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Posted on Tue, Nov. 03, 2009 11:11 PM
New school superintendent pitches change to state’s team
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As Kansas City School District Superintendent John Covington closed Tuesday’s progress report to the state, he appealed to his audience.
“I hope you can tell this feels different than the past.”
Many times the district has been under severe scrutiny. Once again the district is engaged in a turnaround effort with its accreditation at stake. And Tuesday’s presentation was the second one for Covington since he started July 1.
But this was the first one that was his show. The first for his chosen executive cabinet.
And the early reviews from the panel of critics?
It does feel different.
“There is a definite difference in the central office we’re working with now,” said Tony Stansberry, the state’s area supervisor.
“I feel very positive,” said Ginny Vandelicht, the state’s director of school improvement support. “They’re showing growth.”
The good news continues to be mostly in anticipation of the gains the district needs to make. Student performance data from the last school year, while continuing to edge mostly upward, remain well below the marks needed to get beyond provisional accreditation.
“They do have to make up a lot of ground,” Vandelicht said.
Most elementary students in the past year made at least a year’s growth in reading and math, but that’s not enough, she said.
More statistics showed that only about 20 percent of the students in most of the district’s high schools passed algebra and English I — the “gateway” ninth-grade courses that go a long way in determining if a student is going to graduate on time.
The administration reviewed a long list of measures it is taking to spur student performance.
Kirsten Braman, also part of the state’s team, said she believes building staffs are working well together on instruction plans and accepting the higher scrutiny.
“I’m seeing a sense of urgency,” said Braman, the state’s area supervisor over federal instructional programs.
“And they’re not stressing out.”
To reach Joe Robertson, call 816-234-4789 or send e-mail to jrobertson@kcstar.com.
Posted on Tue, Nov. 03, 2009 11:11 PM
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