Superintendent concerned about 9-R budget as 44 apply for top position

A few years ago board members were warned it would be very difficult to find superintendent candidates willing to come to Durango. At the time, that sounded a bit ludicrous given the amenities of our beautiful setting and superb community.

Now with 44 applications, the search firm of Hazard, Young, Attea must winnow the list to a reasonable 5 or 6 for board members to interview in January.

The firm recently presented a summary of community concerns and opinions they heard during visits to our community. It is useful reading, both as an affirmation of our strengths and as confirmation that changes are in order - more support for teachers, improved communications with public, and a better long range plan.

We wish the search team and board members well and look forward to meeting candidates next month.

Questions candidates could face might include their response to the superintendent's assessment of pending financial troubles. In addition to fears of falling enrollment, Barter recently referred to Durango Academy and the High School's reorganization as "potential wild cards."

We live in interesting times. With a positive attitude, an energetic candidate could find this an opportune moment to tap into this community's reservoirs of creativity and talent.

Time now to comment on your dream superintendent!

Who would you like to see at the helm of Durango's schools?

Do you have a favorite person in mind or can you describe the qualities you most want in a leader? It could be years before we have this chance again.

9-R District Board members are currently engaged in the search for a new leader.

The Herald recently noted sparse attendance at the community open houses, but it's not too late to put in a word. Superintendent meeting draws 3 "Officials say they want public input about hiring a new superintendent... but members of the public did not clamor to do so." In response, several letters have appeared suggesting that "because 9-R never listens" it wasn't worth attending. Not true. We believe the new board not only listens, it is eager to move our district forward in positive, innovative ways. But they need to hear from us.

If you prefer to bypass the 9-R Information Office, comments can be sent directly to the search team c/o the website of Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates. The firm is scheduled to present a summary of our community comments at the board's Nov. 27 meeting. Make sure yours get counted.

While an initial deadline has passed, we can't imagine the search team excluding honest input that comes in soon. Request the Leadership Profile Form ... or simply share your views on 9-R's strengths and weaknesses, but mostly tell them what qualities and criteria you want the board to use in evaluating the candidates.

For more info
Oct. 2, Herald article:
Durango 9-R Jumps Into Search

Congratulations Animas High Committee

"State board OKs Animas High charter"
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2007 Durango Herald

After more than a year of planning, a five member board of community minded parents has gained the approval of the State's Charter Institute to move forward with plans to open a new, small high school for Durango area students next August.

Much more work now lies ahead to make the dream a reality. Interested families and students can contact organizers through the Animas High School website.

Read more the educational philosophy and research behind this proposal.

Congratulations and thanks to the committee for their hard work in creating this opportunity for Durango families.

Supporting the new Animas High Charter proposal

Back in 2002, with an $84.5 million bond for school construction, many of us tried to get a "small schools" conversation started - all the research showed small schools outperforming the large comprehensive model of two thousand students.

When the superintendent told the school board that a "second high school" would cost an extra million dollars a year right off the bat, members decided not to "go there" and a public conversation about school models never happened, except in the Letters to the Editor pages. The public information campaign to get out the vote then assured voters that "small schools research didn't apply in communities like ours."

Fast forward five years -- community organizers today have created a very comprehensive proposal for a "small high school" (450 students) and will be engaged in the next few weeks in presenting their model to the Colorado Charter School Institute.

Browse the website of Animas High School. Read the Durango Herald's recent excellent editorial. Take a look at the educational philosophy and research behind this proposal and think about our options.

Those of us who believe in choices, flexibility, and innovation are excited by the positive energy being directed toward such a wonderful project. Read about their model - the original High Tech High in San Diego.

“Building strong school communities means fighting the social trend of bigger everything.”
--Ron Berger, An Ethic of Excellence

AND if you wish to show support, the best way is to attend a public forum sponsored by the Colorado Charter Institute Monday 9/24/07 at 6:30 to the Durango Rec Center. They need to hear what parents, students and community members think about the need for educational choices for our Durango students.

NOTE: The CCI forum had standing room only. See Herald 9/25/07 Parents turn out in force to support Animas High

Saturday is "School Board Education Day"

Great news!

If you've ever thought about serving on one of our local school boards, now is the time to find out what's involved and the League of Women Voters is going to make this easy for you!

You are invited to a working breakfast educational session this Sat. a.m, 8/11/07, from 8:30 to noon at Mercy Medical Center, Conference Room A, in their Three Springs location at Grandview off Highway 160. Call Pam Patton at 884-2206 for more information.

The current presidents of all three local school boards wrote a complete story with deadline dates and locations for filing nomination petitions in Sunday's Herald.(Take Your Seat: Durango Herald Aug. 5, 2007)

With 11 seats open in November in Durango, Ignacio and Bayfield, and many new arrivals in the 9-R system, we look forward to the exciting possibilities that may unfold this fall.

“Survey Results Criticize, Praise” Durango Herald, Sunday, July 8, 2007

Kudos to the Durango Herald and the unidentified “third party” who provided the newspaper with a copy of 9-R’s “secret” survey in July. We were not alone in hoping for improvements in the high school culture and the 9-R work environment.

Tackling the 64 pages of single spaced comments by teachers, staff, students and parents now might lead to a sea change in culture and communications -- between teachers, parents, the public and District staff and students – but only if all parties are included in an honest community dialogue.

While District administrators insist this survey will stifle “frank and honest discussion,” we believe the opposite - coming clean and facing real concerns head-on is 9-R’s best path out of its recent quagmire. Especially with new personnel this fall, let's hope the District' sheds its mantra of "Don't listen to naysayers and critics; let's move on!"

In refusing two open records requests (of 4/21 and 5/1/07), Supt. Barter’s reluctance to allow the public to read any “raw data” now looks increasingly self-serving. She insisted that “personally identifiable information” would be harmful to those who made comments - but reading comments printed in Sunday's Herald suggests that the harm would be to the superintendent herself, and at least one other high level administrator, definitely not the teachers she has claimed to be protecting.

According to the Herald, negative comments about 9-R Central Administration were made by some 25 staff members and positive comments by 13.

Some of the 2006-07 staff comments resonate with a report made two years ago by outside consultant Robert Tschirki. 2005 Herald story.

"9-R embodies the philosophy of: when we want your opinion, we’ll give it to you. Anyone who speaks out against any idea forwarded by administration is harassed, bullied and intimidated into submission.”

“Teachers feel there will be retribution if they get out of line."

With over 1500 comments on everything from school climate and size, drug and alcohol use, student safety, the open campus at lunchtime to the high school's dress code, survey results could form the basis of a productive community conversation -- but that cannot happen if 9-R continues to deny their relevance.

A majority of board members have indicated that the comments themselves are more useful than the quantitative synthesis substituted in deference to teachers who feared that a public reading would make their lives more difficult.

This is a community that supports its teachers. Barter's claim that it would be harmful to allow the public to read 9-R survey results has an increasingly hollow ring. To ignore them because they aren't "scientifically sound" doesn't make good sense. To find out more does.

9-R Board public forum a success!

It may have been only 15 parents and citizens who showed up last week, but the information and ideas flowed freely. Individuals who arrived with their individual concerns, left with new acquaintances and a sense of who are board members are, what they care about.

Congratulations to this "new" board for encouraging the public to help prioritize some opportunities and actions that will make our schools even better.

This is what Policy Governance requires - "linking" with the "owners of the system."

What a difference in mood and tone from the adversarial settings that have been standard fare for parents in the past.

And stay tuned for details of discussion items moving to the center of a public conversation. Better yet, share your own concerns here for comment. But next time you read of a 9-R Board open forum, make arrangements to attend; it will be worth your while and we will all benefit.

Example: A homeschooling parent whose son will enter DHS this fall raised a concern about dropping enrollment in arts and theater classes that may be inadvertently be caused by new graduation requirements. The groups urged further exploration of graduation requirements and a commitment to flexibility - and a commitment to individualized plans for all students. This is a community that thinks out of the box and wants every child to have an appropriate educational path.

Progress!

Read story in Herald about May 15, 2007 forum.