You’ll probably find nothing:
What we’re looking for in a new Duluth School Superintendent.
INDIVIDUAL CONSTITUENT GROUPS – Duluth
BOARD OF EDUCATION
These responses are not in order of importance, rather recorded as given. I have tallied the number of several highly repeated comments.
The Board of Education identified the following goals for the District in the next three years.
Improve the image of the school district and the
Board in the community.
Continue building positive labor-management relationships.
Uniformity of curriculum and facilities across the District.
Build trust and improve relationships among the Board, administration, and staff.
Keep more of our district’s resident students.
Need to become a school system, not a system of schools.
Maintain the financial stability of the district keeping our 10% fund balance.
Pass an operating levy.
Need to implement a k-12 academic curriculum.
Maintain good communication with the Chamber.
Continue to work with struggling teachers.
Work with the schools to build stronger relationships between them.
Increase the marketability of the district to keep students, community members and staff.
Improve the relationship between the Board and the district administration.
The Board of Education identified the following challenges/barriers for achieving the goals.
Divisiveness of the Board.
Financial needs and need to maintain a healthy fund balance.
Will the $5 million saved from closing schools be available for curriculum?
Need to attract back the students who have left the district.
Test scores are not as high as needed for the students.
Deficits from funding of facilities.
The Board is relatively new and inexperienced in Board governance.
Graduation rate of students has to improve, especially for minority students.
District credibility needs to be enhanced to the community.
Board needs to develop professional posture to be role models in the district and for students.
Instability in the District and the need for common philosophy and approaches.
Class sizes.
The Board of Education identified the following strengths/attributes for achieving the goals.
The 11 integration specialists and the data coaches hired this year.
Economy is stronger.
Strong community traditions.
Small town feel in an urban/suburban setting.
Strong community support and loyalty to the schools. Strong local traditions.
Great core of professional staff.
Post-secondary system in the community.
Medical Center services available in the community.
Natural resources in the community.
Diversity in the community.
The district welcomes all students regardless of ethnicity, economic status, or cultural background.
The new schools can be a community asset and draw students back to the district.
District residents place a high value on education (4).
The consolidation of Denfeld and East High Schools.
Unions matter here. We have good relationships with the unions. (6)
The Board of Education identified the following characteristics/skills needed by the next superintendent in order to be successful.
Able to finalize the implementation of the “red plan” to improve facilities.
Someone who communicates well and will be visible.
Great communicator who listens, follows through, and makes people feel important.
Consensus builder.
Ability to establish trust.
High degree of integrity and honesty.
Fosters team work and understands it contributes to success.
Willing to be proactive on tough challenges.
Financially capable and a leader in this area. Doesn’t necessarily have to have MN. financial experience.
Ability to reach out to the community and staff to build partnerships.
Work with and respect the Board. Seeks Board input.
Connected to the community by participating in organizations, accessible to the people.
Someone who works well with a diverse community..
Experience as a superintendent, assistant superintendent, or other position that works with district issues.
Strong leader able to connect with the community.
Knowledge and expertise in curriculum and instruction.
Tough, fair and compassionate.
Has the ability to network with the community members, businesses, higher education and the legislature.
Live in the community.
Believes in shared decision-making and receives input before making decisions. yet able to delegate.
Someone who understands “sustainabilityâ€.
Leader of the team.
Able to build on where we are now.
Sense of humor.
Has a thick skin and makes the tough decisions.
Works and plays with others.
Ability to unify the Board and work together.
Culturally competent.
Questions the Board of Education would like to ask as they select the superintendent.
What is your experience in budget management?
How do you address special education issues and educational equity?
How do you define diversity and why is it important to the district?
Have you worked directly with bond issues or facilities issues and closing schools?
What experiences do you have to prepare you for this position?
What is your vision for leadership?
Describe your decision-making process.
What is student success and how do you measure it??
How do you create a vision for the community around its schools?
How would you market our schools to the community and elsewhere?
What are your plans to build stakeholder confidence and trust in the decision-making process?
What do you like to do outside of work?
How have you dealt with diversity in your professional life?
What would your last employer say about your strengths and weaknesses?
How will you keep students, teachers, administrators, and the public informed and engaged?
What is your commitment to site-based accountability and team based management?
Why should we hire you?
How do you plan to address the unique requirements of special needs/special education students?
What do you know about our schools and community?
What programs would you support to assure students are proficient in 21st Century skills and are equipped to compete in the global economy?
ADMINISTRATORS
The Administrators identified the following goals for the school district in the next three years.
Improve student achievement of all students, closing the gap. Efforts in last two years need to be retained.
Address the issue of increasing diversity of students and families.
Heal the rift between community and the school district, and support the transitions needed in the schools.
Increase the number of resident students in the district.
Address the many different needs of our students.
Continue technology support and support staff in technology needs.
Advertise all that our district has to offer to students, and families.
Improve parent connection to the schools, and community support.
Complete the long range facility plan.
Eliminate the budget problems without reducing the HOCHS staff.
Improve the district PR image to a positive one in the community.
Increase the quality of teaching-change methodologies, examine curriculum, expand science and engineering focus, offer choice of foreign language at elementary level.
Develop the new learning communities as staff and students transition to better facilities.
Collectively work as a unit at all levels.
The Administrators identified the following challenges/barriers for achieving these goals.
The ongoing competition between schools and staff. (no system-wide synergy).
A lot goes on in isolation. Not a systemic, focused approach to change in curriculum etc.
We have become complacent about our student’s achievement.
Focus on hiring and retention of staff in a changing school district.
Time and resources to train and in-service staff at all levels in the district.
Need staff development around issue of addressing a diverse student body.
Financial issues and ability to generate funds for our school district, need alignment at all levels prek-12.
Union.
Lack of strong vocational and technical programs and have lost good programs, i.e. ROTC, math, art.
Lack of support services for students and families and need more of an 18 hour school community.
Contractual issues, such as 7:45-3:45 hours stated; no elementary teachers can be assigned duties such as hall duty.
While somewhat sensitive, the people who have lived here for generations want what has always been and it sometimes excludes others and impedes some of the changes needed.
The fact that the long range facility plan was carried out, creating distrust and a competitive sense among the community rather than a sense of working together.
The Administrators identified the following strengths/attributes for achieving these goals.
Working together with data drive decision making.
Small town feeling in an urban area.
Strong management of district finances and financially stable.
Strong staff.
Strong community support of schools. UMD, business, Chamber, non-profits and families with children in school.
Work with students one on one.
Community Education programs.
Staff development opportunities.
Strong technology department. Maybe they could automate even more.
Admin. Staff cares about students and schools.
We have a long history to learn from our mistakes.
New facilities with the opportunity to change the way we do things.
Pride in education.
Great sense of connectedness in Duluth.
The Administrators identified the following characteristics/skills the next superintendent needs to be successful.
Ability to work with the long time community members, while connecting with new families.
Ability to help people find their voice in the community.
Financial management ability, at a corporate level, and able to seek grants.
A systems approach to issues, curriculum, technology, student needs and raising student achievement and the graduation rate.
Build a sense of community, and lead healing.
Know the challenges of the community, and be a leader in the community.
Work with new administrative team and many new staff.
Integrity and honesty, and reflect genuineness.
Able to bring orderly transition and trust.
Able to attract quality staff and keep them.
People skills and able to build relationships, good listener.
regular communicator with the public/media.
Broad perspective and insightful.
Ability to take a step back and see the Big Picture.
Achievements for communities and students, not personal achievements.
Evidence of leadership.
Experience in a top Superintendent position.
The Administrators identified the following questions/areas that they would like the Board to ask the candidates as they select the superintendent.
How do you see the District as a whole within the city of Duluth?
Do you have experience in a district consolidating programs and facing budget problems?
How would you develop a better understanding between the school board and city council/mayor.
How will you make connections and orchestrate the decision making process which includes staff?
What would your top three goals be as a Superintendent in Duluth?
Within your past, what has brought you to this point, where you want to lead ISD 709.
What are the needs you see within the public school system today?
Data Driven Decision Making- what does it mean to you? What does it look like to you?
Where would you start as Superintendent what are the first things you would do?
How do you build trust with the community?
How do you create change and keep things calm during transitions?
How have you worked with groups that did not agree with one another?
Were you able to lead a troubled district into a district that was known for its ability to work for the greater good, putting aside differences?
CABINET
The Cabinet identified the following goals for the school district in the next three years.
Closing the achievement gap and improve all student achievement.
Implement RtI.
Address the issue of families who have left the district.
Pass the levy for additional amount.
Maintain and improve curriculum offerings throughout budget cuts. Must have solid offerings.
The Cabinet identified the following challenges/barriers for achieving these goals.
Getting the public to support a referendum.
Hiring people of color as teachers
Must deal with the ethnic, socio-economic, and cultural diversity within the schools and community.
Improving the level of community trust.
Developing an expectation of success for all students so that more students of color graduate.
Looking at budgets more systematically, instead of individual areas.
The Cabinet identified the following strengths/attributes for achieving these goals.
Strong community support of the schools.
Lot of transparency in the district..
Lot of pride in the community for their schools and community.
Good people in this cabinet.
Fiscally responsible district.
The Cabinet identified the following characteristics/skills the next superintendent needs to be successful.
Strong collaboration skills.
Politically astute and able to work with the city, Board, and political entities.
Educational leader.
Able to build strong relationships.
Strong consensus, collegial skills.
Knowledge of curriculum and instruction, and the research for an effective curriculum.
Able to define what a world-class education entails.
Don’t shy away from the press and public. Be engaged in the community, with the public.
Honest, sincere, and straight forward.
Not a micro-manager.
Believes in the continuous improvement model.
Able to stay the course-focused.
Smart in how to work with the community and able to calm.
Able to deal with negativity and rumors.
The Cabinet identified the following questions/areas that they would like the Board to ask the candidates as they select the superintendent.
What does high quality, world-class education look like to you?
What would you do to close the achievement gap, and improve the graduation rate?
What is your vision for Duluth?
What is your experience in working with communities of color?
What is your definition of excellence in the teaching learning process?
Describe your approach to working with and developing young educators?
What is your experience in generating support for the schools? What strategies would you use?
What experience do you have with online learning?
What is your transition plan if you are selected to be our superintendent?
CERTIFIED STAFF
The certified staff identified the following goals for the school district in the next three years.
Raise the test scores of students at all levels. Provide staff development assessment tools, and models for raising achievement. (10)
Support the Board to become more functional.
Small class sizes. (14)
Bring students back and fill the buildings. (13)
Continue the Red Plan construction and finish on time. Create a smooth transition to new facilities. (9)
Develop the curriculum and provide a 21st century education, that is broad based.
Safe and welcoming environment for children and families. (4) Create a tiered data system for social emotional and behavior. (RtI)
Improve the graduation rate.
Create a stable, efficient budget and increase funding.
Continue the labor management initiatives/relationships. (3)
Create access to technology in all areas of education/teaching, and provide training for teachers to integrate it into instruction.
Sustainable schools action plan implemented.
Need a comprehensive on-line program.
Adequate specialist time (1hr.).
No split classes.
Quality service-learning, district wide. (3)
Block scheduling.
Support early childhood education.
Restructure special education FTEs to support student success in curricular areas.
Improve communication processes between teachers, students, parents/guardians, administrators, and special services providers.
Improve caliber of principals.
Increase family/community involvement in our schools-increase DPS as the district of choice.
Make schools more a part of a district not unto themselves. Do what is best for the district as a whole not what is best for each school alone. Become an E-12 system.
Strong leadership that is not only knowledgeable but respectful of people.
Evaluation system for all teachers/support staff/administrators.
Increase intercultural competency in all staff.
Complete the successful transition of staff and students into the new consolidated schools.
Promote a positive image of the District.
Retain quality teachers.
Reform the teachers’ contract to reward those who make gains with students and eliminate seniority as the determinant for retention.
The certified staff identified the following challenges/barriers for achieving these goals.
Funding for strong educational programs. A lot has been spent on facilities and technology. We need to reduce class size. State underfunds and the community is not willing to add dollars. (19)
Students going to other districts partly because they come into “Duluth to bus them out.
Lack of community trust in the district personnel.
Some ineffective teachers, who do not change lessons or inspire and some ineffective admin. (4)
Lack of trained specialists in reading.
Staff turnover is happening because good programs are not supported.
Lack of computers and need to limit the student/computer ratio.
Community is divided about the LRFP. Should be about kids not about the loudest to speak.
Special education is overloaded and lacks support.
State and Federal expectations of all kids on a 4 yr. college track, can get credits in more creative ways towards graduation. A focus on “relevance”could improve attendance and graduation rate.
Board members, lack of compromise, strong feelings rather than facts, need to support district and lead. Need to be more unified. (10)
Challenging socio/economic situations exist today and make it hard for schools to educate.
District seems unable to get important facts to the community, yet is needed for the levy to pass. (lengthy response here that I will provide later, as it has ideas for remedy).
Community thinks of us as K-12 rather than E-12 district.
Prejudice as related to art, physical and health education and technical hands on curricula in non-tested areas.
Negotiating politics contributing to the complexity of organizational change and growth.
Persisting negative attitude about the schools and belief there is bullying and chaos.
The certified staff identified the following strengths/attributes for achieving these goals.
Excellent, dedicated, hard working, caring teachers and staff. (23)
Many excellent programs in reading and math along with common/shared programs.
Willingness by everyone to work as a community and the leadership training so people can work in teams.
The integration and data specialists. (5)
Great students and families, with good parent involvement.
Increased focus on intercultural proficiency.
Staff development time and training in technology use. (6)
New modern technology in the facilities to teach for the 21st century.(11)
New modern, energy efficient, safe buildings. (14)
All day every day, kindergarten.
New teacher evaluation model.
Union/Administration/Board relationships and a settled contract.
Quality leadership from Board, yet experienced members could lead more.
District-wide support for smaller class sizes.
Three tier plan to address kids at risk.
Efficient and Effective systems: Develop and effectively communicate a 3-5 year plan to implement goals a and b.
Knowledgeable people who can see the big picture for service learning and the achievement it can bring to DPS.
Strong administrative staff.
The certified staff identified the following characteristics/skills the next superintendent needs to be successful.
Be an excellent listener and communicator, with the community, teachers and all staff in our district. Straight forward approach to questions.
Treat teachers with respect and as professionals.
Be well-organized and yet still caring about people and decisions that are made.
Visible, energetic, and positive person.
Willing to be out in the buildings and invested in kids.
A leader in every way.
Approachable and kind.
A community builder.
A thoughtful person, have a vision for education.
A team player.
Honest, transparent
Respectful of others (staff, community, other administrators).
Experience with and ability to work with diverse populations.
Dynamic in their administrative skills.
Able to resolve conflict and build consensus, and stand strong with decisions despite opposition.
Familiar with Duluth
Willing to incorporate staff, community and parent input into the planning process, and WILLINGNESS to consider the input.
Ability to think outside of the box.
While not being adversarial, the ability to balance needs of the district with labor-management expectations.
Experience with new types of teaching methods and scheduling.
Belief in whole child education and service learning
Patience and ability to find the common ground.
Understanding of intercultural proficiency.
Know funding and management of money as funding continues to decrease.
Understanding of research: class size, effective academic interventions and best practices.
Choose leaders to be the TOSA’s.
The certified staff identified the following questions/areas that they would like the Board to ask the candidates as they select the superintendent.
How would you communicate with and support teachers in our district?
How will you address declining enrollment and students leaving for other options both public and private?
Have you had experience with diverse populations? What did you do to improve learning and the graduation rate? Talk about your cultural competency.
What do you think are the most important things you need to consider when working with children and their education?
How good are you at giving positive feedback to the teachers and principals in your district when it is deserved?
What special gifts and talents would you bring to our district?
What compassion do you have to offer students, parents, and employees?
What are your views on classroom management?
Do you see small classes as a priority?
Are you comfortable sharing leadership?
How do you handle criticism?
Can you think outside the box and be a creative problem solver?
Are you comfortable with team problem solving, and incorporating input from teachers, staff and community?
How can the district improve learning within current funding?
What is your approach to helping struggling teachers? What is your experience with evaluation tools? How does staff development help?
How will you approach the recovery of the rift because of the Red Plan? How will you build community trust?
What personal goals do you have that would cause you to seek this position?
Describe innovations in education that will help students to graduate with the tools they need to move on to college, technical education, or other programs of interest. Describe implementation.
What is your understanding of service learning?
Give an example of a difficult situation you encountered in your experience and how you handled it.
How will you lead the community to put kids first?
How will you work to make our district an E-12 District, in action and not just words?
Where do the arts fit into education?
When under severe stress what would you do to maintain a calm demeanor and respect toward antagonistic people?
NON-CERTIFIED STAFF
The non-certified staff identified the following goals for the school district in the next three years.
Keep the resources in the schools to benefit student’s achievement with additional support staff.
Keep Red Plan moving forward, keep the vision going. (7)
Budget issues, how to organize for effective outcomes. (5)
Raise achievement for all students.
How to cut costs in view of funding without depleting our education programs.
Need to improve the education we are providing. It is the next issue. Have addressed facilities and technology.
Working with the Board. They need to change way of doing their work.
Supporting afterschool and community programs that work with children.
Open communication between district and community agencies, and create more cooperative programs.
Service Learning.
Developing an intentional vision/plan for closing the achievement gap that is systemic.
Increase the intercultural proficiency of Administration, faculty and staff.
Creating a district school climate respectful of the diversity which exists in our community and schools.
Better teachers and teaching.
Need evaluations done on a regular basis.
Increase number of students attending and bring back kids who have left.
Access federal funds being held.
Automate more processes for efficiency and to eliminate duplication.
PLANNED budget cuts. Address in a truly comprehensive way.
Unity.
Equity.
For all staff to feel we are a team and working towards the same goals.
Lower class sizes and create cohesive, comprehensive school programs district-wide.
ECFE continued even with budget cuts.
Environmentally, economically, and socially sustainable practices in all areas of operation.
The non-certified staff identified the following challenges/barriers for achieving these goals.
Finances
Losing kids to charters and private options
Incorrect rumors float about the district.
Focus needs to get back to the services we offer.
High class sizes.
Board infighting, need to move beyond that. It is a barrier to achieving district goals.
Lack of parent involvement in middle school and high school.
Poor morale due to lack of team bldg. & some principals.
Have 10 bargaining units, could reduce the number by consolidating some groups.
With all of the cutting of jobs new teachers are not able to come in and be a part of the learning and teaching community. (Look at the quality of some of the current staff.)
Need to make closing the achievement gap the responsibility of every educational department not just the Office of Education Equity. All are responsible for the safety and success of the kids.
We are an educational system based on a Northern European value system which inadvertently disadvantages other cultures. Have to learn more about other cultures etc. if we are to make our system accessible and equitable for all.
Negativity from the city admin. and press.
Budget cuts and politicians broken promises.
Not strong leadership.
Political agendas
Need to add new people to committees to move towards change. Demographics show we need to be more inclusive.
The negativity surrounding much of what happens in our district is discouraging,
The non-certified staff identified the following strengths/attributes for achieving these goals.
Dedicated staff and committed community groups. Good work ethic. (8)
Prepared and positive administration.
Parents who care and great students.
Service learning director and teacher trainer and student involvement in service.
We have money for staff training.
We have a strong bus service.
We will have new excellent buildings.
All of the colleges in the area.
Number of afterschool programs in Duluth.
Focus on academic achievement.
Need to prioritize intercultural proficiency and use those already trained to teach others.
There are many programs in the community, need to use them.
New high tech and high performing safe school buildings.
Well qualified staff in all areas who strive to achieve.
Our schools can offer more.
Leadership that has kept the ball rolling.
Central corridor student willingness.
SOME teachers.
Communication with all employees.
Listening to needs and wants of parents.
The non-certified staff identified the following characteristics/skills the next superintendent needs to be successful.
Honesty and integrity in relationships
Visionary leader who has students as the focus.
Collaborator with staff and willing to work together.
Decisive, yet not authoritarian.
Organizational planning skills and focused.
Able to put schools in perspective with the community.
Know the big picture of education and what needs to be done.
Strong financially. Wise.
Able to deal with community negativity.
Able to change Board behavior-build a team.
Support and encourage quality community programs to work with the students.
Accessible.
Open-minded.
Willing to compromise., and yet make hard decisions.
Approachable.
Diversified education and experience.( come from a field other than education)
An expert in labor management, amongst al of the other attributes.
Love of children and interest in the success of Duluth.
Tough character to stand strong in the face of naysayers.
Accountability—knows how to hold administration accountable.
Go out into the buildings, and remember what it is to be an educator.
Strong leadership skills and walk the talk.
Patience
Knowledge of school functions, positions, and needs.
The non-certified staff identified the following questions/areas that they would like the Board to ask the candidates as they select the superintendent.
What positive outlooks can you bring to the district?
What is your vision for students of color?
How do you intend to increase the number of people of color working for the district?
What is your background, knowledge, and commitment to sustainable practices?
Describe your management style.
What do you bring to this district that will make us want you as our next Superintendent?
PARENTS
The parents identified the following goals for the school district in the next three years.
Improve academic achievement and ranking.
Make academics a priority in the schools and provide high quality curriculum and instruction. (18)
Involve more students in after school activities.
Try to stop the cutbacks in our schools.
No raising taxes.
Bring back magnet schools, music and languages at all grade levels.
More computer education.
Finish the long range facilities plan and have quality in each building. (16)
Eliminate teachers who should not be teaching.
Quality education with small class sizes. (16)
Extracurricular for all students. Intentionally work to have schools be a place for all students.
Pass levy referendum.
Increase on-time graduation rates especially for low SES and students of color. (6)
Ensure ISD 709 offers quality education of choice and opportunity for all students.
Get control of the budget and have an independent audit.
Change in the school board.
Prevent kids from leaving 709 and get those who left, back. (6)
Safety, tolerance, and no bullying realized (not just policy),
Provide more help for students who need it, so they don’t fall behind.
Empower a district/community “Think tankâ€.
Bring community together.
Close achievement gap, (4)
Retain students in the district. (5)
The parents identified the following challenges/barriers for achieving these goals.
Money, consistent funding in tough economic times.
Need to move forward together and beyond the baggage of the LRFP. (3)
Need to maintain focus on kids, and their needs for a high quality education.
Public naysayers.
Discipline in the schools needs to be improved and students held accountable for their behavior.
A very “non-trusting”community.
Concerns about the ability to maintain and pay for the new buildings.
Duluth’s economic divide.
Administration has put selves above what is best for the students.
Negative, condescending Board members.
Continued hype that one school is better than another, at numerous levels.
Tenured staff who are not held accountable for actions.
We’re all in this together and we need to behave that way, i.e.: East vs. West sides of town, and us versus them in town, Need to provide the quality education students need for the future or America will continue to slip further behind. (4)
Lack of teacher and administrative support for achieving success for all children. Can’t blame parents.
Budgets.
Lack of creativity in the educational process—too many tests. Not enough teaching and learning.
Need to revamp current PR campaign and do more positive items in the media.
The District newsletter sent to parents needs to be sent to every household in the city, to alleviate the misinformation.
Systemic racism.
Lack of willingness to let go of political history among the community.
Pressure from east end parents to have disproportionate amount of district resources in the East end.
small but vocal group objecting to change long overdue and repetitive lawsuits to stymie efforts.
Funding difficulties in the future and need to reduce debt. (5)
Large class sizes.
The parents identified the following strengths/attributes for achieving these goals.
Great teachers and support staff. They are committed, caring, well educated.(20)
Multiple fundraisers.
Good administrators who tell it like it is. (4)
Board and admin. Working together.
Quality buildings. (9)
Office of Education Equity/Integration specialists.
Great students.
Finally have a plan
Public engagement.
District is creating partnerships with foundations, business community, City, parents, non-profit youth agencies, etc.
Have identified a new approach and commitment to increasing the grad. Rates and addressing the disparities in achievement. Have the integration specialists, and math and English coaches.
A community committed to the future generation.
Overall size of the district.
Long range vision established for predictability, and equality of programs.
Uniformity of vision from administration to staff, and to the public, not necessarily uniform support from all people but there is clarity for all.
Intelligent community.
Supportive parents.
The parents identified the following characteristics/skills that the next superintendent needs to be successful.
Positive attitude towards physical education.
A desire to find more funding for after school programs, computers and phys, ed.
A seasoned administrator with a vision for education.
The ability to see the current plan through to the end.
Able to work with difficult people.
Financial guru.
People oriented.
One who knows the local issues.
Team builder for the Board, staff, parents,, and community.
A positive, respected face for the Duluth community at large.
Strong leadership to take a direction in these tough financial and fractional times.
Persevering, enthusiastic and optimistic.
Courage to lead, challenge old assumptions and offer solutions.
Good listener and communicator, and let community speak at meetings.
Strong partner, collaborator and bridge builder.
Honesty and forthright.
A mediator.
Mean what you say and keep promises.
Accessible to staff, parents, students, and entire community.
Neutral, new to the community.
Willing to take action even in the face of opposition.
Charismatic leadership.
Needs to listen to parents who know their children and what they need.
Listen to the community and what they know about our children and their needs.
Know how to address the achievement gap.
Creativity and flexibility.
Strong, independent leader with no strings attached to special interest groups.
Willingness to live in a cold climate ( a reality)
Understands a diverse socio-economic community.
Willingness to stop the Red Plan, if necessary.
The parents identified the following questions/areas that they would like the Board to ask the candidates as they select the superintendent.
What are you going to do to change the current state of the district to make it better?
How would you increase after school programs? Families can’t afford to pay for these either.
How do you deal with opposition if it is consistent?
What is your knowledge on research in education and learning?
What would you do to reduce class size?
What is a wide range of extra curricular activities to interest all students and not just the Are you set on keeping the HOCHS and if so how do you justify the expenditure?
How can you bring our community together as ONE district, instead of two high schools?
What will you do to attract high quality teachers to Duluth?
How will you improve the achievement gap? Create success for all students, and help them to meet their potential?
How will you ensure that all students are safe and respected?
What would you do to reverse the negative publicity that our school district has received for the past 5 or so years?
How would you increase math and science options?
How do you define equality? Is it the same as fairness?
How would you ensure that students have the best teachers in the district, and not just those with the most seniority?
What is your belief about career and technical education?
How are you going to go about moving Duluth to providing a 21st century education for the students?
What reforms would you go to bat for?
What is a wide range of extra curricular activities to interest all students and not just the top level of students?
STUDENTS
The students identified the following goals for the district in the next three years.
Pay more attention to student’s opinions
Serve more pizza.
Allow us to have pop in the machines.
Have student’s give more input.
Better food and less fiber foods.
Have longer passing times.
More afterschool activities.
Healthier lunches.
Make school a safer place.
Provide better teaching materials.
Allow no bullying.
Reduce class sizes to manageable sizes.
Keep AP, CITS, and classes that will help prepare students for the future and explore possible career choices.
Reduce the debt and improve the standard of teaching.
Have longer passing times.
Be allowed to bring skateboards to school.
The students identified the following barriers and challenges for achieving these goals.
People not wanting to pay higher taxes to pay for education
Declining enrollment.
Cutbacks for afterschool activities.
Raising taxes.
Get more money with less taxes.
Might not have enough money.
They might not know how long to have passing times.
Some students behavior is a problem.
Some teachers.
Bringing all of the schools together.
Having the students try hard.
The students identified the following strengths/attributes for achieving these goals.
Grades students are getting.
Staff
Good leadership.
Having more meetings with parents on how we are doing on reaching these goals.
Let the people know what’s going on more often.
The students identified the following characteristics/skills the next Superintendent needs to possess to be successful.
Being able to make decisions that at the time may be unpopular but in the long run will help the district.
Ability to get the community behind ideas and proposals.
Ability to convey ideas to students, teachers, and community.
The students would like the Board to ask the candidates as they select the Superintendent.
How are you going to solve the debt problem?
Does he/she have a good record as being a superintendent?
Will you be able to improve our test scores?
Will you be able to prepare students for the future ahead?
Are they nice?
Why do you think you deserve this job?
What are some of their goals they want to achieve?
Are they a good speaker?
Will they hear student’s opinions before making a big change?
Are you rich?
COMMUNITY
The community identified the following goals for the school district to achieve in the next three years.
Close the achievement gap and raise the standard of performance for all students.(9)
Make academic changes which will provide a breadth of options for students at all levels.
Keep fine arts and improve the quality.
Make ECFE and school readiness a focus to improve all student performance.
Complete the facilities plan (7)
Improve the graduation rate. (6)
Maintain lower class sizes. (5)
Make the schools a safe place for all students and stop the bullying. (4)
Reduce the influence of the teacher’s union.
Retain and get students back who have left the district. (8)
Create equitable high schools and improve the options at all schools.
Improve citizen trust after not being able to vote for the facility changes.
Ensure effective-inclusive parent education to support their child’s education.
Tap into university expertise.
What academic programs and industrial programs do we need and want? What are the best practices and can we tie into university expertise?
Disciplined systemic engagement of the community.
Keep teachers and have strong site leaders.
Need to improve the quality of educational options, add more language at lower grade levels, and improve reading fundamentals, and science.
Continue to build upon the community connections and effective partnerships with all of the entities; city, business, youth groups, foundations.
Understand the overall concept of a school system while also knowing the unique challenges and resources of each school-neighborhood.
Keeping focused on the students and learning through authentic leadership.
Reestablish political unity.
Reunite the geographic divisions.
Get rid of restorative justice.
Need more great teachers/not facilities. The one-room schools were great.
Diversity
Heighten rewards for the best teachers and replace ineffective teachers and unsustainable benefit packages.
Address financial issues, clearer budgets, find additional funding through grants etc. and be frugal.
Coordinate with neighborhood/community centers and youth groups.
Cut administration and use existing facilities.
Get the public back on the side of students and a great education.
Have school board members who care about children and are not on the board to move forward personal agendas.
Schools support AmeriCorps Program.
Better integration of service learning and community partnerships.
Teach students about environmental health and that we can solve these problems for the future and a healthier life and earth.
Successfully merge Denfeld/Central student bodies.
Ensure mental health services are available to students.
Teach tolerance and how to get along.
The Community listed the following district strengths/attributes for achieving these goals.
Central High School staff did a wonderful job of preventing bullying and promoting multi-cultural understanding. Use their expertise across the district.
Dedicated, and good staff across the district. (19)
Good reputation for quality education.
With the investment in buildings, with a modern feel students should return. (17)
Support for students via the integration specialists and data coaches. (6)
Business, and community connections with citizens actively involved.
Extended interactions with the unions.
Strong assistant principals.
All day every day kindergarten.
Vision of Excellence.
A Superintendent who made the tough decisions to put the district in an exceptional place for the next half century.
Could become a premier school district if we improve curriculum with strategic targeting and raising all student performance.
Community is invested in the schools. This is an urban culture, which values education.
Need even a greater focus on math, science, and engineering.
Community organizations and youth agencies who are eager to partner with schools. AmeriCorps programs that can provide added support to schools and students falling behind.
Good morale now.
ECFE
The community listed the following challenges/barriers for achieving these goals.
Racism and an insensitivity that it exists.
Need an evaluation process for all staff, including principals and other administrators.
The Red Plan needed more work at the front end to build consensus, and now have to rebuild relationship with the community.
4-3 Board and relationships. The tension and divisiveness.
Attracting people back to our schools.
Getting staff to work together.
East/West divide within the community and belief that one side weighs in more than the other and gets disproportionate resources..
Reach out to the Old Guard. Change is hard but some have begun to see the need for change.
Teacher/student ratio.
Need for a marketing/PR plan to share the positive aspects of the district and what is happening for students.
Need to raise the standards of expectation for all students and teachers, including using new technology.
Need to find ways to reward effective teachers.
Funding from state and the need to use funds most efficiently in student’s best interest.
Political and geographic division in the city.
Overcoming the attitude that people can just pay the taxes even if they do not have the money.
Lack of family surrounding some students thus, they lack school readiness and motivation and support to learn.
Lack of school presence in the heart of the city.
Rebuilding trust with the community.
Ability to recruit and retain a diverse work force within the schools.
Changing leadership in the midst of great change.
Need to prepare student for many post-secondary options and not just focus on 4 year college. Provide career tech in HS and industrial arts in the middle schools.
Staff afraid to speak out about the Red Plan for fear of retribution.
Mentality that you have to pay more to this new person than to the previous in order to have a good Superintendent.
Loss of the STC building.
Press relationships.
‘Rumors from adults.
Need to get information in advance of decisions.
Having the Superintendent sit on Boards in the community including those managed by persons of color. (This is needed to build relationships with all of the community.)
The community described the following important characteristics/skills the next superintendent needs to possess to be successful.
Should have students be the first priority above all else.
Advocate for funds for instruction of high quality and which allows students to compete in all areas of learning.
Be able to bring the community together after the new facilities are in place and focus on the learning.
Solid, transparent, honest, and show a sense of stability.
Facilitator.
Be a member of the community, visible and actively involved.
Be an excellent communicator and listen well. Allow community to be heard.
Team player with the ability to build a team, within schools, with administrators at all levels, with the Board and in the community.
Be solutions oriented with a can do attitude.
Support ECFE, and know the benefits it provides for learning.
Visionary
Accessible.
Great personnel and negotiating skills.
Command of financial issues.
Experience with intercultural competency and can support and validate students via their education.
Experienced leader who can discern the strengths and weaknesses, then fix, replace etc. to build a quality district.
Know research on learning and how to use data and appropriate processes to improve student performance.
Strength, perseverance, and resilience. Work for the overall good even when times get tough.
Rigorous honesty regarding the issues facing the district.
Understand that the schools are a part of the community.
Compassion and understanding of the students’ strengths and weaknesses.
No connections to JCI.
Understanding the unique challenges of this district.
Courage to address the issues of culture and poverty.
Good cheerleader
Coalition builder.
‘Able to establish standards of expectation for all.
Lead the district and bring the East and West together for all students.
Willing to support strong discipline in the schools and not back down.
Hold everyone accountable for their position, admin., assistants, social workers, psychologists etc.
Motivational skills.
Honor and respect Denfeld community traditions.
The community identified the following questions they would like the Board to ask the candidates as they select the superintendent.
What will be your highest priority?
What experiences do you have working with the community?
What are your experiences with school transitions?
When cutting budgets, what are your priorities, and how do you handle the process?
How will you help students of color succeed?
How do you see Early Childhood education?
How will you address the issue of students leaving our district?
How will you go about creating a 21st century learning environment for this district?
What should the relationship be to the unions? How have you been able to move them forward?
How will you become an active member of this community?
Give examples of partnerships you have created or participated in within the community on behalf of the schools.
How do you proceed to build systemic change for learning improvement?
How will you address the East/West divide and the perceptions regarding the division?
How will you support schools to be for every child, bringing them in and promoting success and good feelings about the schools?
What are your strengths? What do you bring to the District?
How do you use Principals to achieve results in teaching and learning?
What can schools do to cope with students who are unprepared, socially to be students?
How do you provide a better education with less funding?
What improvements are needed to heal the divisions caused by the Red Plan?
How will you go about hiring good, caring and wiling to help staff?
How will you develop and expand relationships with community members and organizations?
Where do you see the future of education for all students with the current economic issues?
Why do you want this job in Duluth?
Does the community have a role in increasing the graduation rate and closing the achievement gap? How would you partner with them?
Where does the buck stop?
What do you know about Duluth?
What is your knowledge and experience with Service learning and with the arts?
What is your perspective on preparing students or work as well as college?
