THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, May 11, 1995 TAG: 9505110664
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 12 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY VANEE VINES, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Long : 220 lines
WILL HE (or she) have local roots?
Will a string of letters follow his name, representing advanced degrees?
Will he take a bullhorn-and-baseball-bat approach to disorder and truancy like the one popularized by Joe Clarke, the New Jersey principal; or instead use a more subtle strategy?
Suffolk School Board members have the best insight into candidates vying to succeed Superintendent Beverly B. Cox III, who will retire next month. But, for now, they won't share what they know.
Board Chairman Arthur D. Smith said officials would remain close-mouthed about specifics of the superintendent search until the board publicly announces its selection.
But the board did spell out qualities and qualifications it's looking for in the next district chief:
Someone who's highly skilled in handling budgets, staff development and evaluation and organizing a top-notch administrative team gets bonus points, for example. So does someone able to work with parent, student and employee groups.
But what about citizens? What are they looking for?
Six city activists recently took part in a conversation focused on that question.
Alvin W. Anderson Jr., Willie F. Gary, the Rev. Patrica Goodman, Cindy Hobbs, Marcie Mitchell and Karla West had much to say, but their opinions still do not represent all parts of Suffolk's diverse community.
What are your views of the type of leader the district needs to prepare kids for the future and address what ails it? What issues or areas should be focused on?
To share your thoughts, respond to the Infoline invitation on this page. Be part of a continuing community conversation.
The School Board is the official employer. But the city's schoolchildren stand to gain, or lose, the most by this important choice. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photos by MICHAEL KESTNER
Staff graphic on cover by JOHN EARLE
Graphics
WHO WANTS THE JOB?
A broad look at the field of applicants for school
superintendent. The School Board declined to identify any
candidates.
The applicants: 33
Where they're from: Nineteen from Virginia, including eight from
Hampton Roads: Suffolk, Hampton, Chesapeake, Williamsburg, Newport
News, Virginia Beach, Norfolk.
Others: Arkansas, Connecticut, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, New
Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas and
Washington, D.C.
Gender: 29 men; four women
Education: Eight with doctorates
For your information: By state law, superintendent may serve for
an initial term of at least two years but not more than four. Salary
based on experience and qualifications. Suffolk School Board plans
to name new chief by month's end.
WHAT THE SCHOOL BOARD SEEKS
Professional qualifications
Earned doctorate preferred.
Successful experience as school administrator, preferably
superintendent. Experience as a principal and teacher strongly
preferred.
On state's Eligible List of Division Superintendents or qualified
to be licensed as a Virginia superintendent.
Ability to lead School Board, staff, parents and citizens to
examine programs, improve learning opportunities for all kids and
crafting ``a vision of excellence'' for the future.
Effective advocate of public education; will seek partnerships
with businesses, community agencies, colleges and all levels of
government.
Highly skilled in budgets, staff development and evaluation,
delegating tasks, planning, organizing top-notch administrative
team.
Able to work with parent, student and employee groups.
Able to work closely with School Board, follow board policies and
give the board accurate information to make decisions, communicate
well with board members.
Considers the job a challenge and respects the district's
reputation.
Encourages team management and shared decision making.
Personal qualities
Sensitive to community needs, characteristics and aspirations.
Outgoing, visible leader who thinks, listens, speaks and writes
well; good sense of humor and straightforward communication style.
Understanding person of ``integrity, strength and vision'' and
``strong ethical character.''
Put students' welfare first.
In good health.
Sensitive to values, interests and needs of students from
different socioeconomic, cultural, racial, religious and scholastic
backgrounds.
Can move to Suffolk within six months after being hired.
MARCIE MITCHELL
Age: 41
Activities: Volunteers with several neighborhood groups; a member
of the school district's Parent Advisory Council
Outgoing. ``Be visible. The superintendent's office needs to be
visible to all the students. Go into the schools, talk to the
classrooms. Drop in on the classrooms. Talk to the students. Make
yourself known. . . . They need to be more visible in all the
schools - not just to go in to talk to teachers and principals, but
to go in and talk to the students.''
Has three key skills. ``. . . Somebody who can delegate and
somebody who's good at P.R. (public relations) and management. Those
are all three of the basic things. They have to be good in all three
areas.''
Reaches out. ``He has to be able to deal with the public. He has
to be able to talk to City Council . . . and make the parents feel
like they're a part of it. He's got to be the one to say, `I'm not
the one doing it myself. We're all in it together. I need your help.
We all need to do this together.' ''
Aggressive. ``I think we need somebody who is more aggressive in
our budget. We need to get more funding to get programs.''
ALVIN W. ``Andy'' ANDERSON JR.
Age: 39
Activities: PTA president; church volunteer; supervisor at the
Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Portsmouth
Sets the example. ``This guy has got to put up an example. We're
saying we want him to be firm. We want him to follow the bylaws or
follow the guides for the schools. We want him to push that. We want
him to be somebody who can be approachable, talk to parents, be
involved. In order to do these things, this person's got to be in
contact with what's going on. He's got to be a leader.''
Has a vision for growth. ``We're a growing city. This person
coming in or this person taking over has got to be able to deal with
that and have some type of plan going. He has to know how the school
system's going to grow.''
Someone who fine tunes. ``We're not in a condition in Suffolk
schools where we need to mix things up. We just need to fine tune.
We need to push a little more forward and just go a little more
aggressively than what we've done so far. But we're not in a
condition where we've got to mix everything up. We're not doing that
badly.''
An effective manager. ``. . . You've got all these advisers, but
(the superintendent must) be able to take everything in. Then, we
want him to be looking at what's best for the student.''
A good salesman. ``The only way that we will ever move any
further than where we are is if we come up with ideas, explain those
ideas, sell those ideas. Then, we'll be able to get funding for
those ideas. Who's going to want to invest money if I tell you for
another $200 your car can be worth another $1,000, but I don't tell
you what's going to happen for that $200? You're going to be
reluctant to give me $200. But if I tell you that for $200, I'll put
new tires on your car and you can sell it for another $1,000 - you
look at that and say, `That's a good investment.' ''
A staff developer. ``If you can constructively criticize and
build on that criticism to make that person better at what they're
doing, you're a good leader.''
WILLIE F. GARY
Age: 60
Activities: Elephant's Fork neighborhood leader; church
volunteer
Out front. ``We want a guy that comes here with some vision. . .
. He's got to be aggressive and tell the School Board, `Some of the
X's and O's are unnecessary and I think we need to improve this
program. . . . At such-and-such place they did this and it worked.
Or in California, they are doing this.' We want to make Suffolk
recognizable.''
Takes a stand. ``I need a man who's willing to make a statement
and not be afraid of what the federal government's going to say; not
be afraid of what the City Council's going to say. . . . I don't
want a guy to straddle the fence.''
Aims high. ``I want him to set a goal for Suffolk. . . . A goal
to have our students be the highest (achievers) in Virginia and not
necessarily the Hampton Roads area.''
Centered on basics. ``I want my superintendent to focus on
academics.''
Has basic values. ``I want the superintendent to recognize the
fact that Suffolk is a religious community, and I want him to have
certain religious values. Note that I said religious, not
necessarily Christian. But I want him to have some values that deal
with mankind.''
Track record. ``. . . You need to pick a person that has come
from a successful system.''
KARLA WEST
Age: 34
Activities: PTA Council; graduate student; substitute teacher
Open. ``. . . Somebody who has an open-door policy and believes
in parental involvement.''
Firm. ``I agree with a certain level of firmness. I think too
much would definitely turn parents off immediately. Somebody's going
to have to be affable, yet firm.''
A rainmaker. ``He has to be aggressive in backing up what he asks
for. He's got to show results for your money.''
Puts kids first: ``We want someone to consider the children first
- what is best for the children. No matter what the cost is, the
children must come first.''
Wears a thinking cap. ``. . . I would like to see some
innovation.''
THE REV. PATRICIA GOODMAN
Name: Patrica is pronounced like ``Patricia''
Age: 33
Activities: Volunteers with neighborhood groups; works for the
Southeastern Tidewater Opportunity Project (STOP)
Sensitive. Someone who's ``sensitive to children in the LD
(learning-disabled) program . . . find ways to get them out of the
program. Don't make it a permanent place and stereotype the kids
because that will cause a problem in the future.''
by CNB