Leadership vision for transforming public school districts through superintendent preparation

¶ … Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek" (Barak Obama).

The world has always evolved and changed when society demanded it, when conditions in the natural world left no option, or when key leaders led the path for change. My goal since the time I was in high school -- and was in the process of planning my career -- has been to affect positive change in our world and our society. And now that I have been successful at the level of teacher, assistant principal, and public school principal, and have been a hands-on partner in the great task of giving students a background they can use to build better lives, I am ready for the next step. That next step is to earn my doctorate and achieve certification for the position of school superintendent. My firm belief is that we need not wait for others to bring change, to quote President Obama. Indeed, we can change the world one student at a time, one school at a time, and, when I am blessed with the opportunity to serve as a superintendent, I will cultivate the necessary passion in the professionals around me to change one school district at a time.

My Teaching Background -- Change is my Theme

Having a belief that all students truly can learn -- and the great majority of them really want to learn -- I set out with lofty goals, to be the best teacher I could be at several elementary schools in the Dallas Independent School District (Dallas ISD). Of course there were young people in my classes who had been damaged -- or severely impacted -- by the inappropriate actions of dysfunctional families, by emotional and psychological interferences, by drugs and by peer group distractions (including gangs). But I never let those negative impacts affect the positive approach I took with each student I was assigned to teach.

When discipline was needed, I acted accordingly, and as a member of the campus "discipline management team" I also learned that discipline isn't always about punishment; often it simply means providing a better structure, building a better attitude, among students that strayed from the classroom civility or productivity. I set in motion a policy that emphasized positive interventions for at-risk students, involving parents whenever practical and possible. Positive change did come for many of those students that I was able to stimulate, motivate, and inspire with my skills and my passion.

My Associate Principal Background -- Change is my Theme

Once again I found myself working with many students from families that were on the lower rungs of the socioeconomic ladder. But as an associate principal at the H.S. Thompson Learning Center, I was in a fortuitous position to work with teachers and staff to bring about the needed changes -- and constructive learning outcomes -- in our school.

Parents are an enormously important resource in the school milieu, and it has always shocked me when I worked in a school where the parents were not an integral part of the learning process. As associate principal, I made a point of regularly communicating with parents; indeed, I authored newsletters and developed a good system where I could not just inform, but also exchange ideas with parents. It's never enough in today's public schools to just schedule intermittent teacher-parent conferences. I firmly believe that leadership is the most pivotal aspect of being an administrator, and staying in touch often -- even weekly, when necessary -- with parents, can help solve a student's problems, whether they are academic or social.

Also, I was responsible for developing the master schedule for grades and subject placement for our teachers, and I was part of the program that monitored the direction of instruction and provided feedback to our teachers.

My School Principal Position -- Ready for a Superintendent Position

As principal at Richard Lagow Elementary and Frederick Douglass Elementary in the Dallas Independent School District -- schools with approximately 96% of students from economically disadvantaged neighborhoods -- I have been effective and have prepared myself for the next step in my educational career. Once again I have worked closely with parents to create consistent, worthwhile relationships.

Given my constant goal of proficiency -- which has translated into success -- at several levels in the field of education, I am more convinced than ever that I possess the desire, the passion, the skills and the experience to be provided the opportunity to serve as a superintendent.

I thoroughly enjoy the challenges that are part of a public school principal's job. I have been a professional educator who thrives on finding solutions, who is adept at bringing together people from all ethnicities and socioeconomic backgrounds to form partnerships that resolve important issues.