Summer school

Arkansas Democrat Gazette WEDNESDAY. SEPTEMBER 23,1992 I Superintendents tactics cause teacher unrest I do not feel that Little Rock teachers have been getting a fair shake in the media. News stories make it appear that teachers are so selfish that they refuse to give 10 additional minutes to the district for supervisory duties. The sticking point of contract negotiations is not whether teachers are willing to give another 10 minutes, as has been reported. Rather, it is the dictatorial nature of a superintendent who has not taken the time to reflect upon the problems of the district, who issues directives without regard to the consequences. During in-service days in August, the superintendent referred to Little Rock School District as one big, happy family. Yet he has been maligning teachers for their refusal to buckle under to his pressuring tactics, representing them as selfish and uncaring. This is not the action of one with an attitude conducive to keeping family together. The explanation offered by the administration for their demands for more supervision is that teacher visibility will reduce the number of problems. This does not stand to reason, since students with the most severe discipline problems have no respect for teachers either in the classroom or on the playground or campus. The administration maintains that the 10 minutes will come from time that teachers already spend at school and that it is not a demand for additional time. This would be plausible if teachers were known to use their preparation time kicked back in the teachers' lounge, reading the newspaper, smoking cigarettes and drinking coffee or eating peanuts. Teachers use this time for grading papers and making lesson plans If it is stolen from them under the guise of providing additional supervision, the work has to be added to that which is taken home each evening. So, yes, it is a demand for additional time. DON WILLIAMS Little RockArkansas Democrat (gazette WEDNESDAY, JULY 7, 1993 Cooyngnt 1993. Little Rock Newspapers. Inc. Board compiles list of 4 educators to replace Bernd BY DANNY SHAMEER Democrat-Gazette Education Writer The Little Rock School Board has come up with names of at least four potential candidates for superintendent of the states largest school district. One is from Arkansas, but the others are from out of state, Dorsey Jackson, the boards vice president, said. Jackson would not reveal the names and said he is unsure whether the administrators would apply. He said the board may know more Thursday, when it hopes to discuss the the status of the search for Dr. Mac Bernds permanent replacement. Bernd left after only a year as superintendent to take a similar position in Newport Beach. Calif. Were probably most interested in a person that has been a superintendent of a large-size school district or a district as big as this one, said Jackson, a member of the boards ad hoc committee that is guiding the search for a new Little Rock School District superintendent. The board is also interested in anyone who has been at least an assistant superintendent or associate superintendent in a large district, Jackson said. The board has set up a three- member ad hoc search committee that includes Jackson, John Riggs and Dr. Katherine Mitchell. John Moore, school board president, said board members have come up with names themselves or received names from other people of potential candidates or administrators that ought to be considered. Once it is certain that those people are not interested anymore, the board will go to a major national search with assistance from a recruiting firm that helped find Bernd, Moore said. Estelle Matthis, the interim superintendent, has said she doesnt want the job permanently. No matter how the board finds its next superintendent, it will tell candidates everything it can about the negatives surrounding the job, Moore said.' Although Dr. Bernd walked into this job with his eyes wide open, we want to make sure that whomever we hire knows what the job will be like, Moore said. As John Riggs, my fellow board member says, we want to make sure the next superintendent Imows every wart on this school ' district. We want to talk them out of the job before they take it. Bernd has said that, although he did a lot of homework to become familiar with the job, he f never anticipated spending as much time in court over the de- * segregation case and other litigation. Moore refused to identify any of the people the board is considering for the position. But he said the person chosen will be someone with community support.Arkansas Democrat (i^azette TUESDAY. JUNE 15, 1993 Copyright 0 1993. Little Rock Newspapers. Inc. Board, Bernd ready to wrap up Outgoing schools chief asked for list of district priorities BY DANNY SHAMEER Democrat-Gazette Education Writer The Little Rock School Board plans to meet this week to go over a list of pressing matters with outgoing Superintendent Mac Bernd and discuss whom to bring in as its next chief. Bernd, who became Little Rock School District superintendent last summer, said Friday he is leaving to head the Newport-Mesa Unified School District in Newport Beach, Calif. Our number one priority is finding someone either within or outside the district to run toe superintendents office during the transition, said John Moore, school board president. Moore said the board might meet any day during the week. Moore said Bernd will develop a list of what the district must handle immediately as well as offer board members his timetable for leaving. Some of the matters before the district may include budget hearings before U.S. District Judge Susan Webber Wright, her approval on a proposed site for a new Stephens Elementary School, concluding the unfinished suspension hearing involving Central High School Principal John L. Hickman Jr. and any staff changes for the new school year. On Monday, Bernd handled routine business, including his weekly Monday morning appearance on the Pat Lynch show on KARN 920 AM. Bernd said later in the afternoon that his main interest right now is just closing out the districts fiscal year and getting things finished. He said that he would work closely with the board and help it in any way he could. Bernd also said he would hand over to the district an Oldsmobile Delta 88 and a computer purchased with school system money. Besides Bernds job, the district has a high-level associate superintendent vacancy. Associate Superintendent Janet Bernard, who worked under Bernd in the San Marcos Unified School District, is also leaving for another position in California. Bernard is going to become regional coordinator of the Poway Unified School District in San Diego. f Bernd and Bernard came to' the Little Rock district last sum
mer. The board met in executive session June 10, one day before Bernd accepted the job in CalE
fomia, but reached no decision! about how to proceed in th. event that he decided to leave. J At first, I was concerned, bui
after the initial emotion of Macs resignation, I realized there are a lot of good people either in the' district or who have left in the last year or two who could helt us. There is real education going on in the schools and we will be all set for the start of classes in the fall. |TUESDAY, JULY 20. 1993 3B Four apply - for top job '
of LR schools At least four people have applied for the job of superintendent of the Little Rock School District, the chairman of the search committee said Monday. The Little Rock School Board has invited Dr. Henry P. Williams, superintendent of schools in Syracuse, N.Y., to come to Little Rock to talk about the job. The board recruited Williams last year, but he turned down the job. Dorsey Jackson, Little Rock School Board vice presidentand chairman of the committee
.said unsolicited applications have come in from
. Mary Jane Cheatham, a longtime district official. Cheatham was principal of Dodd Elementary School from 1989-92 and was on sabbatical last year. R.B. Lynn Johnson,1hu- man resources consultant jvith ProMax Human Resource Consultants in Little Rock. Shewas a teacher, counselor and pr&ici- pal before joining the Ljjtle Rock district in 1989-90, where she worked in programs for gifted and talented students. ' 1 Dr. Howard E. White st., president of D&H Associates Inc., a consulting firm in Stone Mountain, Ga. White has been.a teacher, principal and school , district administrator in BalH- more and Seattle and an administrator with the New Jersey De- i partment of Education. ' : Floyd Wood, Amerfcan School of Kuwait teacher. Wood was superintendent of the Nevada School District (1987-88i
in Nevada County and the Des Arc School District in Prairie County.Arkansas Democrat "^(gazette MONDAY, JUNE 21, 1993 Copyright O 1993, Uttle Rock Newspapers, Inc. LRSD gropes for key to stop revolving door 7 superintendents bail out in 11 years BY DANNY SHAMEER Democrat-Gazette Education Writer If you offer a $110,000 salary plus bonuses worth a potential $100,000 over five years, superintendents will come. But will they stay? Dr. Mac Bernd is the seventh Little Rock School District superintendent, including interim ones, to come and go in the last 11 years. He is leaving after just a year despite generous financial incentives to stay. His contract terms and fringe benefits exceeded the compensation given to previous superintendents. Why cant the states largest school system keep a superintendent? Interviews with a variety of people former superintendents and board members, headhunters and policy-makers suggest: Little Rocks complex federal court-imposed desegregation arrangement means superintendents must sell their programs not only to the school board, but also to a federal judge. Bernd said he was leaving because he wanted to spend more time in classrooms than in federal court. Potential candidates across the country have heard about the constant turnover in Little Rock. They tend to arrive with expectations that become a self-fulfilling prophecy and that set a tone for the way people interact with them. A Little Rock superintendent must deal with the districts vastly different constituencies all of which have their own agendas. The idea that high pay will keep superintendents on the job is flawed. The district has looked for See DISTRICT, Page 8A District Continued from Page 1A superintendents with demonstrated ability who fit the classic model of an education system administrator. That model doesnt exactly fit the Little Rock superintendents job. However, no consensus emerged for the model of the next superintendent. Some suggested the next superintendent must focus on academics because that will drive out other issues. Others said de-. segregation should be the ultimate focus. Several people said the next superintendent must be part politician, part corporate executive and part educator. Otherwise, the turnover will continue, they said. All agreed a solution was needed. The historical turnover in the Little Rock superintendents office is being noticed across the country, and the long- running desegregation case may affect the candidate pool.
Great superintendents are attracted not repelled by problems, said David McCarthy, a Philadelphia-based director with SpencerStuart Associates, an executive search firm that looks for chief executive officers
for corporations as well as nonprofit organizations such as school districts. They want to sink their teeth into a situation, McCarthy said. But they dont want to feel there is no way out of the morass. They want to see that there is light at the end of the tunnel. A member of the Little Rock' business community who asked not to be identified sounded pes- simistic about Bernds departure because the situation appeared to be deteriorating a few years into the $129.75 million financial settlement to the desegregation lawsuit. The corporate executive said the court, the various sectors of the black community, the various sectors of the white community, teacher unions, the Pulaski County and North Little Rock school districts and others needed to push aside their personal agendas and agree to let a superintendent run the city school system. We are trying to do the desegregation plan like its a contract, the executive added, echoing the opinions of others. Plans, by their very nature, must be fluid and changeable and must adjust to changing circumstances. Dr. Paul Masem, the citys school superintendent from 1978-82, said shortly before his departure that he planned on being an educator again. He is now superintendent of the Alexandria City Public Schools in suburban Virginia, outside Washington, D.C. He wasnt surprised about the latest superintendent shuffle in Little Rock. Masem said superintendents could get exhausted over the desegregation issues. Superintendents who are tied up and wrapped up in federal court cases and have not focused on other things wont be successful, Masem said. You have to do both. You cant ignore the fact that you are in court, but you must stay focused on offering a quality education for kids and one that produces equity. I think the new superintendent should keep plug^ng away, no matter what the sideshows are. All school systems have distractions, Masem said. But nothing compares to the long history of dese^egation in Little Rock
he said the problems magnified after years of not having a sincere effort made to desegregate schools. Dr. Ed Kelly, who served as superintendent in Little Rock from 1982-87 and is now in his sixth year as superintendent of the Prince William County School District in Virginia, another Washington suburb, said the job in Little Rock became emotionally and physically tiring after a short time. There are a lot of demands and expectations and not any consistency, Kelly said. Kelly suggested that the next Little Rock superintendent candidates learn as much as possible about the issues and community before deciding to takeI i i LRSD superintendents Little Rock School DFstrict superintendents during the past TSyMWj Dr. Paul Masem Aug. 1978-May 1982 (Acting) May 1982 - June 1982 July 1989-June 1992 Dr. Ed Kelly June 1982 - June 1987 < Js Or. George Cannon 'Mi-'-- .j<wi Vance Jones Dr. Mac Bernd (Acting) July 1987 - Oct. 1987 (Acting) Oct. 1987 Dec. 1987 July 1992 July 1993 Dec. 1987 -Aug. 1989 Source: Little Rock School District .4 7^. w the job. Dr. George Cannon, who became acting superintendent two months before taking over as superintendent in December 1987, said the Little Rock job was packed with challenges. The court case is itself long, and it is costly in a number of ways, said Cannon, who resigned in 1989 and served on the Little Rock School Board for a short time until he became: superintendent of the Monroe. La., City School District, which is itself under a court order. * It takes the energy of everyone churning away, and it can be real frustrating at times, Cannon said. It is all-consuming. Dr. Ruth Steele, who was interim superintendent in the spring of 1982 and superinten- , ,dent from July 1989 to June 1992, took over after a stint as director of the state Department of Education General Education Division. The state position was a Cabinet slot under then-Gov. Bill Clinton, who focused on education in Arkansas before moving to Washington as president Both jobs were very stressful at times, but for me the Little Rock superintendency was the most stressful, Steele said. Steele, now a consultant in the Searcy School District, said one reason the desegregation case had been so involved was that in the last 11 years there had been four major desegregation plans to contend with a consolidation plan, a settlement plan, a tri-district plan, and then a revised settlement plan. Bernd said the position would be a challenge for anyone who took it. ? ' Superintendents tend to be big-picture people who paint broad strokes and set major goals, Bernd said. But the Little Rock'superintendent has to be immersed in detail. - He said the next superinten-
. dent ought to. read the current desegregatioh plan, look over previous court decisions and even read one or two court transcripts to get an idea of the situation. And the next superintendent must take the job realizing that the school board wont be the final say on anything, including budgets and teacher contracts, Bernd said. The courts have the final say, he said. He said the constant turnover in the district was setting a self-fulfilling prophecy of people thinking no one would stay and superintendents doing just that. Bernd also said money wouldnt entice superintendents to stay. Money is an issue for every- . one, but for most folks in this profession, there has to be job , satisfaction, he said. Within reasonable limits, money is not going to make up for it. Its not going to compensate for it. You have to feel like youre making a difference. He suggested that anyone in the community who criticized the school district ought to balance the criticism by saying something nice. One blow, one grow, he said. Mike Usdan, president of the Institute for Educational Leadership, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank, said school desegregation and court orders compounded problems for urban school superintendents. Politics, management and running a big business are frequently not the issues a superintendent learns as he or she climbs the school ladder, he said. Someone can be a wonderful educator, but not be able to handle the broader set of issues, and maybe school boards need to broaden the pool into these jobs. Some school board members are picking up on Usdans message. In recent executive sessions concerning the latest vacancy, Little Rock board members have brainstormed about hiring two top people 4)ne to manage the districts nonacademic side and another, perhaps a deputy, to focus on education. Dorsey Jackson, the boards vice president, said he was optimistic the district would find someone to take over, I am optimistic because Little Rock is the ultimate challenge, and there will always be people out there who want to prove they can climb Mount Everest and want to take on that challenge for personal satisfaction and to further advance as a professional, Jackson said. Aikansas Democrat (gazette SATURDAY, JUNE 26. 1993 Copyright 1993, Little Rock Newspapers, Inc. LR seeks interim superintendent Hopes to name replacement from LR area within week BY DANNY SHAMEER Oemoerat-Gazette Education Writer V Little Rock School Board members said Friday they hope tO-name an interim superin- ' tendent within a week, but they dont know who. " - Dr. Mac Bernd, who became superintendent July 1,1992, is taking a similar job with the Newport-Mesa Unified School District in Newport Beach, Calif. f' - > I think we need to have someone in before Dr. Bernd
leaves, said John Moore, board -president. - Moore said the search for an interim chief encompasses
those already employed by or -in'close contact with the district. - John Riggs IV, a board mem- her from northwest Little Roct . said such knowledge will help the district get through the summer and into the new school year. He said the board is not just thinking of hiring a traditional superintendent, but would even consider someone from the cor- porate world who could be available to help out the states largest school district. I think we would prefer having someone who is familiar with the dese^egation plan, the school district and Little Rock, Riggs said. Riggs said he hopes the board can find someone to fill in as early as next week. Pat Gee, a board member from Southwest Little Rock, said she also hopes a decision can be reached soon. I think it is imperative that we find someone with strong leadership as soon as possible so that the district wont flounder, Gee said. Were getting down to the finish line. Our time is running out. We dont have a choice in the matter. Although some board mem- bers reportedly have sent out feelers to potential candidates, the board appears to have no commitment from anyone yet. The board said one of the challenges in finding an interim superintendent especially on short notice is getting someone who is not only available right away but someone who would agree to stay on until a permanent selection is made. Board members said they ' are open to the idea of an interim chief coming from non- , traditional ranks, such as business. The problem, some board members said, is finding someone willing to sacrifice the time away from their current positions. The board has discussed the possibility of establishing a two-member search committee for a permanent replacement after an interim is named. IzVrkansas JJcniocrat (bazcUc TUESDAY, JULY 16. 1996 Discreet group starts superintendent search BY JULIAN E. BARNES DemrKfal-Oazetli Staff Writer A committee that has met in closed sessions since its appointment in April likely will take the lead in deciding how to replace the Little Rock School District superintendent, school board members said Tuesday. candidates for the job. Rett Tucker, Contingency Committee co-chairman and spokesman, said it would be up to the board to make the panels meetings open. But several board members, including Sue Strickland, .John Riggs and Pat Gee, said closing the meetings was the Board members said Monday committees prerogative. Iheir search for a successor to Su- The coininiltec is led by Tuck- perintendent Henry Williams er, chairman of the Greater Little must balance openness with dis- cretion. The school board was criticized for shutting out the public from the decision Rock Chamber of Commerce, and Dr. Roosevelt Brown, a Little Rock physician. Other committee members are civil rights attorney to hire John Walker, Parent-Teacher As- Williams and, more recently, from - a decision by President Linda sociation Council President Deb- . bie Glasgow, Classroom Teachers Pondexter to negotiate to buy out Association President Betty Ins contract. ............................... In August 1993, Pulaski County President Mitchell, businessman and for- mer school board member Skip Rutherford, and Mann Magnet School Junior High Principal Marian Lacey. Board member Judy Magness said she wants the comiuitlce meetings open to the public If work expands beyond considering potential interim superintendents. 1 am for a very open process, Magness said. It makes it more complicated sometimes, but in the long run it benefits all of us. Riggs said any specific names the committee discusses should remain private. But if the committee discusses criteria it might like to see in a new superintendent, those meetings could be open to the public. Riggs said it is important to balance discretion with openness
if names are released too early, potential candidates could be scared off. But Riggs said once a list of finalists is drawn up, the list should be released to the public. Riggs said he would like the board to hire a private search firm to create a list of finalists for the board. Such firms typically keep their work secretive. The Little Rock School Board hired an outside search firm in 1992 to find a replacement for Superintendent Ruth Steele. That search produced Steeles successor, Mac Bernd. When Bernd left a year later, the board went back to the firms list of candidates and decided to hire Williams. Gee and, Strickland said they dont want to use a search firm. They said they want to hire a lo
cal candidate , who understands the history of tlie district and has a vested interest in the city. Strickland said she would like to see the citizens committee become an advisory search committee. Gee said the school board anc the Contingency Committee should move slowly to judge theJ feelings of the public. Gee said! there should be a wider interview
process than when the board
hired Williams in 1993. I feel like the board was crili-I cized for the manner Dr. Williams
was hired, Gee said. It just
seemed like wham bam. > Prosecuting Attorney Mark Stodola wrote a letter to the - school board, criticizing an un- publicized trip by two board members to Syracuse, N.Y,, to in- teniew Williams about the Little Rock job. Stodola said the trip likely violated state law regarding open meetings. The Contingency Committee, a citizens committee named by Pondexter to draw up a plan of action in the event of Williams' departure, has conducted its meetings in private, including a Monday gathering called after * Williams confirmed he is accept- i ing a job in Kansas City, Mo. Pon- dexter set up the committee after Williams announced he was applying for other jobs. Pondexter said shell ask the committee to recommend how the superintendents position should be filled. Other board members said the committee could take a wider role, suggesting potentialAikan^ Democrat [ MONDAY. JULY 15. 1996. LtWe Rock's superintendents since 1982 Williams' tenure i ' Estelle Matlhis 'I Mac Bernd Lillie Hock supennlendenls and interim supenntendenis who have served since the cunenf desegregation suit was filedin 1982. Henry F. Williams, October 1993 to July 1996. Estelle Matthis, July to October 1993 (interim). Cloyde McKinley "Mac" Bernd, July 1992 to July 1993. Ruth Steele, July 1989 to June 1992. George D. Cannon, October to November 1987 (interim)
November 1987 to July 1989. 7^1 Ruth Steele George Cannon Vance Jones Ed Kelley Vance Jones, July to October 1987 (interim). Ed Kelley, June 1982 to July 1987. Dr. Henty Williams' stoimy tenure: Oct. 1, 1993 Williams assumes the Little Rock School District superintendency with the announced intention of removing the school system from federal court control stemming from a desegregation case.. June 24, 1994 Embroiled in debate over the reassignment of 15 principals without consulting parents or the school board, Williams says at a board meeting that parental involvement isn't needed to operate successful schools. He later says his comment was misconstrued. Oct. 17, 1994 After almost two rnontfis of debale, tfie school board votes to extend Williams' contract by one year, through June 1997. Jan. 27, 1995 Williams announces a no-tolerance policy to rid schools of disruptive students. Feb. 8, 1995 Williams' candidacy lor the superintendent's post in Rochester, N.Y., is reported. Aug. 5, 1995 Tfie Kansas City school board identifies Williams as one of three candidates for the superintendent's job there, Oct. 31, 1995 Tfie Little Rock school board votes not to extend Williams' contract. Dec. 29, 1995 Tfie Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports Williams has not paid property taxes since moving to Little Rock. That afternoon, Williams angrily confronts a photographer outside the county treasurer's office after paying his taxes. He says moving to Little Rock was a mistake. He later issues an apology to tfie public and says he likes Little Rock. Jan. 12, 1996 Williams tells school board members in a letter that he suspects they are trying to build a case to fire him. Feb. 18, 1996 Williams is tick-eled by a Little Rock police officer for speeding and failure to carry his driver's license, proof of insurance , and auto registration. Christopher
Allen Jarvis reported that Williams * was belligerent and said, All of you officers are racists!" March 18, 1996 Williams fails to appear in court to face traffic charges. He appeared for a subse-. quenl dale. '' May 8, 1996 Williams an-
< nounces at a news conference that the Little Rock district has subslan^ tially complied with 96 percent of its obligations under a federal court-monitored desegregation agree-. ment. July 9, 1996 The Little Rock Al-,, liance for Our Public Schools issues , a report on the school district that Includes a recommendation for profes- sional mediation for administration ' and board officials. Democral-Gazene Staff Board to act swiftly to replace Williams, will meet Thursday BY CYNTHIA HOWELL Democral-Gazetti? Educalion Wriief The Lillie Rock School Board will Irv lo move swiftly lo replace departing Superintendent Henry Williams. Board President Linda Pondexter said Sunday that she'll call a special board meeting for 5 p.m. Thursday lo deal with the void in llie district's adminislrative leadership. Williams departure will leave the three lop positions in the district vacant. Fred Smith, the district's chief financial officer, left in May lo work for Laidlaw Transit Inc. in Memphis. Dr. Rus.s Mayo, associate su{)erinlendent for desegregation, became superintendent in Columbia. Mo., earlier this month. The district had a deputy superintendent until last year, but that position was eliminated as a cost-cutting measure. At Thursday's meeting, Pondexter said, sheTl call on a citizens committee, created earlier this year, to recommend to the board how the superintendent's post should be filled, both in the shoit term and permanently. Pondexter also saiil she'll ask about Williams future in the dis trict. Williams doesn't inteml to begin work full time in Kansas (.ity until September, but Pondexter .said the Little Rock district needs a full-time administrator on hand to oversee the opening of schools. District teacliers return to work Aug. 13, and students start classes Aug. 19. One of the outstanding tasks facing the district is negotiating a teacher contract for the coming year. The citizens committee, more commonly referred to as the districts Contingency Committee, was appointed by Pondexter last spring when Williams wa.s an unsuccessful finalist for superintendent in Si. Louis. The eomniiticc was charged willi developing rec-oininendation. s for filling the su-perinlcndenis position if it be came vacant. Dr. Roosevelt Brown, a Little Rock physician, and Rett Tucker, a real estate agent and chairman of the Greater Little Rock Chamber of Commerce, are co-chair-nieii of the committee. Tucker said Sunday evening tliat Uie Contingency Committee will meet a couple of limes tliis week, stalling today, l^ast spiing. the committee developed plans to deal witli various scenarios. The committee will (lust oIT those plaits and tailor one to the current situation. One option mentioned last spring called for a nianagemmil team of as many as three people to operate the district in the short term. Some team members would be educators, and otliers would be business executives on loan to the district. Coinmittee members include civil rights attoniey John Walker, Parent-Teacher Association Council President Debbie Glasgow, Classroom Teachers Associa-
tion President Betty Mitchell, businessman and former school board member Skip Rutherford, and Mann Magnet Schoo! Junior High Principal Marion Lacy. "We can't have a body that is more representative of what is good in tills eoinmunity, Pendexter said. I hope their recommendation will carry' some weight." Arkansas Democrat ((5azcUe TUESDAY. JULY 16. 1996 LRSD awaiting citizens panel on Williams job BY CYNTHIA HOWSJ. Demxrat-Gazsiie EoucaDon wmer Little Rock School Board members said Monday that they are unsure how to go about replacing Superintendent Henry Williams, although they have anticipated his departure for months. The board has scheduled a . iong-term solutions only if asked meeting Thi^day, and members by ^he board to do so. Williams' said they will await recoi^enda- departure will leave the Little tions from a seven-member cia- " . . zens contingency committee before deciding what to do. See BOARD, Page 8A DiSCREET group starts search (or superintendent Page SA . Board Continued from Page 1A Williams announced Sunday that he is accepting a job in the 37.000-student Kansas City, .Mo., School District. The contingency committee met privately Monday evening. Board co-chairman Rett Tucker said the group would meet daily until it delivers recommendations to board Thursday. Tucker said after Mondays meeting that the committee is interested primarily in filling any short-term vacancies in district I leadership and would propose Rock districts top three administrative positions vacant. The committee was appointed earlier this year by board President Linda Pondexter. It is led by Tucker and Dr. Roosevelt Brown to develop various plans for filling the position when Williams leaves. One option is to form a man- , agement team of educators and ! business people to oversee the i district until an interim or full-time superintendent is appointed. The three-member team would board member Pat Gee said Mon-split duties. One person might day about the search for anew su-oversee the day-to-day operation perintendent. "Lets try someone of the district: another, schools close to home." and c--u--r-r-i-c--u--l-u--m--: and .t.h..e.. ...t.h..i..r.d . Gee'said she didnt have a par-communications with the public ticular' local candidate in mind and media. Names mentioned for such positions included Dr. Vic Anderson. an assistant superintendent in the district
Marian Lacey, a ju-nior high principal: and Skip see in a superintendent Gee said Rutherford, a former school she wants someone with a vested board member who works for a public relations and advertising miliar with the districts history agency. Lacey and Rutherford are ----------1--........--- members of the contingency comm- it--te--e--. was more open to the possibility Timing is the key to what op- of hiring a firm to assist the dis-tion the committee recommends. Williams has said he will leave around the first of September but expects to work some in Kansas City in the interim. Pondexter has son," Magness said, adding that questioned the feasibility of thaL any search would likely take saying a full-time administrator longer than the two months be-should be on hand to open schools for the coming fall term. School board members gave seats will be up for election. Indifferent views of how to proceed in finding a replacement for ine Mitchell have said they are Williams, who earns S115.000 annually. Arxansas Oemocral-GazeneaeNJAMIN KRAIN Little Rock School District Contingency Committee Co-chairman Rett Tucker (left) and colleagues meet Monday to discuss selecting a successor for Superintendent Hen-ry Williams. Panel members are (from left) Tucker, Debbie Glasgow, John Walker, Marian Lacey, Skip Rutherford, Setty Mitchell and Dr. Roosevelt Brown, co-chairman. We've tried the West Coast, and weve tried the East Coast." but is confident there are capable individuals in Arkansas. She wants to use a national search company only as a last resort. Asted what she would like to interest in the district who is fa-and cares about the community. Board member Judy Magness trict in hunting a new administrator. "I dont want to rush. I want to take time to find the right perfore the Sept 17 sc.iooi board election. Two of the boards seven cumbents Pondexter and Kather- ......... .................. board members begin raising of Monroe, La., schools and a for- ner said Williams isn't entitled ta undecided about running for re- .questions. As a result many su- mer board member and superin- compensation for unused sick election.....................................................perintendenu dont last beyond lendent in Little RocL days. ' Magness said she would like school board members to reach an agreement on the type of people they would like to have as superintendent. That agreement should be based on community input. She wants someone capable of causing systematic change in the district and more schoolbased management One factor the board may have to deal with in a search for a replacement is a national scarcity of superintendents. Jay Goldman of the American Association of School Administrators said Monday that a growing number of educators are shying away from superintendent positions. Many are content to remain deputy or assistant superinten-dents. He noted a growing trend intendent search because most vacation days a year, and he could among supenntenaents to give up candidates are hired in the spring get paid for unused days when he high-profile jobs in favor of jobs ^ke the transition to their leaves. When Williams moved tp new districts tn the summer in Little Rock in 1993, he left the vv-x-., XV..U XV ua.c time to prepare for the opening of Syracuse, N,Y.. school district grand expectations when they school. with a bill for $77,734 in unused u:------------- IM... "The most important Step the dek and vafalinn timp among superintendents to give up such as school principals. "School boards tend to have hire superintendents. Those ex- . . _______ _____________ pectations are not always realis- school board can take is to reach Two weeks ago. Williams had tic or fair. Goldman said. When a consensus on what they want in 36 unused sick days and 60 vaca-changes dont materialize in a dis- a superintendent," said Dr. tion days, said Richard Hurley,' trict within one or two years, George Cannon, superintendent human resources director. Gardi their first contracts with districts. Goldman predicted that the Little Rock district will attract applicants if it conducts a nationwide search. But he said, the number of applicants will not be as high as it might have been in past years. That's true in most districts these days. He also said potential applicants will look at the boards relationships with past superintendents. "People who want a real longterm relationship may not be inGardner said the board, at terested, he added. Timing also Thursdays meeting, will review board, its options regarding Williams.' Goldman said. Midsummer is not planned September departure. is working against the board. the best time to conduct a superschool superintendent Williams, board at odds over contract BY CHRIS RSNOLDS DefTKKiat-Oune Slart Writer Attorneys disagreed Monday over what compensation the Little Rock School District must pay Superintendent Henry Williams as he departs for a job in Kansas City, Mo. Williams' attorney. James H. Penick said the district must settle with his client on bonuses ini eluded in Williams' contract
which expires in June 1997. "It's a legally binding part of the contract, and we intend to pursue it" Penick said Monday. But Price Gardner, an attorney for the district familiar uiih Williams contract, said goals and bonus procedures mentioned in general terms in the contract were never developed. The parties failed to agree.'' Gardner said, "so theres no obligation on either partys side," The contract called for the board to establish written goals and objectives within 90 days of his hiring in October 1993 and each subsequent year. The goals were to be used to evaluate him and form the basis for bonuses. ' Board members have tried to establish goals and financial in
centives for Williams but have never agreed on specifics. Board President Linda Pondexter said in January she would appoint .a committee to draw up goals, but there was never action. Wiiliams contract gives him 20 Vic Anderson Arkansas Democrat a^dfiazede THURSDAY, JULY 18. iqqR. ____________________ _____ With school chief Jodie Carter IGene Jones Estelle Mathis Sadie Mitchell on his way out, the hunt begins LR district board agrees first task means appointing interim management BY KAREN McALLISTER AND SANDRA COX Democrat-Gazette staff Writers .'. Now that Little Rock School , District Superintendent Henry Williams has announced hes leaving the district for Kansas City
: Mo., in early September, board members are considering how to replace him. ' Board members differ on conducting the search but agree an interim superintendent or tempo-rSry management team will be needed. A handful of current and former administrators and a for-iher board president have been mentioned as possible candidates for an administrative role. L The list includes
: 'Vic Anderson. : Jodie Carter. : James Jennings. Gene Jones. Marian Lacey. T Estelle Mattbis. Sadie Mitchell. Don Roberts. :. Skip Rutherford.
Angela Maynard Se-wall. 1 Beverly Divers Skip Rutherford White. Gene Wilhoit. :. Anderson, the dis-trtets assistant superintendent for secondary schools, said his being mentioned made him uncomfortable and such speculation is premature.- :iTm a very private person, he said. I dont want my stuff in the paper and all that. I really dont want to talk about iL:-
JAhdersoii, 48, said he has been with the Little Rock', School District 26
Gene Wilhoit principal at . Hall High School i'ahd 'Mann iahdj Eore'sV^Helghts, ijiinioiih hlghkch6ols.-' -T years. He is a formers Arkansas Deniotrat i^dpazellc THURSDAY, JULY 18, 1996 pal at McClellan High worked | ., '!"rfbrd, 46Js a seSchool in Southwest Little Rock in 1990 aRer two years as assistant principal there. Carter worked at McClellan in 1981-82 trict. Matthis, 59, ended 29 years with the district when slie retired Feb. 1. Mitchell, the Little Rock districts assistant superintendent for elementary schools, said she with the Little Rock dis- I trict and was siinerintoti. superintendent in Newport News, Va., and Amarillo, Texas. Rutherford, a longtime supporter of tlie disaS a roacli and hirtnrv sciluuis, saio sne supponer oi uie dis- teacher He also worked ''T 8** hesitated to speak leacner. He also worked up temporarily. Mitchell, 39, had-
about his eligibility He nt lieard that she might be invit-
said it would be pre- ed to assume an interim position | sumptuous to comment.*
' but said she couldnt accept the * Earlier this year, Ruthef-. rffie of interim superintendent if i ford - joined a/ citizens offered It. ! committee formed to de- f doing. she veiop recommendations said. It gives me the opportunity for the school board in ' to work with all the building prin- d>e event Williams left. ,.' cipals. Id rather remain assistant The coinniittee, ap- superintendent. pointed by school board Mitchell helped open the Dr. President Linda Pondex- Martin Luther King Jr. Magnet El- ler, will present recom- ementary School in 1993 and re- niendations to the board mained there a year as principal, tonight. She also is a former principal of I dont want to specu- Cloverdale Elementai-y late on anything at tliis School. point Rutlierford said. I Roberts, state Depart- kaow theres a lot of spec- nient of Education direc- elation about me and otli- tor from 1979 to 1984, said or-. 1 think at this point its he had spoken to some all just speculation. ' members of a citizens ! in several schools in the Pulhski County Special and Little Rock school districts. Carter, 44, serves on the board of trustees at Henderson State University. : Jennings has taught at Hendrix College in Conway since 1992. From 1987.to 1992, he was the Little Rock School Districts associate superintendent for desegregation. For several months in 1993, the district hired Jennings as a consultant to write an alternative student assignment plan.
A message left at his Hendrix office brought no response. : Jones, an associate monitor in the federal Office of Desegregation Monitoring, said a few friends had mentioned he was on the short list of candidates. But Jones stressed that he hadnt heard anything official andrthought it was premature to discuss. ' "I really dont know enough to say what my attitude would be if it iiicuiueis UI a citizens committee but didnt I want to say much more, i Roberts, 61, retired as superintendent of the Fort Worth, Texas, School District in 1994 after 7% years and still lives in Fort Worth. nior vice president at Cranford Joiinson Robinson Woods advertising agency and a former Little Rock School Board president. Sewall is an associate , professor of education administration and su- pervision at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, She is attending a workshop this week and could not be reached for comment Wednesday. In 1989, Sewall took a sabbatical from her position as the Little Rock School Districts associate superintendent to complete her doctoral studies. In 1990, she returned to the district as a special assistant for ac- countability and alternative learning programs. White resigned as superintendent of the Lee Counts' School District in 1992 and became senior program manager for the Foundation for the Mid South in Jackson, Miss. The foundation is a privately financed agency that focuses on economic was offered to Jones said. me, ' Jones, .56, joined the Office of Desegregation Monitoring last year. Before that, he worked as assistant superintendent for instruction for the Pulaski County district and for the North Little Rock School District. Jones also worked as associate director of instruction for the state Department of Education. i Lacey, 56, has been principal of Mann Arts and Science Magnet School since 1988 and a district employee since 1974. L Before that, she was principal at Dunbar Junior High School and assistant principal at Central High School. She also taught at schools in Helena, Eudora and Clarendon. : Messages leR for her at home apd work werent returned. Matthis, a former deputy superintendent, said she thought it would be inappropriate to comment. But she Said she hadnt heard development, education and families and chil- dren in the Mississippi River Delta regions of Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi. White, 50. worked for 21 years in the Little Rock district, her last position being associate superintendent. She still has a residence in Little Rock. She could not be reached for comment Wednesday? Wilhoit lias been director of the state Department of Education General Education Division since September 1993. Wilhoit, 53, did not return a phone inquiry. Before relocating here from Maryland, he was executive director for the National Association of State Boards of Education, a panel that works closely with state and national leaders. Previously, Wilhoit worked as a teacher, a consultant and an ad- Jninistrator.Arkansas B -) Arkansas Democrat ^(^razelk |-------- THURSDAY, JULY 18, 1996 I , ULit_ I I u, i27x7V Copyright O UH1e Rock Newspapers, Inc. LR schools weigh chiefs post Citizens panel will list recommendations today on replacing Williams BY CYNTHIA HOWELL asticallv c , 0aX3az.,Ed,ataw,i,0, N.n.L nf lepreseiitatives [he committees membership The Kansas City board voted 5-4 includes civil rights lawyer John Sunday to offer Williams the job Walker, the president of the of administering the 37,0(X)-stu- teachers union, educators a for- dent district with a salary and -----------' benefit package of up to $200,000. A committee of some of the citys most influential residents will present to the Little Rock School Board at 5 p.m. today a series of recommendations for temporarily filling the superintendent's post once Henry Williams vacates it to go to Kansas City, Rett Tucker, co-chairman of the contingency committee and chairman of the Greater Little Rock Chamber of Commerce, mentioned for a repeatedly de- role. Page 2B dined this ---------------------- this Nanie.s of several possible Interim .superintendents have surfaced in recent days and weeks. One of those, Dr. Don Roberts, a native Arkansan who most recently was superintendent in Fort Worth, Texas, confirmed Wednesday he had been contacted by committee members. But, Roberts, a former Arkansas Department of Education director, HANDFUL of Would reveal nothing else about current and lornier the nature or outcome of tile conmembers. mer school board president, par- ''"wTiT ''"'s- F 7 .pz.uu,uuu. ent representatives and business , -.I
"! superintendent in people. Besides Tucker.Dr. f salary Roosevelt Brown is a committee ot $115,000, has accepted the posi- ' ------- tion pending the outcome of a Besides Tucker,' Dr. co-chaimian. administrators among those "I ------ 'I' group has been meeting background check and contract daily since Monday to prepate its npnnt,.t,c n i. ,,j u. proposal, focusing solely onTill- ing a vacancy in the short term negotiations. He has said he intends to begin full-time work in week to reveal what the committee might propose. However, he said he is cautiously optimistic that the proposal is one the board and the city wiilembrace entliusi- Post Continued from Page 18 By Wednesday afternoon, the contingency committee had obtained commitments for service if called on. The committee's recommendations to the school board are not binding. The board may choose I to adopt, reject or modify the pro- I posals. Committee members have kept their work confidential, saying that revealing parts or all of the recommendations before they are formally presented could cause the proposal to unravel. The committee declined to interview candidates during their meetings to avoid revealing the identities of candidates. Tucker said the series of recom- versations. Those mentioned as possible candidates are people who have been associated with the district, - either currently or in the past, in - a variety of capacities. ! While the committee has been : preparing its proposal, Williams I has been negotiating terms of a - contract with Kansas City,'Mo., cludetl Assistant Superintendent Vic /Vnderson. Mann Magnet Principal Marian Lacey and Skip Rutherford. a former school board president and public relations executive. The only information Tucker would reveal was that committee members plan to be complimentary of Williams, who has been controversial at times during his three- year tenure in the district. It was unclear whether Williams will attend the session tonight. He is planning to return to Kansas City at some point this week. Edward Newsome, president of the nine-member Kansas City board, said Wednesday that work on a contract for Williams is proceeding on schedule. He expects a settlement to be , . ----------------------v/viyvi-LO a OCLtlCilieill It, , tions to be presented tonight announced by early next week, will deal with more than just per- " * sonnel matters. They will also In- clude employee issues, lie said.
The committee's recommendations depend in part on when Williams will leave the district. While Williams has said he antici- Earlier this week. Kansas City ' board members obtained news sto- ' ries about Williams tlirough an electronic database search. In addition, Newsome directed the law firm of Spencer Fane Britt and Browne to investigate Williams background to verify information pates six more weeks of employ- ment in Little Rock. Pondexter has that Williams had provided, suggested that the district needs a * ' full-time administrator on hand to oversee the opening of school this year. Newsome said the news accounts and the investigation had not revealed any problems to dale. Kansas City board members have There was speculation earlier been quoted in The Kmisas City Star ,eo,. ,f n..u. 1.0------- newspaper this week as saying that they are familiar with Williams ex- this year that if Williams left very quickly after finding a job. a man- agement team might oversee the district for a veiy short time until a person selected to be an interim administrator could get on board. Names mentioned for that team in- periences in both the Little Rock and Syracuse. N.Y,, districts and have heard nothing that would cause them to reconsider their decision. I Tz-_ .. ~ ~ Yovojivj 111 me biiuii term Kansas City the first of Septem- while the board seeks a perma- ' nent replacement for Williams. Williams departure was widely anUcipated, and Little Rock .u. jui a lew weens or lor board President Linda Pondexter several months, depending oil earlier this year appointed the ------- An interim superintendent might serve for just a few weeks or for seven-member contingency committee to recommend how tlie district might fill any vacancy in the superintendents position should Williams leave. how the board decides to conduct its search for a chief executive. It is not uncommon for a national search to take an entire school year. See POST, Page 8B! Roberts ! __Arkansas Democrat '^(Dazclti' FRIDAY. AUGUST 16, 1996 School chief hits the ground running BY CYNTHIA HOWELL Oemonal-Gazette Education Writer Little Rocks new school superintendent started his job at a frantic pace 'Ihursday as he conferred with administralors. visited three schools, monitored successful teacher contract negotiations and look part in a special school board meeting. ^il.s been a fairly active day for TEACHERS, sdiool board agree on contract. Pago 30, me, Dr. Don Roberts told reporters at an impromptu midafter- noon news conference in a Central High hallway. I hope there won't be quite as much driving me tomorrow as there was today." j^Ibiberts, 61. came out of retire- ment to take the Little Rock job on an interim basis. He has a one-year contract that can be extended. A native of Columbia County, Roberts was once an assistant superintendent in the Little Rock district, but he left 22 years ago for an assortment of jobs including director of the Arkansas Department of Education and su- See ROBERTS, Page 16A Continued Irom Page 1A perintendent of the Fort Worth. Texas, school district, which is three times Little Rocks size. He retired from Fort Worth in 1994 after eight years on the job. Roberts succeeds Dr. Hen^- Williams, who left the district this month to assume the superintendent's job in Kansas City, Mo. Roberts started his workday shortly after 7:30 a.m. Thursday. T did get up a little early today, trying to decide exactly how to get back into this." he said. The district has brought me right back into it though. It seems like I never left. Among the first items on his agenda were meetings with top administrative staff members and with the five-member management team that supervised the district during the transition between Williams and Roberts. Those meeting were followed by a get-together with district principals. During that session, Robeils asked employees to send him anonymous two-page memos describing what they believe are the districts strengths, as well as the barriers in their efforts lo educate students. The memos are only for me to read, to help me understand what is happening and focus on the good things. he said. Maybe there are some things that some of us can do in the communit} that would allow a principal to have a better chance of being successful. Accompanied by Assistant Su- I perintendent Vic Anderson and -VoK^pl, '3 S!3 .4 Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/CHRIS JOHNSON Nancy Rousseau, Central High assistant principal, talks with the Little Rock School District's interim superintendent, Dr. Don Roberts, as he tours the school during his first day on the job Thursday. Communications Director Suellen Vann. Roberts left the administration building for a few hours Thursday to visit Central, McClellan and Hall high schools. He planned to visit as many as 11 schools Thursday, but that itinerarj' was scaled back as he focused, instead, on the teacher contract negotiations. Roberts is planning to spend time today getting reacquainted with the districts 50 schools and their locations. His top priority throughout the day Thursday was to ensui'e that Uie teacher contract was settled so schools can open Monday. Negotiators worked all night Wednesday to reach a settlement and tliey finally agreed late Thursday afternoon. It was ratified by both teachers and the school board by 7 p.m. I'm very pleased about the contract Roberts said. I had hoped it would have been done this morning before I got here, but they couldn't quite get there. We just kept at it today. A lot of people helped, and we got an agreement. My major desire is that we tell people that there will be school in the Little Rock School District on Monday. I wanted to get the contract settled so we didn't keep send1 ing the message that we didn't know whether we would have school Monday or not" Brady Gadbeny. the district's director of labor relations, said the district will have to draw about S3 million from a state desegregation loan to meet this year's expenses, including salary- increases. Roberts said he wasn't fully knowledgeable about the district's financial condition. But finances are a long-term problem that can't be solved unless we improve the image and the perception and the quality if it is lacking in the district he said. I don't know about all that I just know we can't solve the long-term financial problem until we work together to get it done, and this is a first step, the first evidence, that we are going to work and get it done."Arkansas iJeinocrat f WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12. 1997 . Ruth Steele, educator, dies at 55 Steele Continued from Page 1B dren, Hamilton said. Ill always women in tlie state to hold positions above elementary school principals. We were friends, and I will miss her. Steele was bom July 22.1941. in Praised as healer, held LR, state posts BY LINDA S. CAILLOUET ARKANSAS DEMOCRATXjAZETTE Willle other children asked for fairy tales, Ruth Steele delighted in having her grandmother read aloud from old textbooks. From childhood, Steele knew she wanted to be a teacher. xAnd she did. But she didnt remember her as being one who Alexandria, La., to Nellie B. and .prepared for tlie task she had Roy Smith. She grew up with her ahead of her. All of us who knew parents and four younger brothers her and worked closely with her in nearby Ball, where her parents will remember her for many still live. She attended school in 'strong attributes. neighboring Tioga. . Lynda White, a friend of ILn* school, she sang .i.n. tlie c..h..o^- Steeles, recalled a comment from rus, played basketball and attend- a Little Rock School Board meet-ing. .: Ella Carpenter said it all when ed Girls State. But she was most dedicated to the newly formed Future Teachers of America club stop at the classroom. She went on to she went up to the microphone that she joined in the nintli grade, and said, 1 know for sure Dr. sening as the clubs president as a " Steele is a Christian because she junior and senior. ......... ...... ... ............. ...... She attended Louisiana Baptist ^alL..............................................................College in Pineville, La., where ... Tony Wood, Searcy School Dis- she planned to one day teach high-trict superintendent, was deputy school English. ...................... '' /After marrying a Baptist minis-talks the talk and walks tlie superintendent in Little Rock un- . der Steeles leadership. Steele al- ter, David Steele, she moved to Lit- .ways put the children first. Wood tie Rock In 1962, she received her said. bachelors degree in education rules later. As a teacher, Steele worked to make learning fun, to give the lessons on a level her students would enjoy. If they wouldnt come to her, she went to them. While at Cabot High School. Steele helped begin the schools first literary' magazine so her students work could be published. At the vocational school in Little Rock, she had food service students plan and prepare a menu for a geographical area they were studying in literature class. The printing students typeset and printed Beoieidf in fancy script. In 1973. as a student project, Steele obtained a grant to develop an educational radio station. KLRE-FM. She became the Little Rock School Districts director of communications in 1975 and continued working with the district until 1986, when the State Board of Edu-teach and lead Ruth Steele other educators as the Little Rock School Districts first female superintendent and the Arkansas Department of Educations first female director. And while reading was her first love, she also had a soft spot for radio she started KLRE-FM, 90.5, now affiliated with National Pu^ lie Radio. Steele, who was diagnosed about six weeks ago with lym- , phoma, died Tuesday in Little Rock at Baptist Medical Center. She was 55. ' Every decision she ever made from Little Rock University, now was based on the children, he the University of Arkansas at Lit- .said. She was an extraordinary tie Rock. She later received a mas- educator, and the state has lost a ters degree in English from Ar-great leader. kansas State Teachers College in Even her adversaries admired Conway, now the University of her. John Walker, the civil rights Central Arkansas, and a doctorate attorney representing black chil- in educational administration at dren in the three Pulaski County the University of Arkansas at Fay- . districts in a federal desegregation etteville. lawsuit, sparred' with Steele but At age 21, she began teaching : speaks hi^ly of her today. She was an honorable educator with whom I had some dis- English at Cabot High School. She remained there for three years. In 1965, she began working at cation appointed her deputy direc- tAonHr of (tLh. eA rD\ epartmAe ..n. *t of EdIu I Ac na- I In recent years, Steele worked as a consultant, creating curricula for several school districts around the state. She continued that work even while in the hospital. W.D. Bill Hamilton, a former teacher who is a director with the state Department of Health, served on the school board in the 1980s when Steele was Little Rock superintendent. "She was a very quiet, deepthinking person who was concerned with the needs of the chil- See STEELE, Page 9B agreements, Walker said, but Metropolitan Vocational High one who I always felt was devoted School in Little Rock and contin- ' to improving the education of chil- ued teaching until 1970. dren, especially poorer ch i"l d ren. B,y h...e...r.. ..o...w...n... ..a..d...m....i..s..s..i.o...n... Steele and providing them with the tools was "a pretty tough disciplinari- -they need to become educated, contributing citizens. ' She was a healer, a progressive superintendent and a pio-an. I always started out very tough," she said in a 1988 interview featured on the cover of the neer, Walker said. Her leader- _A_r_k_a_n__s_a_s_ _D__e_m__o_c_r_a_t_'s H. igh... ..P...r.o...f..i.l..e '.ship opened the doors for a lot of section. You can always relax the tion. The next year, Steele was named director of the department She said then that she didnt i want to micromanage the states school districts. Instead, she wanted to provide ways for the schools to improve and to hold them accountable not for how they do things, but what they do. Steele returned to the Little Rock School District in 1989 as superintendent. In November 1991, she announced that she would retire the following June. At the time, she noted personal losses her husband had died of heart attack complications in April, and Dr. Herb Cleek, a longtime friend and the districts deputy superintendent, had also died of a heart attack. She also cited a lack of support from the school board. Arkansas Democrat (Gazette TUESDAY, APRIL 15, 1997 Board puts headhunters on trail of superintendent LR schools hire Illinois search company BY CYNTHIA HOWELL ARKANS.AS DEMOCR-AT-G.AZETTE Little Rock School Board members Monday selected Hazard, Young, Attea and Associates, an executive search firm based in Northfield, Ill,, to assist them in hiring a replacement for Interim Superintendent Don Roberts, who wants to retire later this year. In literature presented to the board, company officials estimated that more than 90 percent of the people they have helped get jobs since 1988 are still in place. Of about 100 searches done during the last five years, firm officials said they are aware of three superintendents no longer in the position for which they were hired. The companys clients since 1994 include the Hamilton County- Chattanooga, Tenn,, school system. Louis St. enrollment 46,0(X)
schools, enrollment 43.000
Plano, Texas, schools, enrollment 36,500: San Antonio schools, enrollment 60,000: and Columbia, Mo schools, 16,000 students. Other clients have included school systems in Grosse Pointe, Mich,
Kalamazoo, Mich.
Palo Alto, Calif,
and Scarsdale, N.Y. The Hazard firm was one of five considered by the Little Rock board, including two local agencies, Gilbert Associates and Exec- Personnel Recruiters utive Agency Inc, Other applicants included the National School Boards Association and Sockwell & Associates, the North Carolina firm the district used in 1992 when future Little Rock Superintendents Mac See SEARCH, Page 2B Search Continued from Page IB Bernd and Henrj Williams, both now gone, were identified as candidates. Hiring the company is expected to cost about $15,000. plus $4,000 for travel, postage and telephone expenses and another $3,000 for advertising and a brochure to be developed about the district. Costs for candidates to travel to Little Rock and for board members to visit candidates' hometowns could not be estimated. The firm expects to send letters and brochures about the district to about 600 initial contacts, including superintendents of about 200 districts, state and national educa- Our examination of the finalist candidates backgrounds is discreet, but rigorous, reaching personal and professional references beyond those provided by the candidate w in many cases. William J. Attea j tion associations, universities and ' foundations. Members of the firm i will contact prospective candi- i dates who meet the criteria estab- i lished by the School Board and ! will actively recruit candidates. i At the close of the application i process the company will select 12 i to 18 candidates for further consid- eration. Those candidates will un- j dergo further background checks j in conjunction with an initial inter- i view with Hazard representatives. Our examination of the finalist ! candidates backgrounds is dis- i creet, but rigorous, reaching per- i sonal and professional references . beyond those provided by the can- 1 didate in many cases, William J. Attea, a company officer, wrote the Little Rock board. Attea has suggested a timetable for conducting the search that calls for initial meetings with School Board members possibly as early as this week. The timetable also suggests board interviews of candidates by May 19 and selection of a superintendent by June 2.Arkansas Democrat ^(jrazclk WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16, 1997 Group sets high ideals for chief of LRSD BY CYN IlUA HOWULL ARKANSAS I)l.M(K R,\ I -(iAZt. I 11- A Little Hock School District coiiuiuiiiity group decided 'I'licsday mostly in jest, that the district's next superintendent of scliools ought to be a Jtazorback fan who can walk on water. Levity asi((e, the approximately 40 teachers, business leaders, parents, student^ and representatives of community organizations made it clear in a three-hour-meeting that they iiave high expectations for Uie successor to Superintendent Dpn Robeils, w^io plans to reUre. The gi'oup identified 46 desirable characteristics in Uie seven categories of educational philosophy, leadership and management, creativity, people skills, stability, inclusiveness and personal attributes. Humility, honesty, charisma, iib telligence, patience, detenuination, a sense of fairness and optimishi were listed under personal attributes. Tho group members called for a visionary, a confident decisionmaker. a team builder, someone who leads by example, a motivator, a skilled negotiator, a person who understands staff needs and will work lo carry out the districts mission. The community members were nominated by school board members last month to identify what they would like lo see in a now chief executive. On Tuesday. Ann Brown temporarily put aside her role as federal desegregation monitor to serve as a facilitator for the discussion. -' The groups conclusions will be submitted later this week to the school board, which has hired-an Illinois search firm lo help select a I superintendent.
The community group concluded that stability in Uie district could . be promoted by a new superinten- dent who is healthy and energetic, is committed to the city and to staying in the job. anil may be home- grown and qualified, The group called for both an educator and an administrator who puls children first and promotes educational excellence while maintaining a strong instructional program. The group said llie board should seek someone who can think outside the box and be a risk-taker and problem-solver who values school and community pari- nerships. A communicator with interpersonal skills, a consensus-builder and a politically astute healer were terms describing the desired executive. Other desired characteristics included sensitivity lo cultural diversity, color-blindness, celebration of diversity and respect for vaiying viewpoints. There is no way any man can be all of that and be humble," Central High Principal Rudolph Howard qui pped at the end of the session., . But a woman can," oUiers responded.Arkansas Democrat "ST (5azcllc FRIDAY, APRIL 18, 1997 LRSD hopes to hire chief by late June Search Firm expects to oll'er 6 candidates BY CYN IIIIA IIOWIJ.l. ARKANSAS W-MtKRA I t 1 AZh11 li Ihe Little Rock School Board, seeking a new superintendent, established a tentative timetable es- 'fhursday that calls for naming one by the week of June 22. School board members began deciding some of the parameters for the search in a meeting wilh Dr. Charles Young, a partner in the Hazard, Young. Attea and Associates executive search firm. The board had voted Monday to hire the Illinois company to aid in its elTorts to replace interim Superintendent Don Roberts, who wants to retire. Young is an Illinois native who earned a bachelors degree in 1950 at tlie University of Arkansas, which he attended on an atliletic scholarship. He and Charles Almo, a distinguished professor of urban education at Roosevelt University in Chicago and a fonner longtime administrator in the Chicago public schools, will be Uie principal agents working on tlie Little Rock search. I take personal pleasure in working in Arkansas, Young told the board. This is our companys first assignment here. I owe this Young told the board that the company, to be paid about $15,000, will work with the district until it finds the right person. state a lot and I am happy to try to return some of what I owe by helping this district with its search. Young told the board that the company, to be paid about $15,000, will work with the district until it finds tlie right person. If the new superintendent is dismissed for cause or resigns during the first year, the firm will conduct a new search at no cost except expenses. The company also pledged not to recruit the new superintendent for another position for five years unless the board authorizes it. National advertising for the job is tentatively set to begin April 30. Regional advertising for the post also will be done. The heart of our work is to bring into candidacy those people who are not actively looking for a job, Young told board members. He predicted that 0 percent of the candidates ultimately presented to the board will be on the list through nomination or solicitation. Young and Almo will begin screening applicants May 19 and will present at least six candidates to the school board June 3, at which time the board will begin conducting two rounds of inter- view.s with the candidates and making visits to the candidates home districts. Young said his firm closely
rntfiniyp? (ho onnrli/lnfoe >iA ' scrutinizes the candidates and ! their qualifications. We pour acid j on all the superlatives to see what holds up, he said. The consultants will give applicants brochures about the Little Kock district and advise board members how to interview and evaluate the candidates.Arkansas Democrat I WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26, 1997 LRSD knows Search Continued from Page 1D 72.000-student Fort Worth district. it cant dawdle in hiring a chief Board may lay out search route to Roberts successor this week BY CYNTHLA. HOWELL AR-K-ViSAS DEMOCR.AT-G.AZETTE The Little Rock School Board may decide as soon as Thursday on how to proceed with a search for a superintendent to succeed Don Roberts, interim superintendent since mid-.August Roberts will stay on the job until a replacement is hired. Earlier this year, board President John Riggs IV asked board members Katherine Mitchell and Larry Berkley to consider the range of options in conducting a search. The two are to make a recommendation to the board at its meeting at 6 p.m. Thursday. Riggs said Tuesday he anticipates a national search for a chief e.xecutive. But board members Sue Strickland and Mike Daugherty have said they would prefer to hire from within the state. If the board is to find a superintendent this year, the search must begin soon. Riggs said. Most superintendents sign contracts with their school districts in the first half of summer, making it difficult to hire well-qualified people during the summer. Riggs said he would like to have the new superintendent employed by September so he can work with Roberts for at least a couple of months. Roberts said this week that he intends to assist the School Board in finding a permanent superintendent by personally recruiting qualified people to apply for the job of overseeing the states largest school district. He said he wont participate in interviews or any other part of the actual selection process. he was superintendent in Newport News. Va.. and Amarillo. Texas. , Riggs called Roberts a terrific ap^ed in the^wor^U^e. leader and communicator. He has unified our board, strengthened our district and uplifted our community. Riggs said. ---------- - H vvnTnovv^sist us in locating mously to hire the interim superm- his permanent successor and will tendent on rccommend^-n ,nf continue to work with us on a con- suiting basis. In many ways, this mav be the best of both worlds." One of Roberts most significant accomplishments this year has been the decision to seek a hiatus When I returned to Little Roc.k of uP to nine montto in toe fede^ as interim superintendent in .Au- momtoring of the distnct s aese^^ gust. I pledged to help better posi- gation efforte. He smd the tion the district so that it could re- vvould give distnct officials time to strengthen the distncts academic emit an outstanding permanent su- perintendent and to assist in that program and Propo^e improv^ recruiting effort, Roberts said. "I nients to the 1989 desegreoauon am now confident Little Rock can plan- , . , , . , .A federal judge has granted the moratorium, and eight different and will attract several quality applicants." Roberts, 62, who retired from the Fort Worth. Te.xas, school district in 1994. took the interim position last summer. He said then that he would serve for at least one year and possibly two at an annual salarv of SI15.000. He succeeded Henrv Williams, who left the district after three years for the superintendents job in Kansas City, Mo. Roberts recently asked School Board members to begin a search for his replacemenL with the understanding that he is willing to stay in the job for a couple of months after his successor is chosen so the newcomer can become acquainted with the system. Roberts also said he is willing to work with the district on various projects, but he does not want to continue as full-time superintendent. "This district needs a superintendent who will stay five or more years. he said. I cant last that long? Roberts, an Arkansas native, previously worked in the Little Rock district in the late 1960s and early 1970s. He is the former director of the state Department of Educations General Education Division. Before serving more than seven years as superintendent of the See SEARCH, Page 4D teams are at work developing proposals in a wide range of subjects. 'The teams will report to the board by the end of June, and the district vrill report to the court by September. , Riggs said that Roberts will be available to help oversee that work and to testify in court or negotiate proposals if he is needed. Roberts may also be used to oversee the Vital Link program, which will be implemented for the first time this summer, Riggs said. More than 500 sixth-graders and their teachers will spend a wees in various businesses and industries to see how tlieir class lessons are The pro^am is similar to an award-winning program started in Fort Worth during Roberts tenure. The School Board voted unani- the recommendation of a residents committee that the board had appointed to make recommendations on filling the vacan- cy. Rett Tucker, one of that commit- tee's co-chairman, said Tuesday that Roberts has done a superb job and that he is grateful Roberts will continue to work wnth the distnct. Roberts and his wife, Jan, moved from Fort Worth to Little Rock so he could take the interim position. They intend to remain in central .Arkansas, either in Little Rock or Hot Springs, or both. The Roberts two sons and their families live in Little Rock. .A daughter lives in Fort Worth. Roberts predecessors. Williams and Mac Bernd, were both finalists in a national search the district conducted in 1992 with the help of a executive-search firm based in North Carolina. Bernd was hired. He stayed one year, after which the board pursued and ultimately hired Williams.Arkansas Democrat -^(Oazcllc J FRIDAY, MARCH 28, 1997 Search firm, panel of locals to heln r LRSD find chief BY CVTsTHIA HOWELL ARMNSAS DtMOlRAT-GVI 'E Tlie Little Rock School Board will use both a communitv- committee and a national search firm to seek a successor to Superintendent Don Roberts, who has said he wants to retire by the end of this calendar year. Board members' initial division Tliursday over whether to employ a search firm ended when Roberts, who has said he will personally urge qualified people to apply for the job. spoke in favor of the move. "I have a lot more respect for the people that you will recommend to us than I do those from a firm." board member Sue Strickland told Roberts. I'm wondering if we could take some of those applications in the beginning without the assistance of a firm and bring the firm in later if necessary. Would that be feasible? "You would be limiting yourselves. Roberts said. "You need to have a buffer.' If the board takes applications, the names will become public information immediately which will discourage some potential candidates from entering the pool. Roberts said. .A national search firm knows where to advertise the job and can send out applications, receive completed forms and privately narrow the field of applicants to a pool of finalists for the board to consider, he said. i "Tve told you from the day I was I selected that one of the things I want to help you do is get into the position to hire a good superintendent. Roberts told the board. He also told board members they should publicize that theyre interested in considering applicants from Arkansas as well as nationwide. Board members agreed they would select a search firm by April 17. giring preference to locally based companies. The firm selected must be able to provide data regarding the length of service of su- perintendents it has placed in jobs. Board members also agreed to immediately form a communitv committee to establish criteria that they and the search firm should use in selecting a superintendent. Each of the seven board members will nominate four people to serve on the committee. .After that, if the board finds that an organized group active in the district is unrepresented on the committee, representatives will be added. Board member Pat Gee said she wanted to use the citizens contingency committee that recommended hiring Roberts as an interim superintendent last summer. "Those people feel verv- strongly about the district, and they have some idea about what is involved." Gee said. "You ask someone who has no idea, they can come out with something in left field." That committee included co- chairmen Rett Tucker and Dr. Roosevelt Brown, as well as civil rights lawyer .John Walker, the presidents of the Classroom Teachers .Association and the Parent-Teacher Association Council, a junior high principal, and former school board member Skip Rutherford. Also Thursday, a group of black parents from Hail High School submitted a petition asking the board for a special meeting over their concerns about the school's administration and what they called a disproportionate number of disciplinary sanctions against black students. The board took no immediate action on the request.Arkansas Democrat 7^ (IjjazelU' | SATURDAY^APRIL 5, 1997 45 are nominated for panel to land hew school chief UR board advertises for national firm to hunt for replaeement for Roberts BY CYNTHIA I(OWBLl. ' ARKANSAS OliMlM RA I ( iAZI i 11. ' Korty-five people, including educators, government leaders and neighborhood representatives, have been nominated to serve on a committee to search for the district's next superintendent. ' Tlie Little Rock School Districts Advisory Committee for a Superin- terident Search was created by the on Friday to formally notify them of the April 15 meeting. Committee members and the organizations they represent are
Dr. Charles Donaldson, University of Arkansas at Little Rock vice chancellor
Joa Humphrey, Southwest Neighborhood Association
Doris Iones, John Barrow Neighborhood Association
Linda Joyce, Little Rock Board of Directors
Barb 'board to advise it on tlie criteria tlie Kennedy, teacher, Baker Kurrus, board should use in hiring a re- Little Rock Alliance for Our Public placement for Superintendent Don Schools
Donna Massey, Little Rock Roberts, who has said he would like New Party
Rohn Muse, New Parly
to retire by the end of the calendar Paula Patterson, parent
Benny year. Tlie advisory committee has Smith, Parents for Public Schools
only one scheduled meeting, at (1 Andy Teny,UALR department of fi- pjn.,April 15 in tlie district adminis- ir^tion building's board room. / ..Aim Brown, the federal desegregation monitor who also is a trained bf^anizational facilitator, will over- the three-hour session, School ppard President John Riggs IV said this week. Also, a national superin- 'terident search linn could call on the advisoiy committee for consultation. The board is advertising for a ftmp to assist in soliciting and screening applications from superintendent candidates. Search firms nance
Diane Vibaker, Parents for Public Schools
Doug Buford, Greater Little Rock Chamber of Commerce
Rett Tucker, chamber and alliance
Doris Williams, PTA Council
Kevin O'Malley, former school board member
beta AnUio- ny. Leadership Roundtable
Dale Charles, NAACP
Don Wilson, Black Developers
Delia Moore, United Way
DoroUiy Nayles, New Futures for Little Rock Youth
Charles Johnson, Stephens School neighborhood
Vernell Bowen, principal of St. Ed- haVe sought to meet with community wards School, and Tom Brock, Gey- groups to familiarize Uie firms' executives with the conununity and its .edutational needs. :
.-.The seven board members decid- Rudolph ,ed to nominate four people each to er Springs First Baptist Chiu'ch. Also, Nolan Purtell, grandparent
Delores Edgeston, Parkview PTA
Iloward, Principals .serve on the committee. More people were nominated to ensure broad Roundtable
Pam Marshall, MidTown and Franklin School neighborhood
Rev. Don Gibson, Minister- gepresenlation from organizations ial Alliance
Fatima McKendra, Cen- iptprested and involved in the operation of the school district the largest district in tlie state. .Committee niembei's include Lin- -da Joyce, a member of tlie Little Rock tral High student
Clementine Kelley, Eleanor Coleman, Betty Mitchell and Fay Parker, Classroom Teachers Association
Lee .Iones, Little Rock Housing Authority
Brenda Board of Directors
Dale Charles, Gregoiy, Resident Council for Uie lifesident of Uie Little Rock chapter of Uie National Association for llie Advancement of Colored People
two former Little Rock School Board Little Rock Housing AuUiority
Adriene Goodman-Chandler, parent involvement coordinator
EUiel Ambrose, Coalition of Little Rock niditibers
Uie current and immediate Neighborhoods
Tommy Dodson, past presidents of the Greater Little Rock Chamber of Commerce, and Uie parent
Vicki Armstead, Little Rock Association of Educational Office principal of a Catliolic elemenhuy Professionals
'Phaddeus Leopoulos, school. District students and employ- Parkview Magnet High student
^S also are represented. Mozella Johnson. Stephens Neigh- Many of the committee members borhood Association
W.D. Bill serve dual roles as parents and or- Ilamillon, fonner school board ganizational representatives. member
IjOU Ethel Nauden, All nominees are eligible to Parkview teacher, and Bitty Martin, ,
serve if tJiey accept tlie nomination. Capitol View/Stifil Station Neighmember
Lexers were sent to the nominees borhood Association.Arkansas Democrat 'Jv (Oazcltc , FRIDAY, MAY 23, 1997 Search firm for LRSD superintendent promises candidate list for June session BY PATRICK HENRY ,\RKA\SAS DEMOCR.AT-Ci,\ZETTE The firm the Little Rock School District hired to conduct the search for a new superintendent plans to present the School Board with a slate of up to eight candidates at a meeting June 3. Dr. Charles Young, a partner in the Illinois-based firm Hazard, Young, Attea and .Associates, told a special board committee Thurs- - day that he had aggressively gone after" some 19 candidates and
would continue to screen candidates until the board decides on ' one. Young briefed the board on strategy for the which begin June 4. Board members will interview two candidates each day through June 7. At a June 8 meeting the list of contenders will be cut to three, a second round of interviews following from June 9-13. The board intends to name a new superintendent by June 22. Interim Superintendent Don Roberts. 62. told board members in March that he wanted to retire and asked them to find a successor. Young was hired to conduct the search in mid-April. Also, the board got an expen- sive wake-up call Thursday when the technologi- work team. a committee formed in March to develop a plan for bringing the district's schools up to date with computer technology, announced that its plan would cost up to $30 million money the district doesn't have. "This will be expensive, team member Rich Kennedy, a University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences professor, told the board, but we needed technologj in the schools yesterday, not in two to three years, so we've got to move
on this." The committee will recommend that the district outfit a few model schools with state-of-the-art tech- nologj- to let the public know of the need for new technologj and to raise funds from tlie private sector.National search chalks up 7 prospects to lead LRSD BY CHRIS REINOLDS ARKANSAS OEMOC!IAT<5A21TE Seven educators, including two wiUi Arkansas backgrounds .and a university dean, have ap- plied for the Little Rock School IV. .-.1. Board members plan to inter- District superintendent's job. The school district hired the Hazard. Illinois-based firm Young. Attea and Associates to search for a new superintendent. Dr. Charles Young, a partner in the search firm, said he pursued 19 candidates. The School Board will receive tendent by June 22. information about the candidates Candidates Continuedirom Page 1A , Interim Superintendent Don Roberts. told board members in March that he wanted to retire and asked them to find a successor. Roberts became the districts seventh superintendent in 10 years. The search firm was hired in mid-April. The applicants are Leslie V. Camine of Wichita Falls. Texas: John M. Folks of Weatherford. Okla.
Peter P. Horoschak of Albuquerque. N.M.: Kenneth James of Batesville: David E. Lee of New Roads. La.: Mary Guinn of Monroe. La.
and Jim Scales of College Station. Texas. Camine. 55. has been superintendent of the Wichita Falls Independent School District for 10 years. 'The district has about 15.750 students and operates on an SS9 ------------------------------------------- During his tenure at Wichita million budget He earns S105.000 Falls, the district has entered into annually. Camine received his doctorate desegregation case, from the University of Arkansas - and worked as superintendent of of Education at Southwestern Ok- the Texarkana School District lahoma State University. He re- from 1981 to 1987 and as assistant ceived his bachelor of science, superintendent from 1979 to 1981. master of arts and doctoral de- He also was a high school prinei- grees in education from the Unipal in Harrison. He received his master's degree from Central Missouri State Uni- versity in Wanensbuig and his tendent for six years at Midwest bachelors degree from Buena City-Del City public schools east of Vista College, Storm Lake. Iowa. at today's meeting. Five of the applicants have sent resumes and other background information through the search firm to School Board Chairman John A. Riggs view two candidates a day Wednesday through Saturday. At a Sunday meeting the list of contenders will be cut to three, and a second round of interviews is scheduled June 9-13. The board intends to name a new superin- See CANDIDATES, PageiOA Applicants for LRSD superintendents job AppHcanis tor ihe btUe Reck School District superintendenrs iCO: Leslie V. Camine. 55. superiniertclenl of Wienita Falls. Texas, ind^ndent Sefwot District lor 10 years. Oodoiate degree front University of Aikansas at Fayettevitle. Su- penntendeni of the Texarkana. Ark.. School District front 1981 to 1987 and assistant su- pentttendwil from 197910 1981. Dr. John M. Folks, dean of School of Education al Southsvestem Oklahoma State University al Weathsiford since 1994. Bacheloi's. master's and doctoral degrees in education from Umversity of OWahoma in Norman. Dr. Mary Guinn, associate supenntendent for Monroe. La.. City Scftool Disina. Former Little Rod< Settooi Oisirici teacher, principal at Carver Elementary and Pulaski Heights Elementary and spe^ assistant to the supenntendent. Dr. Peter P. Horoschak. superiniendertt of an agreement to end a 27-year-old Folks. 49. is dean of the School versity of Oklahoma, Norman. He has served as dean since 1994. Before that he was superinOklahoma City. Enrollment was Abuguerque. N.M.. Public SiSiools for three yeare. Bacheloi's degree in general engineering from U.S. Mibtaiy Academy al West Pcani. N.Y.. master's in educational admin- isiraiion from Boston University, doctorare in educatioh from Harvard Uraveisity at CamBndge. Mass. Dr. Kenneth James. Batesville School Ds- Inct supenntendent for four years. Bachelor's degree in education from Arkansas Slate University at Jonesboro, master's degree in educational adminisiretion from Northern Arizona University at Aagsialf. ano doctoiaie in education from U.S. tnter- national Univeisity at San Diego. Dr. David S. Lee. suoenntendent of Poirrte Coupee Pansh School in New Roads. La., for three years. Dcdcrate from Louisiana Stale University. Dr. Jim Scales, supenntendent al College Station School District in College SlaSon. Texas. about 15.000 with a budget of S60 million. Folks was elected by Oklahoma voters to sen-e as Oklahoma superintendent of public instruction, who oversees the state Department of Education. He held that position for four years. He also worked as associate deputy state superintendent director of secondary education, controller, assistant controller at the state department a total of 12 years. Before his work for the state he was a math teacher at Oklahoma and Texas high schools. _Aikansas Democrat^^^itp~ TUESDAY, JUNES, 1997 The third applicant is superintendent of the Albuquerque (N.M.) tuoii ....----------------- Public Schools, which has about in his district when he refused to velopment and strategic planning
89.000 students. Horoschak gradu- let them wear ceremonial dress assistant principal for me San Die- ated from Harvard Universitj-. under their graduation robes. Die guito High School. Encimtas. Calif.. Cambridge. Mass., with a doctorate Santa Fe New Mexican reported. ""H crUnni , ....rv-------------------------- Die Tinies Union newspaper in in education. He received his masters degree in educational admin- istration from Boston University -----------o -------yw and a bachelor's degree in general with the Albuquerque School New Roads, La for three years, engineering from the United Board over his 5115,000 salaiy and His salary is 576,000 to m^age a benefits package. Die Dmes Union districlof4.^studentsandabud- PointNY ' ' also reported that Horoschak has get of 521 million. The Albuquerque school sys- clashed with the Albuquerque He earned his bachelor's de- tem has a budget of 5600 million School Board over educational gree from Mississippi SUte Uni- and 7,041 teachers. Horoschak has philosophy. versity, his masters de^ee from ........................................- ' - - James. Batesville School Dis- Mississippi College and his doctor- trict superintendent, said in a let- ate from Louisiana SUte Universi- ter to the board that he is comfort- tj-. States Militaiy Academy- at West been superintendent for three years. He served two years as superin- ------------------------------------------------ tendentofStamford(Conn.)Public able in his current job but he ...................................... Schools. with' an enrollment of would be interested in Little Rock, was supenntendent of DeSoto 13 300 From 1988 to 1992. he was James earns about S75.000 as chief Parish schools in Mansneid. La., superintendent of the Pittsford of the Batesville district with 2300 for four years. Central School District in Pitts- students and a budget of S10.7 mil- He also has worked as a high Central School District in Pitts- students and a budget of S10.7 mil- ford, N.Y., which has about 5200 lion. He is in his fourth year as su- students. Horoschakspentsixyearsassu- --------------------------------- perintendent at Shaker Heights gree in education from Arkansas Citv School District in Ohio and State University in 1972. Later he three vears at Poughkeepsie City received a master's degree in edu- _______________ , school principal, director of in- perintendent ' struction and administrative perJames earned his bachelors de- sonnel as well as a teacher in Louisiana and Mississippi. Resumes weren't available uixvv ________r_____-V _______________ - Monday for Guinn and Scales. School District in New York. He cational administration from Guinn, associate superinten- has worked for the Connecticut Northern Arizona Universi^ and dent for the Monroe City School SUte Department of Education as his doctorate of education from District in Louisiana, was a princi- deputy commissioner and assistant United States International Uni- pal at Carver and Pulaski Heights secretaiyforthe state Board of Ed- versity in San Diego. elementary schools in the mid ucation. He also served the Boston The Batesville native was assis- 1980s. She also served as special School System as an administra- lie Batesville native was assis- live assistant and was involved in .... r-.----------.---r
- - - - the initial three years of desegre- Union High School District Escon- gation of the Boston Public Schools. San Diego Countj' Office of Educa- Horoschak recently upset more -----------o--------- -......................... than 100 American Indian students tion as a coordinator for staff de- and the Calexico Unified School District Calexico. Calif. Lee has been superintendent of Albanv. N.Y.. reported that ------------------------------------------- Horoschak had been squabbling Pointe Coupee Parish schools in Before going to Xew Roads. Lee tant superintendent and a high assistant to the superintendent for school principal for the Escondido a short time before leaving in 1989. .. . I-" Scales is superintendent of the dido. Calif., with an enrollment of College Station School District in 10.060. James also worked for the College Station. Texas.Ark^sas Democrat WEDNESDAY, JUNE 4, 1997 List of 7 school superintendent candidates pleases board Little Rock School Board meni- I . __ J ^*-*1 o co u 11 UI ik/1 Oil bers said Tuesday that they liked ementary school principal and the slate of seven superintendent ' .................... candidates presented to them this week by consultants from an Illinois-based executive search firm. The board hopes to hire a new . -- -..........- Louisiana. Folks is a one-time matli superintendent to replace Interim teacher and school district superin- Superintendent Don Roberts by tendent elected by 67 percent of Ok- J une 22. lahoma voters to serve as state su- Board members met almost four perintendent of public instruction, hours Tuesday with the consultants Young told the board that one ad- Dr. Charles Young and Dr. Charles mirer of Folks called him the best Almoin preparation for candidate package wall-to-wall that you can interviews that begin today. get in a superintendent. Dr. Ken James, superintendent of the Batesville School District, will meet privately with the board two hours beginning at 5 p.m. Dr. David Lee. superintendent of the Pointe Coupee Parish School District near Baton Rouge, La., will follow at 7^0 p.m. Dr. Jim Scales, superintendent of schools in College Station, Texas, and Dr. Peter Horoschak, superintendent in Albuquerque. N.M., are to meet with the board Thursday. Dr. John Folks, dean of the School of Education at Southwestern Oklahoma State University, and Dr. Les Gamine, superintendent in Wichita Falls, Texas, and former Texarkana superintendent, will be interviewed Friday. years as a speech pathologist, an el........ superintendent of the Boston ^sistant to the superintendent, will schools, a former commissioner of nrk intnnnAioo/J Cl,., 1, . . . an be interviewed Saturday. She is associate superintendent for Uie Mon- roe City School District in Six of die seven candidates are men. Five are white and two Scales and Guinn are black. James, a Batesville native and one of three candidates with strong Arkansas connections, comes from the smallest of the districts, but he also has experience in Escondido and San Diego County, Calif. James' references include the education in Kentucky and Skip Rutherford, a former Little Rock School Board president. Horoschak is from the largest district. Albuquerque, which has 89.000 students. Young described Horoschak as visionary, tireless, compassionate and analytical but also as someone who is figliting with his board and is unhappy with his $115,000 salary. Although Little Rock pays a similar salary. Young said, Horoschak finds the fringe benefit package attractive. Scales is the first black superintendent in College Station, where an all-white board hired him in Riggs initially closed Tuesday's 1994, Young said. Scales previously board meeting with the consultants sei-ved as an area superintendent in in violation of the states Freedom Tulsa, a district of 45,000, and a of Information Act, but he opened it 1,^. r n,-ii I. J on the advice of the boards attorney after the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette teacher, football coach and princi- pal in Oklahoma City. He is a for- mer member of the Oklahoma objected to the private session. Board of Education, appointed by die governor. IBoard hears Lee. 48, left a superintendent's This is the second time since You have to be very cognizant of ........... -------- ------ the needs of all people. You do that James came to Batesrille in 1993 two seeking LRSDjob job in Mansfield, La., in 1987 for oth- ----------------.'t cl ' er, more profitable endeavors. But with what you do and not what you in 1995 he returned to tlie trenches say," Lee said, "\ou have to estal> -- -- when he took the Pointe Coupee lish credibility and you do that by thesupenntendentsjobmFajette- job. being very up-fronL no hidden agen- *'"* ......... Ididitbecauselhadthisempty das. I ve never had a problem with I r--------*------- that whcrever I've gone. that he has been recruited for a job. Last year he was in the running for nlle but withdrew when his mother ' feeling inside that I was not pursu- ing my passion, which is to help See INTERVIEWS, Page 58 Cliiefs from Louisiana, |ntArviow Batesville first of 6 due , He has worked in all levels of ed- lucation. including teacher, coach ' and principal in districts in both Louisiana and Mississippi. He has died just before the interviews. James is paid about $75,000 to oversee a sjstem with 2.300 students After three years of blood. I Little Rock board members said sweat and. yes, tears. the school j after the interviews that both candi- was recognized as a High Perfor- dates were credible and knowledge- mance School by the San Diego ' able about education. Board chair- BY CHRIS REINOLDS AND CYNTHIA HOWELL ARWNSAS DEMOCRAT-OAZETTE Tlie Little Rock School Board on Wednesday began in earnest its search for a new superintendent, interviewing two candidates for the job one ftrom Batesrille, a 2,300- student Arkansas district, and another fYom a district of 4,530 students in New Roads, La. The board will interview two more candidates tonight and another two Friday to find a replacement for Don Roberts, who has served one year as an interim chief execu- Continued from Page 18 people be better at what they do and plan programs in which students cannot only achieve success man John Riggs IV said it could be an advantage that both candidates came Ibom districts smaller than the Little Rock district, because they were more familiar with the total operation of a district than superintendents of l^e districts. "We're going to have a hard time picking three and then picking one. Riggs said. County Office of Education and then received a California Distinguished School award. James' resume said. James also worked for the San Diego County Office of Education as coordinator of planning and assessment for one year. He said his experience in California included extensive dealings with diverse populations. Before the San Diego position. and a budget of $10.7 million. o---------------------r.------------- When he accepted the Batesrille versity and Mississippi College and job. the district was on the verge of arim.nic. bankniptcy and distrust was ram- pant among staff, faculty and the community, he said. Enrollment teacher and assistant principal at was declining, the budget was un- ' - - > - - degrees from Mississippi State Uni- a doctorate in educational achninis- tration from Louisiana State University. The author of the book Tlie Moti- James had 14 years of experience as . Arkansas Democrat (gazette but be more marketable when ffiey voting Admmistraior. Lee has served get out of school. Lee said in a as a conference speaker and consul- lengthy letter last week to a Little tant on school organizational sys- Rock district consultant terns across the country. Lee said both national and state I do not believe that we should teach the best and shoot the rest, test scores had improved in his dis- Lee said. We must proride quality trict through the increased use of a for all students. curriculum aligned with state and At Pointe Coupee. Lee initiated national tests, new technology and ah alternative education program extensive staff training on test-tak- called the School of Hope, which ing strategies. balanced and teacher morale was low. James said he worked with others to return the district to financial stability, added a more comprehensive and relevant training program for teachers and revised the curriculum to make sure students learned what they needed to know a high school in Calexico, Calif. As for applying for the Little Rock job. James said. I love a challenge and this is a monumental one. Little Rock has all the ingredients to be the flagship school district of this state. It takes more than one person to THURSDAY, JUNE 5, 1997 uses a computer-based curriculum He m^es efforts to stay in con- and 35 computers to serve people tact with his community, he said. of 1997^ wants to retire by tlie end gj^gj. dropped out of I call approximately M parents One of the original .seven randi . ^chool, are on the verge of dropping each week to tell them something dates, John Folte of Oklahoma i out or need updated job skills The good about their children, Lee niii-ciiinffink in 21 program, funded by Formosa Plas- said. He ho ds pub ic forums and of Louisiana, is beins duplicat- Tites a weekly newspaper column ?o^ derE SKE cEunity Questions. aUOn in Little Kock. Th<3 Pninte rniineo ie fi.I XTv nhilnsnnhv ic fhot whon niai-inlft who have either dropped out of before graduating. manage a district and James promotes cooperation amor^ the school board, the community and everyone ----- Doara, me communny ana everyone We were assessing stodente on , improving UMe Rock inae we wpron t tparhinff or ex- , , ... ____ things weren't teaching exposing them to. he said. Thats education malpractice." invoiveu. liiipiovuig uiuc nuiA schools will require mending fences, and that takes time, James said. j Board members hope to narrow the list of semifinalists to three by early next week and call those people back for second interviews. Board members will then visit the top three candidates' home districts before making their final selection by June 22. In spite of the relatively small size of their districts, both candi- The Pointe Coupee district is 65 My philosoplv is that when people percent black and 35 percent white see good things happening, then and has an annual budget of $21 they will support public schools. million. Lees salary is $76,000. Everyone wants to improve but Pointe Coupee, which was operat- hardly anyone wants to change. Lee ing at a half-million-dollar deficit said. "I take pride in being able to three years ago. has a $1.5 million promote change, but in a way that is surplus this year as the result of acceptable by others. he said, measures such as reducing workers Chjuige cannot be forced, but dates interviewed Wednesday can cite a broad array of experiences. Ken James, Batesville superintendent, was formerly employed in San Diego and Escondido, Calif, in various administrative jobs before compensation claims. . The Little Rock district enroll- need for it rather, people must be shown a ment 25.66o. has a budget of about James. 46. is a Batesville native $1^ million and in recent years has but spent most his life in C^ifbmia. I paid its superintendents $115,000 He comes from a family of educa- annually plus fringe benefits. tors, but he dreamed at first of be- taking the Batesville job in July 1993. David E. Lee, superintendent of the Pointe Coupee Parish School District near Baton Rouge, is a former depub' of the Louisiana Department of Education and previously operated his own school systems consulting firm. Lees district is operating under coming a major league baseball a' federal school desegregation or- player, der that is about 15 years old. Lee James has a history degree from said he anticipated asking the court Arkansas State University, which he for release in the near future. He is attended on a baseball scholarship, endorsed by the immediate past He has a masters from Northern president of New Roads chapter of Arizona University and a doctorate the National Association for the Ad- from U.S. International University vancement of Colored People. in San Diego. James also shut down an unneeded elementary school and opened up a new one that had stood vacant for two years. He said the process was difficult but he worked with the communitj'. He describes the district as a mix of mostly white students with 8 percent black enrollment and a 2 percent growing Hispanic population. The relationship between the district and business includes a monthly meeting with James and local business leaders. That partnership has enabled the district to obtain financial support from the local companies. he said. In California. James was assistant superintendent and a high school principal for four years in Escondido, a district of about 10.000 students. The staff and community were in turmoil and uruest when he started at the high school, he said. Many of the nation's urban su- ' perintendents rotate between dis- , tricts every two or three years, and
that doesn't help a district James ' said. You can never make substantial , changes, he said. I did not come j back here to do job-hopping. I came here to do the job and put in the ! time and effort it takes to do the | job. I James is somewhat familiar with J the desegregation case in Little Rock and said the methods used to address problems might need to be changed and updated. The case has also damaged the district's repuU- tion statewide among school districts, James said. His leadership style is involved and risible, he said. And although he is managing a smaller district than Little Rock, that should not make a difference, he said. There are different magnitudes of problems and different levels of complexitj ... but a school is a school is a school," James said.Arkansas Democrat
^(l>nzcUc ) o THURSDAY, JUNE 12, 1997 Superintendent candidate meets LR ffiakers including Walker I know youve talked to some in- RY CYNTHIA HOWELL I know youve talked to some ings for the superintendent AND SUSAN ROTH chamber of commerce people, but dates wiUi other city group^ in- ARKANSAS DEMfX RAF-uAZF.nE you havent UilRed to us and Uiats a eluding the PTA. the Little Rock Kpn lames the Batesville real omission, Walker said. This Classroom Teachers Association scltoo?superintendent and one of was clearly an effort by the school and the chamber of connnerce, but three candidates for the Little district to keep us out of the toni. S^SS^toS^d^- '"SXShandandsaid, Ri^ day to his first conversation with I didn't design the process. It's ed U.em all to come here, to the re- John Walker. I didn't design the process. It's ception. The 5 p.m. event was a chance for James and his wife. Sandra, to good to meet you. Walker, an attorney who repre- tW alker th en spo- ke briefly with Co"unfrJ''dSXS S'io^.nEiffis fv bX leaving meeTtomerSchoopoard memcase Sid who has had a combative the reception at the school district S^m^s'^tl'TuW walker believed that Little Rock political a^d business the School Board had set up meet- ___________ See CANPlUAi b, nage^ Candidate Continued Irom Page 1B leaders. More than 50 attended, lining up to greet the Jameses. The candidate spoke for a few minutes, telling the group Uiat he believes the job would be a inonu-mental challenge, but I am firmly convinced that you have all the ingredients if everyone is willing to come to the table and make that happen. It will take a communitywide coalition. . In response lo questions, he said ,be supports neighborhood involve- nient in Uie schools, sees the aiis as an integral part of the curriculum .and would favor a more focused character development curriculum. Bob Morgan, a school supporter , .-r ) ' scnoui huppvicvi PriiM-inal Mona Briqqs (with back to camera) talks and former employee of tlie federal Pulaski gg superintendent of the Batesville School District, nOmffizcpe ooff TDleossecgerreeggaattiioonn MMoonniittoorriinngg,, ggnma, during a lour of Lillie Rock campuses. He is one of three tasked James how he would handle tlie distiicts uncoinfoilable position !as the target of animosity in education circles tlirougliout Uie slate. Morgan pointed out Uiat Batesville was one of 211 school districts Uiat sued Little Kock over stale funding because of a perception 'that Little Rock gets more than its J Arkansas Democtal-Gazelle/CHRIS JOHNSON VVMV, OoHMi a, * I * * lor the Little Rock superiolendent s post. does. But he said that came about recently alter voters approved a 1 mill tax increase dedicated lor lech- ''"SumXplioii. .lames met , finalists Principal Vernon Smith Jr. talked lllllCiptii yciiiwK about a new instnictional approacn the schools staif will Uy next lall. UpUidLli*^ OV41WV, - mciited Principal Sharon liroolK on the liitiiM.j I-- building and questioned her ahoui the success the school has had in raising student test scores. At Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Magnet Elementary, the di.stncts newest school, Janies mai-veled al the high shine on the hallway iioois. .1 , I... .i.w<i..z\zi 11 l or-national Eleuien- Stability and needs in this district, Janies said al 'sliare. . , Of the 311 districts in the state. '^Ihave animosity toward Little
Rpck, James acknowledged. The answer is mending fences. That is a key^ssue across the state. Fhis dis-trict has been isolated unto itself.... - -------------- We have to address perceptions similarly, he admired Gibbs Intcr-y/ hether theyre real or not. I want national Studies Magnet Elemen-to work with you, but not witli the at- School. iCitude that we dont need anyone stability leadership m-e else out there. , , James at Earlier, James toured schools end of the school tour. But, to and met community members - - > .oh.my nerr at tlie Terrace restaurant in west Little Kock. This is like dating. You want U) put your best foot foi-ward, sanl board member Pal Gee, referring to the board. , , . So tills is our second date, Ken James replied as the rest of the board members laughed. James. 46, was bom in Batesville and lived there until he was 9 y^ars old. Then his family moved to Cali-enu oi lilt stiivui vMit*. Thesonofajumorhightea^r lesi, uitn UI ...... , wKia ----- wwaanntt uto s'ayJ .i.t..'.s.. .t..i..m....e... .t..o... .g...e...t. .o. .n with tiiQd with the School Board. what we are here for. 1 here is only 4miny superintendent o goi,jg i,, happen, Tr,_11___ Qfhnu that d, o :iit c..o..IlIl.ec.Itii.v,zerlhyl, bbyildl ^( ' a coalition and make it happen. James ol-and met commuiiiiy n.u..u. me, the greatest neeu is oi j of a iunior high teacher Wednesday as he and Uie School (.ommunity and getting . administrator. Janies also was a j^oald continued their courtship. players to the table and saying, pi incipal, prin- <i3esides the tours and a publ c |,.,vc been throui^li x superintendent teception, .lames spent Wednesday immber of years of wliatevei adjei- 1. -.i become su , Ijiedting with retiring Supeinitcn- want to use turmoil, tin- ,,, San Diego County dent Don Roberts
tlie sc lool dis^ |. siability, whatever you PJ: ' R"' selected as superin-tnits attorney, Chris Heller
and ,yan say-it's time to get on will eS,els h, 1^ tiy with the School Board. what we are here for There is only tendcut ol schools in i J)nimy Scales, supeniilendent of gig to haiipeu, and in IIW.!. the'iCollege Station, Texas, school gi^t is if we do it collectively, build .,(xi students'Little Rock distlict will go a coalition and make it happen ' net ^"n i. bout 50 routine today. Leslie Cannne su- ja,cs said Batesville schools of- has .^,1^ siuuci perhitendent of WiUiita 1'alls, fer tlicir students more advanced ,t-X Te
^, schools is scheduled for h ri- systems than Little Rock dents $n5.000 in >____ _____ -^Roard inembers plan to visit tlie tone districts of the candidates qsm week and pick a new duel ex-ettilive around June 22. X*Accompanied by School Board nSe^ber Judy Magness, James, who hA&een Batesville superintendent TofTour years, visited five
schools jWe3nesday, introducing himsell to ptincipals and assistant principals who were still in the buildings. >V'^t Forest Heights Junior High, Janies joked about the hot-pink wa-t^ fiun in the principals ollice
1 ^ee&ou have standard junior high ^qippment. Later, he nodded as Arkansas Democrat i'^OrtZcllc X. SUNDAY, JUNE 22, 1997 Wholl guide LR schools? Board meets today BY CYNTHIA HOWELL ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE Tlie Little Rock School Board is . divided going into tonights scheduled selection of a new superintendent, but not to the point of fighting about the two finalists. Board and community members have said either would serve the district of 25,000 well. The candidates are Leslie V. Gamine, superintendent of Wichita Falls, Texas, public schools, and T. Kenneth James, Batesnlle School District superintendent Jim Scales, superintendent at College Station, Texas, and the only black finalist, witlidrew more than a week ago, saying the Little Rock job is fraught with more difficulties than he cares to face. John Riggs IV, board president said he expects the first item of business of the 6 p.m. meeting will Superintendent amount. Gamine heads a district of 15,000 students and earns $105,000 Continued from Page 1A annually. James heads a district of violate the .Arkansas Freedom of In- 2.300 students and makes ^5.000. formation Act , One state-level educator who knows both candidates and IS not Gee and Sue Strickland trav- ------------------- eled to Wichita Falls to question directly connected to the LitUe residents about Gamine. Magness Rock district said Gamine, oo. and Riggs spent a day in Batesville probably is the more impressive - - candidate on paper. He has been a superintendent in two districts for a total of 16 years, most recently in a district of 15.000 students that is be a discussion of information i about tlie candidates collected i over the past two weeks. i Earlier this month, tlie seven board members took turns escort- i ing tlie candidates to functions in : Little Rock, For example, Judy I Magness took the candidates to i visit schools. Katlierine Mitchell sat in on the conversations each 1 candidate had with Interim Super- ! intendent Don Roberts, and Pat And while James has only four years' experience as superintendent in a small, rural district, he has worked as a school administrator in urban Southern Galifomia. Gamines references include the Boston superintendent in who once was superintendent in San Diego, and former Little Rock School Board president Skip Gee accompanied the candidates to luncheons with the districts top achninistiators. Last week, board members visited tlie finalists home districts, altliough a similar mission when the board hired a Syracuse, N.Y., candidate in 1993 provoked a stem warning from then-PuIaski County Prosecuting Attorney Mark Stodola that the trip appeared to See SUPERINTENDENT, Page 16A to gather information on James. Riggs said the board may vote to hire someone tonight, but likely will merely select its first and second preferences, delajnng the vote until Monday or Tuesday night. In that case, he will contact the candidates in 1-2 order to ask whether operating under a federal school desegregation order. But James. 46. is articulate and knowledgeable about instructional matters, said the observer, who thev will accept. The selected can- didate may want time to consider spoke on condition of anonwin. Rutherford. Riggs said Friday the board is divided over the candidates. Other board members confirmed that privately, but they would not say which members favor which candidates. "Either of the candidates will be excellent, Strickland said. "We can't lose. his decision. The person hired will succeed Roberts, who has served as interim superintendent since last August. Roberts. 62. has said he wants to retire and that the district needs a chief executive who can stay in the job at least four or five years. Roberts has offered to continue to suy on a few months to help with transition. replaced Roberts Henrj- Williams, who left after three years to become superintendent in Kansas City. Mo. In the decade before Williams, the district had five superintendents and two interim superintendents. Roberts and Williams both earned $115,000 a year, plus benefits. The new superintendent is ex- pecteci to be paid a similarDcinocral WtOazdlr * SUNDAY, JUNE 22, 1997 Batesville man
Changing lives is teachers task James Cootiiiued Irotn Pago lA throw in eight or 10 and lell.s BY CYNTHIA IKJWl'LL ARKANSAS DLMIX RA I -(iAZ). 111-
BATESVJLIJC T. Kennelh Janies, Balesville School District superintendent and one of two ti-nali. sLs for the .superintendents job in Little Kock, sports a gold starfish lapel pin. Its a reminder for him and bis stall that they can change the lives of children. He tells this story: A boy walks along the beach, sailing .starfish back into the ocean. This other guy sees him him, You cant j .starfish. Tin* Ixiy ave all the .says, 'No. I know that. But for every one 1 throw bm.-k, Ivi' made a difler-enc(!. I he analogy for educalion, of .course, is that for every child that we touch, we make a difference. 'J'hree years ago, every Bales- .yille faculty member got a .starfish pin and a copy of the sl.o-iiieiiiher ,ry a.s part of a training program. ,Tjie pins were to serve as catalysts for the redesign of the 2,168 student district in the Ozark Mountain foothills. But.James, not Ihe jewelry, i.s Atknusnr. bciiKx
tal-G.azellC'CKniS JOHNSON See JAM^, Pago 16A j the catalyst for educalion innovation in the <listricl he ha.s su Ken James ' - ______ -.E- ' pervi.sed sinct* 1993. Now he and members of Ihe rJItle Bock School Board are try ing to decide whether lii.s skills can be applied a.s well in a capital city district more than 10 lipies the size of Balesville. Mary Faulkenherry, a junior high English teacher and presi- .clent of tlie Batesville Education . Association, calls .James a co.s moimlile a citizen of the world. He would be comfortable in an igloo or in the While House, she said. Some people teasingly refer to him a.s Malibu Ken because of his California background. But the most common assessmcnl is that he is financially cautious and work.s too hard. 1 know he starts work early. Central Elementary Principal Joyce Richey said one day last : week. He called me at 7:30 this Kenneth James, picluiod wilh his wile ol 10 yonis. Sandia, believes that lor eveiy lilo cducalois touch, "we make a dillcieuce." Evidence of James influence on Ihr? llalesvillo School Disliict since taking over as supenntendent in 1993 includes H
ilesvillr? 11th-giaik'is last year scoiing among the top schools on the sInUf now hiqh school oxaiii. gai hli and ptx'school cenler, and the new Eagle Mountain Elemenlary finally opened. District nuances improved al though the enrollment of just over 2,11)0 ha.s not really recovered from stmhml migrations it promoted. In 1991), the district had 2,475 students. In 1995, it was 2,28<{, aeeording lo figures from Ihe Arkansa.s Department of Ed-yXbsent were the television lights and cameras and (he disputes common al Little Bock board meetings. Tlie districts award winning boys' soccer club and girls' sollball team, which won a slate championship, were honored, dames helped establish the girls sport and attended some of the games in Pine Blulf. 'Ihe board Ihcti zippeil ucation. Wilh a Innlget of about tluough its list of business items. $10.7 million, Ilie di.strict will end this year wilh about $900,1)00 in the bank. All teachers got in eremcntal raises for experience in recent years. The dist
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