hearing. Judy Magness, president of the seven-member School Board, said the weekend workshop will cost the district per person for lodging and meals.I Arkansas Democrat i
(lS>>cUc | 4B MONDAY, JUNE 29. 1998 i EDITORIALS Les Gamines bright idea Chai ter schools in Little Rock D ONT LOOK now, but Les Car- nine has publicly uttered tlie C- word. As in charter schools. And he hasnt yet been forced by Uic usual suspects, whose initials aie Uie teachers unions, to take it back. Shocking. Could Arkansas finally be ready to try someUiing (slihlil) diffeivnl in education? Our fingers, toes, and eyes are crossed. Meanwhile, Uie new superintendent of LitUe Rocks schools has our moral support as he tries lo scrape the rust off the system. He says a charter school or two might be just the tiling to help those students who have fallen behind in class or may not graduate. Its sure worth a try. Nowadays Uie hip phrase for schools that focus on students in trouble is AltemaUve Learning Centers. Some of Uiem might as well be called black holes. Because students go in but dont always come out graduates. Dr. Camine has seen what change can accomplish. He supervised schools in Wichita Falls. Ibxas, before taking over Uie lYoubled Little Rock School Districtwhich really ouglit to be its official name. Over in 'texas, he watched charter schools in practice not just in Uicory, which is the only way Uieyrc now allowed in Arkansas. Tlie way Dr. Camine tells it just Uie presence of charter schools forced Uic 'Iexas legislature to pass laws Uiat eased the morass of rules and regulations strangling public schools. Thal way, charter schools not only provided improvements themselves, but encouraged improvement in oUier schools. An aside
Arkansas and Texas boUi have had charter-school laws on Uic books since 1995, but the Land of Opportunity has been anyUiing but when it comes to real reform in education. Were 0 for 2 on charter scliools. And what exactly are charter schools? Tliey are schools Uiat (a) are supported wiUi public money but (b) operate largely free of most slide and local control, and (c) focus on ac- countability, not bureaucracy, 'teachers and parents lend to have more say over charter schools, the usual bureaucracy less. The biggest attraction of charter schools lies mainly in what they arc not. They are not, to quote 'riiomas Toch writing in U.S. News & Woiid lie- port, at Uie mercy of central-office edicts and teacher-union contracts Given that kind of freedom, teachers can leach wiUiout interference. And a school can have a distinctive philosophy and missionlike an approach to arts or a foreign language or even Uie development of character. In sliort, a charter school can develop some core beliefs to go with Uiat core curriculum. Mr. Tochs detailed stoiy on charter schools in the April 27Ui issue of U.S. News should be required reading for anybody who is concerned about educationwhich ought to cover all of us. He went to dozens of charter schools and found Uiat, when run properly and held accountable, Uicy are free to "pursue innovation and educational excellence wiUi an enthusiasm sorely lacking in many traditional public schools. Warning: If Uieyre run to make a profit or serve some personal agenda, Uiey can be disasters. Tlionias Tocli saw lots of Uiose, too. Luckily for Little Rock, the capital citys first cxperiiiienl in charter schools would come under Uie watchful eye of a no-nonsense superintendent like Leslie Camine. He plans to put together a group of teachers and staff from within Uie distiict and approach Uie states Board of Education for a chaiter. Hes already reached out lo Uie teachers unions and mcnibcrs of the school board. Ive bilked with various people aboid working in Uiis environment for four or five nionUis," he said, 'riicy want to see what Uie school would look like. But if we can put logeUier a sound proposal, I Uiink Uiey'll be supportive. Congratulations, Dr. Camine, for taking the first step toward real reform. It only gets tougher from here, but know Uiat a lot of folks arc behind you. Sure, change is stress, and inertia is tempting, but thats how weve wound up crippling Uie education of kids who, isolated in poor iieigliborlioods, ne^ helping Uie most Eveiy day Uiey fall farUicr and fartlier behind, and Uie system doesnt seem to care. It's time we all did. I 'f MIGHT be too much to ask (he Legislature to do sutiieUnng innovalive and loosen up Uic law that now doesnt so much permit charter schools as put one obsUielc alter an- otlier in tlieir way. Its more a brick wall than an invitation. The way tlie law stands now, a group of teachers with some innovative ideas cant get a charter witliout firet getting tlie expiess okay from tlie states Board of Education, tlie ad- ininistralion of Uic local school disti ict, tlie proper school boai d, and. get Uiis, Uie teachers union. Its ahnost as complicated as getting your car tags used to be. Arkansas never had a Franz Kidkii
we had a car-iY^li'alion system instead. Now weve got a charterschool law tliat would make Tlie Castle look like a simple bungalow. Mike Huckabee may have soured on school vouchers, but he still stands behind the charter-school niovemeiiL Word is tliat some of Uie Legislature's more i-easonable DemocraLs arc shirting lo sec the need for a more nexi- blc law tliat would encourage charter schools instead of stifling tliem. Maybe tliis first step from Dr. Car- nine and Uic IVoublcd Lillie Rock School District will help. We all fear Uie unknown. If Uie skepUcs see what a charter school can accomplisli, maybe theyll shirt to come around. Hey, miyUiings possible. Look at what happened lo Uie kafkaesque process we used to go through to get our car tags, ollen on Uie second or Uiird liy. As it stands now, Uic Arkansas law Uial is supposed lo allow for charter schools is in practice a law against Uiem. According to Uie Center for Education Reform, only Mississippi Tliank God for, etc.has a worse law. At last count, 280 charter schools opened last fall, bringing Uie tohil to 780 schools in 16 slates. Charter schools are now leaching more Uian 170,000 children. But in Arkansas, Uierc arc as many charter schools as there are ocean-front views. WiUi our mountain scenery, we dont need an ocean. But we do need better education. We need more innovation. We need more leaders like Les Camine.Arkansas Democrat (Gazelle^ WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 1998 LR school chief gets good grades in review ARKANSAS DEMtX'RAT-GAZEITE The Little Rock School Board completed its evaluation of Superintendent Les Camine in a special closed meeting Tuesday night. The district does not publicly release tlie evaluation's contents, but the hour-long discussion was more positive than negative, board President Judy Magness said. All the board members showed their support for Dr. Car- nine and think he's doing a really good job." Magness said. Board member Michael Daugh- erty was absent. Board members met in closed session last week to put together an evaluation of Camine's job per- foraiance. Yearly- evaluations are a standard part of the superintendent's three-year contract. Magness said. Camine was hired into the $115.000-a-year post last summer and assumed the duties in October.Arkansas Democrat 'Ty (Gazelle MONDAY. FEBRUARY 22, 1999 ( ? i '' ' -h. School chief rides winds of progress BY CYNTHIA HOWELL ARKANSAS UKMOfRArGAZEITi
Nearly' I'A years after taking over a.s chief executive of the stale's largest school district, Little Kock Superintendent Les Car-nine remains upbeat and energized in a job that Quiekly wore down so many of his predeces- SOl-S. Instead of feeling constrained by the problems and different constituencies typical of an urban school district, the 57-year-old Carnine has thrown himself, his staff, the School Board and the general public into a whirlwind of / I educational and operational Sonw 18 months into the job, Superintendent Les Carnine is already leaving his mark on the Little Rock School Dis- IMIIB Arkansas Deinociat-Gazelte/RENJAMIN KRAIN Irict. He has helped spearhead several new approaches inside the classroom and out. changes, the magnitude of which the district hasnt seen in years. All the efforts are ultimately iiitcnrlcd to improve student achievi-ment, Carnine said recent- See CARNINE, Page 5A Superintendent history
Superintendents for the Little Rock i School District from 1978 to the present. 1978-1982 I Paul Masem______ | 1982-1987 Ed Kelly 1987-1989 I George Cannon | ,1989-1992 Ruth Steele 1992-1993 I Cloyde Mac" Bernd | 1993-1996 r Henry Williams 1996-1997 I Don Roberts* | 1997-pres0nt Les Carnine Roberts was an Interim superintendent lor i t8 months. Others who served as Interim superintendents for shorter periods I Included Ruth Steele (1982). Vance Jones, (1987), George Cannon (1987), and Estelle Matthis (1993). SOURCE: Democrat-Gazette files AiRansas Deniocial-Gazelte 1 ! Carnine Continued from Page 1A ly, adding that he judges district progress solely in tcmis of student academic gains. I know we talk about facilities and other issues that consume a considerable amount of time, he said. They are really just periphery issues tliat support tlie primary mission of the school. Tlie tme test is how are our kids doing? The districts list of initiatives includes planning for new middle schools, adding ninth grade to the citys high schools, redesigning school attendance zones, establishing and training campus leadeiship teams, setting more rigorous graduation requirements, refining the high school curriculum, implementing a multimillion-dollar National Science Foundation grant, expanding options for alternative education and cooperating in an independent management and financial study. Still other projects in recent months included hiring people into some key but long-vacant central office positions, providing every school with Internet and e-mail access, negotiating a 1998-99 teachers contract renegotiating a contract with Laidlaw Transit Inc. and seeking a multimillion-dollar award from the state over shortfalls in teacher retirement and health insurance benefits. How has Camine, the fifth superintendent in 10 years, managed to get so much going so quickly in Little Rock when others were so stymied? Besides taking advantage of the more relaxed provisions in a desegregation plan approved in April by a federal judge, Camine said he looks for consensus. I enjoy people, and I focus on what we can agree on, he said. I dont try to focus on the negatives. There are some issues in which our perspectives are different, but there are so many things about children that we can agree on. We can be positive about that. Maybe that makes me a little bit different than some. Camine and his wife, Linda, moved to Little Rock from Texas in September 1997 after he was hired by the School Board. The new superintendent eased into the job with help from lon^ime colleague Don Roberts, the districts interim superintendent for almost 18 months. Although he is a native of Storm Lake, Iowa, Camines move to Arkansas was a homecoming. He earned his doctorate in 1969 from the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, then worked in Harrison and Texarkana before serving as superintendent in Wichita Falls, Texas, for a decade. The Camines reside on Pebble Beach Drive the same west Little Rock street where fomier Superintendent Henry Williams lived. T^eir daughter and son are grown and live out of state, as does tlie Camines young grandson. Tlie superintendent typically arrives at work before 8 a.m. On Mondays he has an 8:30 a.m. meeting with his top staff. From there, the meetings and activities vary. He confers monthly with Little Rocks mayor and city manager, and with his own student cabinet And i then there are meetings of Uie ' Greater Little Rock Chamber of Commerce, the Rotary Club and the board of directors of New Futures for Little Rock Youth. He may drop in on student performers singing in the administration building, appear at a gubernatorial announcement at a school, spend a day at a federal court hearing on desegregation or stop in at the district's Instructional Resource Center to offer his thoughts to committees meeting on subjects ranging from textbook adoptions to graduation requirements. As much as an hour a day is devoted to responding to e-mail messages, he said. He ends most days about 5 p.m., changing into his workout clothes in preparation for a stop at a local fitness center. Evenings may include School Board or PTA meetings. i School holidays and travel time are used to reflect on and refine his I ideas and make sure he is focused on the big picture, he said. The only blip in Camine's routine occurred last summer. Some blood clots in his li^ put jajj adding that he has been ^m in the hospital for a few days in pleased with the broad-based com- Itihr onH f attinArom Hr /^iit nnm. * ..... . . July and temporarily out of commission as a long-distance runner. But he doubts the medical problems were caused by job stress. Actually, I was having too much fun," he said. For the first time in n 20-plus years I took two weeks off ' It s going to take all oj A long flight to the United King- us doing things dom aggravated an injured knee and contributed to the clotting problem. He says hes fine now and looking forward to a return to a regular running regime. TYPICAL SCHOOL WOES Carnine said the conditions hes found in Little Rock financial and otherwise are typical urban school problems, disappointing but not surprising. He lamented a December 1998 report ranking Arkansas dead last in the nation in high school and college graduation and called it a bad omen for tlie health of the slates economy. He noted that the districts own student dropout rate is appalling, well over 30 percent between seventh and 12th giades. But Camine is an optimist. He said hes buoyed by the fact tliat urban districts across the country are beginning to report improvements in student achievement. And at least the reports bombshell put the dropout and college-going rate issues at the forefront for general discussion, he said. In some ways, for a person in my position, I couldn't have orchestrated it better, Carnine said about the completion rates. It places on everybody's table the idea that we can't just educate a few kids and send tliem off to prestigious institutions and really make it as a state. Its going to take all of us doing things differently to really make it. Grandmotheis and grandfatlieis, next-door neighbors, moms and dads are alt beginning to understand that we need to ratchet up the level of education for all our children, not just a few. Robeits. Camines predecessor, orchestrated the development of a rertsed desegregation and education plan that a federal judge approved last April. District officials hope the plan wins the district's release from federal court supeiwi- sion by June 2001. Many of tlie district changes now in tlie works stem from provisions in the new plan, Camine said. The plan, for example, permits the end of mandatoiy crosstown busing for desegiegation, the establishment of new attendance zones and the use of middle schools. Other endeavors, such as the graduation requirements, were necessary because of changes in requirements set by the state and by Ai'kansas universities, the superintendent said. People have really gotten behind these kinds of changes, Car- munity involvement, which he said will promote public support for the schools. There has been a lot of tmst, and I hope it has been well-placed. dijferently to really make it. Grandmothers and grandfathers, next-door neighbors, moms and dads are all beginning to understand that we need to ratchet up the level of education for all our children, not just a few.''' Les CarnineWe are doing an awful lol of things that will make a difference for an awful lot of children who. in some respects, we have not touched be- Ibre ill a positive way. PROGRESS REPORT The School Board earlier this inuiilh reviewed a midyear progiess report on all of the district's projects. The 57-page report consisted mostly of grids, each describing in fine print all the tasks Uiat are cither done or in progi'ess. The workload for district staff has increased dramatically this school year. Principals, for example. arc expected to establish and train leadership teams of teachers and parents at each of their schools. Middle and high school principals are each acquiring a new grade of students, new teachers, new approaches to teaching, new scheduling and new testing requirements. Elementary principals, too, are facing new demands from Uie state on student performance. Board President Larry Berkley acknowledged after getting the inidyear report that the number of initiatives Uiis year is daunting. But he said he couldnt be more pleased with the effoits. Previous instability in the districts leadership prevented new approaches before, Berkley said. Board member Judy Magness agieed, saying that the district wanted the new desegi egation plan and Uie accompanying changes. Although the staff and board are busy, she said she believes the changes can be accomplished. Board member Katherine Mitchell isn't as confident. Slie said last week that she is becoming increasingly concerned about the employee workload and the districts ability to accomplish all it has undertaken. particularly tlie middle schools, in time for tlie 199Sh2000 school year. The middle schools for grades six through eight and the transfer of ninth-graders into the city's five high schools beginning next fall have probably generated Uie most public attention in recent months. Like Mitchell, some parenis are neivous about whether all the nec- essaiy planning can be completed and wheUier Uie high schools can physically absorb the ninth-giade classes. We don't have every question answered, but the big ones are, Camine said, adding assurances that students moving into middle schools and higli schools will be provided with some extra TLC by teachers and parents as they make the transitions. As for adding tlie ninth giado to high schools, plans call for making more efficient use of classrooms, leaving fewer rooms empty during teacher planning time, meaning tliat an increased number of teach- The top-level administrative salaries also cunccnicd some School Board membei's particularly the disparities between , . --------------------------------- salariesfornewandlong-timeein- and will have to travel from room to ployees. Even now, some board room during the day. members and the superintendent are debating whether administra- ers won't have their own classrooms Camine said planners arc load- i Mitchell acknowledged recently ing the high schools Io 85 percent of ! tliat she has repeatedly questioned student capacity for next fall, which | Camine about the administrative he called a typical practice for effi- cient use of a school. And he predicted that b.v the time school stalls Cnniinc and some students select magnet schools or take advantage of interdistrict transfer programs, capacity will actually be about 80 percent. - - _________ Less visible to the public than superintendent are moving for- ' ... ward. the restructuring of school grades has been the development of cam- 1. ___, pus leadership Icams, made up of praised Camine for promoting teachers, parenis, school staff and black educatois into key positions community members. Once trained, mid virtually eliminating student the teams will advise school princi- I expulsions. pals on how to improve student achievement and will evaluate the school programs. Blue Cross/Blue Shield provided the district with trainers to initiate the project. TIME TO UPGRADE Due in mid-March, the results of an independent management and financial audit of the school district could scive as a basis for any decisions the superintendent and board might make on asking voters for a tax increase to renovate buildings mid meet other needs. We do need some upgi-ades, Camine said. We have some wonderful older schools that need some care. It's not just Central, which is a $48,000 annually for tliis year and the next two for Walker's expenses treasure in our community
it's all of our schools. We've got to do some- tiling to save them. We're losing the battle to time." The biggest disagieenient during smoothly, said Stacy Pittman, a dis- Carnine's tenure has centered on salaries for top-level staff, mostly associate and assistant superintendents. Camine reorganized his administrative cabinet and hired ............ new people to fill vacancies, paying one new associate superintendent a -------- .- r--, ___r____ salary of up to $89,000. News of the mid present School Board membeis administralivc increases broke at fomied a few year's ago to assist and the height of teacher contract nego- support Uie school system. Its latest tiations last summer, angering
joint project is sponsorship of Uie teachers still waiting for two years' , management audit. a worth of promised raises. The superintendent further angered representatives of the Classroom Teachers Association by circulating a letter to employees explaining the district's position during a critical period in teacher con- oxtract negotiations. Teachers union leaders saw Uie letter as an effort to circumvent bargaining talks, a practice Uiey say isn't tolerated in Uie private sector. They were also angiy that the district didn't live up to Uie tenns offered in that letter, including promises of increases in insurance benefits and stipend increases to the district's most experienced teacheis. tors are entitled to raises above those they got as a result of the re- oiganizatioii. salary differences. All I'm asking Dr. Camine to do is follow policies and be fair," she said. Board member Sue Strickland said Camine has made some mistakes, but she tliinks tlie board and Board member Mike Daugherty Canline isn't as well known to the general public as some of his predecessors, but that's partly because there liave been fewer disputes among the board membei's. the superintendent, the federal court and John Walker, the civil rights attorney who represents the class of black students in tlie district. Relations between tlie district and Walker have improved since botli agreed to the revised desegi'e- gation plan in early 1998. Last June, the board and superintendent resolved another long-standing dispute witli Walker when the board voted to pay him $800,000 in legal fees dating back to 1989 and about in monitoring the cuirent plan. It's almost like you hear so little now because things are going so trict parent who has done some consulting work for tlie district. Odies Wilson, chainiiaii of tlie Little Bock Alliance for Our Public Schools, said he is satisfied witli tlie direction the district is taking under Camille's guidance. The alliance is an independent oiganization of community leadei-s, business people, clergy and past On a scale of 1 to 10, witli 10 be- ing the top score, Wilson said he would give Camine better tlian a 9, just to leave room for iniprovo- IllCIlt." lie said Caminc's willingness to work with diverse groups demonstrates his long-temi coimnitmeiit to tlie district and city. Not only does ho go to IGrcater Little Bock Chamber of Comniercej meetings and Fifty for tlie Future meetings, he goes to all his campuses and to neighborhood association meetings, Wilson said, lie's not shy under tlie gun. He's veiy candid about some of tlie deficiencies and challenges, not defensive and ugly. lie makes people feel like tliere are no big Ts' and little 'you's.' This is their district and he's tlieir professional manager. Camine said he expects tlie pace of change to slow as the 1999-2000 school year begins. We won't take a breatlier in anj shape or fomi, he said, but you may see us slow down just a tad. The reason for that is we want to make sure of the implementation.I Arkansas Demoa^ | THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 1997 _______________ LRschool chief easing into job Gamine will focus on filling top slots BY CHRIS REINOLDS ARKANSAS DEMOCRATCAZETTE Little Rock School Districts new superintendent said Wednesday that one of his first priorities is to fill top administrative positions that have remained vacant for more than a year. Les Carnine, who was superintendent in Wichita Falls, Texas, since 1987, officially started work in the Little Rock district this week, traveling to various events with interim Superintendent Don Roberts. Carnine is the seventh superintendent in 10 years to lead the district of25,000 students. He and the School Board will attend a retreat late next month at which they will discuss district priorities, such as filling the vacant positions. Carnine said he would try to move some people who already work for the district into some positions. The most critical job to be filled is associate superintendent for desegregation, he said. The Wichita Falls district has been involved in a desegregation lawsuit since 1969 but expects to be released flx>m federal court supervision by 2000. TTie Texas district, 64 percent white, is using magnet schools to aid in desegregation and has been successful tn getting federal funding for those schools. The Little Rock district has not received such funds in recent years. Roberts recently proposed extensive changes to the Little Rock districts 1989 dese^gation plan that include rezoning neighbor- . hoods and relaxing racial balance requirements. The School Board is scheduled to vote on the plan tonight. Gamine said he likes the philosophy of quality education stressed in the proposed revisions to the desegregation plan. He said one of his top concerns is instruction that affects student achievement. Despite the districts past probi\\. MO ^5 '^M f J Aj B pt' r| r /S J id t Wt. Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/MORRIS RICHARDSON II Lesfie Carnine, new superintendent of the Little Rock School District, speaks Wednesday atxjut his hopes and plans for his first year in the job. lems with the desegregation plan and with retaining superintendents, Carnine said he is upbeat about taking the job. He said the district has survived the storm and is doing quite well despite the turmoil. Tuesdays elections left the same School Board members in place. All three board members who were up for re-election ran unopposed. Carnine appreciates that stability. They know more about some of these issues than I do, he said. Carnine will be on the job full time by Nov. 1. He plans to attend the Arkansas Leadership Academy in October. His first big project will be to visit all 50 schools and meet principals, teachers and students. Gamine said he and his wife, Linda, have made an offer to buy a house tn west Little Rock but he is interested in several areas of the city. Gamine, 55, a self-proclaimed Arkansas Razorback fan who earned his doctorate from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, is an Iowa native. He worked in the Harrison and Texarkana school districts before moving to Texas 10 years ago. He was superintendent of the Texarkana district for six years.Arkansas Democrat Ojjazede FRIDAY, APRIL 23, 1999 LR board extends contract for school chief with raise BY CYNTHIA HOWELL .ARK.A.NSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE The Little Rock School Board voted 5-1 Thursday to increase Su- years. A majoritj of teachers got across-the-board raises of 8.5 percent over two years, plus step in- creases for experience of about 5.4 perintendent Les Camines com- percent. t Board Katherine pensation package by 10 percent member and e.xtend the duration of his con- Mitchell cast the dissenting votes on tract by one year to give him a the contract extension and on the. three-year pact benefits. Board member Judy Mag- The boanl approved the contract ness left the meeting before the changes during a meeting in which votes were taken. a counselor from J A Fair High Mitchell said after the meeting School appealed to board members that she objected both to aspects of for help in resolving faculty dissen- Camines job performance and to sion regarding the school's fomier the informal process the board used principal. William Broadnax. Five percent of the approved inin evaluating the superintendent Earlier this month, board mein- crease will go to Gamine's annual bers discussed Gamine's job perforsalary, raising it from $115,000 to mance in an executive session S12O.'75O. The remaining 5 percent closed to the public. Mitchell said $5,750. will be contributed annually the evaluation was done in Carlo his retirement fund. The raise is nine's absence and that Berkley retroactive to Sept 1.1998. then presented a summary of the The salaiy increase marks the board's discussion to the superintendent Mitchell said her remarks first raise in base pay for the districts chief executive since 1993. when Dr. Henry Williams was hired about Camines job performance were not included and therefore as superintendent valued in Berkley's verbal reBoard President Larry Berklej Camine. said after Thursday's meeting that a omission was espe- majority of the seven-member disturbing because she was board was pleased with the direc- only black board member participating in the evaluation. Boai'd tion Camine is taking the district's educational program and with the districts progress in complying with its dese^egation plan. Camine has been a district employee since September 1997. Board members said the increase in his compensation was intended to be somewhat similar to the percentage increases paid district teachers over the past two member Mike Daugherty, who is also black, was absent
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