The OPSBrief

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This report is created by Ken Ducote and Rose Drill-Peterson on behalf of the Eastbank Collaborative of Charter Schools 

 

The Orleans Parish School Board held a Committee of the Whole Meeting prior to its Board Business Meeting on Tuesday, November 19, 2013, in the Auditorium of the McDonogh 35 High School. 
 
The stated purpose for the meeting was to receive a presentation from its Superintendent Search consultants (Hazard, Young, Attea and Associates or HYA),  Summary of the Leadership Profile Report and Calendar for the Superintendent Search.

 

The presentation consisted of the following elements:
Leadership Profile Assessment (Summary) 
  • Participation
    • Online survey was completed by 280 persons
    • Stakeholder engagement meetings were attended by 236 persons
    • Results represent perceptions and not scientifically researched facts
  • Strengths of District
    • Broad-based support for the schools by a number of advocacy groups
      • Charters have engaged more people in managing schools
      • But more people need to be engaged
    • Charters, and the element of choice associated with them
      • Considered a success in both RSD and OPSB
    • Financial accounting significantly improved
      • One of the better successes
    • Improved achievement status since Katrina
      • But still need to get all students up to excellence
  • Challenges/Concerns/Issues Facing District
    • Achievement of Students
      • Good trend
      • Long way to go
    • Charters, and issues associated thereto
      • Concerns about running dual districts
      • Many embrace them ,and many feel they are not working
      • OneApp is "conceptually great" but seen as a "disaster" in practice
      • Many seek more choice to go to neighborhood schools 
    • District organization
      • Disunified currently but ideally should be unified
      • System of schools rather than school system
      • District needs to "support" schools more
    • Facilities
      • New schools are nice but older schools need to be replaced or modernized
      • Perception that RSD has the new schools and OPSB the old schools
    • Finances
      • Additional funds needed, especially for special populations
        • Special education
        • Early childhood
        • Dropouts
        • Vocational and career education
    • School Board
      • Organization is reflection of its Board
      • Board needs to set high expectations
        • Do not let individual schools set their own expectations and standards
      • Main role of Board is to support schools
      • Concerns over "behavior of the Board"
      • Current situation discourages RSD charters from returning to OPSB
      • Needs to have consistent, unified perspective
      • Tends to be preoccupied in non-achievement issues
      • Roles of Superintendent and Board need to be clarified in advance
        • Community does not believe Board knows its role
      • Board perceived as split
      • Ongoing Board development is needed
    • Strategic Plan Needed
      • Must have clearly articulated vision and direction
      • Must be geared for the achievement of all students in the district 
      • Must include provisions for managing as a system of schools rather than a school system
  • Desired Characteristics of Superintendent
    • Impossible for a Superintendent to be perfect on all criteria
    • Need to prioritize among desired criteria
      • Ability to identify, employ, develop and retain superior staff
      • Clear understanding of respective roles of the Board and the Superintendent
      • Collaborative, yet decisive
      • Communication skills, with emphasis on the listening end of communication
      • Consensus builder
      • Creative, innovative, out-of-the-box thinker
      • Culturally sensitive
      • Experience in complex organizations/setting(s) similar to New Orleans
      • Fair, honest, has integrity
      • Open, assessable, and visible in schools and community
      • Politically and media savvy
      • Strategic thinker; strategic planner
      • Strong leadership skills
      • Team builder
      • Traditional or non-traditional
      • Understands and embraces charters, portfolio management
      • Understands culture and dynamics of New Orleans
      • Understands instruction, finance and human services, as well as school law
      • Unifier
Criteria Desired in Superintendent of School 
  • Define in Four Areas
    • Beliefs and Understandings
    • Abilities and Experience
    • Management and Leadership Style
    • Communication Style
  • Must be formally defined by OPSB prior to formal advertising for position
Search Calendar 
  • Final calendar will be posted on OPSB website
  • Plan for OPSB to adopt criteria at December meeting and advertise thereafter
  • Advertising nationally and locally
    • Advertising budget set at $ 5,000
  • Public announcement of selection in early to mid-March 
Salary
  • Report forthcoming for the Board's consideration
  • Going average rate for similar districts in SE US is around $200,000 per year

 

***This email is created by Ken Ducote and Rose Drill-Peterson on behalf of the Eastbank Collaborative of Charter Schools and is not an official correspondence from the Orleans Parish School Board***
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