New
Group to Work for School District Reform |
By Lookout Staff
June 3 -- A grassroots group composed of education activists
has been formed to help usher in a “new era of leadership”
in the School District, which has been wracked by controversy during
the past two years.
LEAD (Leadership Effectiveness Accountability Direction) -- which includes
parents, community members and education advocates -- plans to “help the
District develop a higher standard of accountability, openness and effectiveness,”
according to a statement issued by the group Tuesday.
Announcement of LEAD’s formation comes in the wake of the resignations
of both the superintendent and deputy superintendent amidst concerns that a
lack of transparency and questionable fiscal management practices are jeopardizing
the District’s credibility.
“There has never been a more critical time to tackle our
District’s issues head-on before they reach the crisis stage,”
said co-chair Debbie Mulvaney. “We believe District leaders
can greatly benefit from a more open discussion with the members
of the community they serve.
“The handling of significant issues -- from fiscal management to special
education practices -- has shed light on an organization that is in need of
more clear and proactive leadership,” Mulvaney said.
The group plans to endorse candidates “who share our vision and who embody
bold and effective leadership, transparent decision-making and accountability”
in the November race for three open School Board seats, group leaders said.
“What brings us together,” said LEAD’s co-chair Laurie Lieberman,
“is a shared commitment to outstanding public schools and a growing concern
that our District needs more effective leadership, a higher degree of transparency
in its decision-making process and a more responsive ear to parents in the community.
“The goal of LEAD is to support a new leadership model that embraces
these principles,” Lieberman said.
Announcement of the group’s formation comes four days after Superintendent
Dianne Talarico announced Friday that she will be leaving the District to head
a school system in Northern California. A month earlier, Deputy Superintendent
Tim Walker resigned his post under a $193,000 settlement with the District.
District officials had spent more than a year embroiled in a firestorm over
special education settlement agreements that called into question “the
transparency” of the district’s dealings and jeopardized $530,000
in additional annual funding from the City.
“The past several years have presented a variety of issues that have
diverted the attention of our District leadership and have called into question
whether we are as prepared as we need to be to succeed in our District’s
ongoing mission of excellence in education,” the group wrote.
The group plans to support the District in its stated mission of “working
together in a nurturing environment to help students be visionary, versatile
thinkers; resourceful life-long learners; effective multilingual communicators
and global citizens.”
“Achieving these visionary goals will require effective and proactive
leadership at all levels,” group leaders wrote. “LEAD pledges to
be a constructively critical and solution-based organization.
LEAD includes leaders from diverse segments of the School District community
PTSA, School District task force and committees, community non-profit
organizations, financial experts, childcare advocates, special education
parents and the private business sector, according to the group’s
statement.
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