Staying power

School Administrator, Oct, 2002 by Betty Molina Morgan

Management guru Price Pritchett says, "Produce more than you cost." That's been my mantra throughout my career. I have approached every job I've had with a sense of mission, urgency and high intensity.

That's why I think I was well suited for the job of interim superintendent in Washington County, Md., a post I took at the beginning of the 2001-2002 school year. And it's why I'm staying in Washington County for the next four years as I believe my background is a great match for the district at this point in time.

After about six months on the job as interim superintendent, the Washington County school board chose me as the only finalist for the position. Here are some reflections on this year of change and challenge taken from the journal I kept.

Early Priorities

I'm a person who thinks a lot about the future. I'm always looking one, two, five, 10 years Out 50 operating on a one-year timeline as interim superintendent makes me somewhat anxious. I know instinctively, though, that given the short amount of time I have, I have to ask board members to identify the most important things they want me to accomplish this year. Even though this is a temporary position, I want to leave it in better shape than I found it.

The board responds positively. They're open to my ideas and appreciate my suggestions. They ask a lot of questions, are respectful of my expertise and, in a positive way, demand answers that make sense. Most important, they establish that they don't want an interim superintendent who is going to mark time and preserve the status quo.

So after extensive discussions with board members, I propose seven priorities for the year that address the issues of communication; strategic planning and budgeting; school improvement; and the recruitment, development, rewarding and retention of staff. I'm certain these goals meet the board's needs and will put the district and its permanent superintendent in an excellent position next year.

Being aware of the national research on the importance of the superintendent/board relationship and the district's immediate history, I also place a high priority on communication with the board, the public, the press and the staff.

Other priorities also play to my strengths and the board's needs. People in Washington County are very fiscally responsible, and at $6,792 per student, our per-pupil expenditures are below the state average of $7,476. The median family income here is about $31,000 per year, and the average job pays minimum wage. Those economics make for a lot of mistrust of the school system, the likes of which I have never seen before.

Press coverage also fuels the mistrust of government bureaucracies, and in the past the local newspaper has printed letters to the editor that repeatedly criticize the school system. It is frustrating and sad for the children of this community who won't get ahead if adults don't let them.

At the same time, the school system has used its limited resources well enough to position itself as one of the top systems in Maryland. In 2001-2002, in fact, we ranked sixth in the state on the Maryland School Performance Assessments even though our wealth is nearly half that of the districts that rank first through fifth. I admire the system's work ethic and focus.

Not content to just accept the current fiscal restraints, I resolve to open up more revenue channels and leave the system better positioned financially than it was before I came. I have managed large budgets, such as in Baltimore City, where I successfully leveraged funds to boost student achievement and where we were successful at winning big grants to support our educational agenda. I hope to do something similar here this year.

Other priorities for the district involve improving academic programs, particularly for students who need alternative learning environments as well as gifted and talented students.

For all of the above and more, I establish a variety of task forces, work groups and action committees, and the board, the staff and I work extensively with each. I also make sure each group has a point person, and I insist on issuing a written report of each group's work. There's nothing more frustrating than to work hard on a project and then just see it fizzle or not have follow-through. I am determined this won't happen here.

Battling Resistance

Once the task forces are launched and priorities identified, I experience some resistance from staff members toward the changes I'm making and my intense push to accomplish the goals in a year. The resistance is subtle as well as overt--everything from a bewildered "That's not the way we've always done it" to outright resistance.

Since I've been a successful change agent at various times in my career, though, and superiors have purposely tapped me for such a purpose, this resistance isn't a surprise. I know there is a delicate balance between taking time to involve all stakeholders (so that they will ultimately believe in the mission and want to carry it out) and taking so long that folks are lulled into believing change might never happen. I am stuck in this balance, trying to decide how hard to push. I ask myself: Is it fair to shake up the system during a one-year stint?