FLYNN'S FIRST 100 DAYS; SUPERINTENDENT HAS `STRATEGIC PLAN' FOR LEARNING POSITION.

Byline: Douglas Clark Daily News Staff Writer

When Superintendent Dan Flynn moved into the school district headquarters in fall, he noted that it looked more like an insurance office than an education hub and quickly ordered bulletin boards installed and student artwork displayed.

When Flynn heard complaints that the air-conditioning unit atop the Cosmetology School was unsightly, the veteran educator assured the City Council that improvements would be made.

And when an elementary school teacher protested that she had too many students in her classroom, Flynn went and counted heads himself to make sure that the enrollment met standards.

These are among the hundreds of admittedly small tasks Flynn has accomplished since Oct. 22, when the 45-year-old Thousand Oaks resident took over as chief of the 19,000-student Simi Valley Unified School District.

But as Flynn passes the halfway mark of his initial six-month contract, supporters and critics alike are waiting for him to make his mark on the district - to demonstrate that he can make more than cosmetic improvements to a turbulent school district that has hired five superintendents in two years.

``This is a guy who doesn't have a lot of managerial experience,'' said Hal Vick, executive director of the Simi Educators Association, the 700-member teachers union.

``He's a likable person, and I think he's done some good things,'' Vick said. ``But I just am not convinced yet that he's truly grasped what his job is.''

Others say Flynn, who had no superintendent experience, deserves high marks for the tenacity and good will he has shown during his first 100 days, which he will officially mark Thursday.

``He's still learning a lot of things on the technical side, but the board is happy with his honesty and openness,'' said Norman Walker, president of the five-member board of trustees, which hired Flynn without formally interviewing any other candidates.

Flynn conceded that he hasn't yet made any major proposals, decisions or changes, but said he is following his own ``strategic plan'' for learning the job.

``I think my strength over time will be to cut through a lot of subterfuge and get down to the heart of what the real issue is,'' he said in a recent interview. ``Once we do that, we'll have a win-win proposal.''

One step at a time

Flynn was overseeing a Head Start program in Los Angeles County when he informally sought, then aggressively pursued the superintendent's job. He won the support of three of the five trustees and was granted a six-month contract, which can be extended with the board's approval.

Flynn spent his first month on the job visiting the district's 27 schools and meeting with school personnel. He also began attending a superintendent school offered by the Association of California School Administrators.

During his second month, he met with city officials, including Mayor Greg Stratton, who was impressed with Flynn's candor and commitment.

``As far as the city is concerned, his attitude is excellent, and he seems genuinely interested in setting up win-win situations for the city and schools,'' said Stratton, who has been mayor for 12 years.

Flynn also began a round of civic appearances, including a Jan. 16 speech to the local chapter of the National Federation of Republican Women. As federation members sipped soup and munched sandwiches at Wood Ranch Country Club, Flynn worked the room like a daytime talk-show host, offering jokes, friendly gibes at the press and a good deal of reassurance - the hallmark of his persona.

He told his audience he plans to make the district user-friendly by fostering a ``customer-service tone'' in dealing with the public.

``The parents are our customers. When they call, we'd better respond,'' he said. ``When I have a choice, I'll always go with the parents.''

Flynn also emphasized high academic standards - ``There will be consequences if students don't meet expectations'' - a commitment to state-mandated class-size reduction, and building a strong partnership with the business community.

Earlier this month, Flynn began to delve into the district's transportation and business operations, looking for ways to trim the district budget. He also met with trustees, participating actively in developing an action plan for implementing a list of 10 goals adopted by the board in 1996.

``On my 75th day we had a meeting to talk about goals. There's been none for two years,'' he said. ``So if you're looking at a new super coming in, I think that's quite above average.''

But Flynn has been criticized by some, who say he tends to state general goals without articulating methods to achieve them.

``We have not had a chance to see yet Dr. Flynn's abilities in setting a course in motion and what his vision is and how we're going to get there,'' said Ginny Jannotto, president of the teachers union, who has been critical of Flynn for his inexperience.

But Rene Townsend, who chairs the superintendency committee for the Association of California School Administrators, said Flynn is wise to learn the culture before trying to change it.

``I think it's unrealistic for people to expect someone to come in and make rapid changes,'' she said. ``The first thing is to reassure people that someone with good intentions and a good heart will look after their needs and get them focused back on why they're all there.''

Harry Handler, a former superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District who now is an adjunct professor at UCLA's School of Education, said a new schools chief must prove he's a good listener, establish channels of communication and develop goals.

``And in the middle of all that, he has to be visible and accessible - and that's difficult to do,'' Handler said. ``You want to be visible, but you've got all this other work to do.''

Board generally pleased

Although school trustees were vocally divided, 3-2, when they appointed Flynn, they gave him generally high marks during a Jan. 9 leadership workshop.

On a scale of 1 to 3, ranging from low to high performance, Flynn received many 3s from individual trustees in a ``leadership team review'' directed by Kate McConkey, a facilitator for the California School Board Association.

Trustee Janice DiFatta said the workshop evaluated the board-superintendent relationship, and was not a substitute for a formal review of Flynn's performance. Even so, she said, the results were encouraging.

``I would not have expected to see those scores so high with past superintendents,'' she said, noting the board gave itself generally lower marks. ``Clearly there's been some headway made with Dan.''

But trustee Diane Collins, who with fellow board member Carla Kurachi voted against Flynn's appointment, said it was too early to evaluate him in any category other than community outreach.

``He seems to be doing what he needs to be doing in that area,'' she said. ``My highest priority is for a superintendent who communicates with the board. If you have good communication, it goes a long way to solving issues before they blow u in public.''

The leadership review provided by McConkey encompassed seven categories: communication, trust, decision-making, support, roles, goals and responsibility.

Flynn's highest mark - an average of 2.8 - was in the category of support. The lowest score - a 2.2 - was given in communication.

Trustee Caesar Julian said the board is developing criteria for Flynn's first performance review, due by March 31. At that time, trustees may terminate his $8,000-a-month contract or extend it to Oct. 31 with a raise of $400 per month.

A second review would be conducted by Sept. 30. Again, trustees could terminate Flynn's contract or extend it until June 30, 2000, at a rate of $106,000 per year.

For his part, Flynn said he's tackling his job slowly and deliberately, with thAe expectation that the diligence he exhibits now will pay off in the long run.

``I'm a lifelong learner who always likes to dream about what you can be,'' he said. ``I hope I can give this district some direction. I'm so blessed to be here. I want to be here for the next 20 years - until it's time for me to retire.''

GOALS AT SIMI VALLEY SCHOOLS

Superintendent Dan Flynn is working with the Simi Valley Unified School District board on developing an action plan for implementing the following goals, which were adopted in 1996. The proposal is scheduled to be presented to school principals in February.

Staff development opportunities will be provided to improve knowledge and skill.

Student support services will be provided for all students, grades kindergarten through 12.

All students will have access to current technology.

Class sizes will be reduced to ensure the educational success of all students.

The district will restructure as necessary to provide maximum learning opportunities.

The curriculum will reflect, in all subject areas, an articulated K-12 sequence of study emphasizing basic skills, critical thinking and problem-solving.

The district will prepare all students to enter the work force upon graduation from high school.

All schools will be safe, clean, attractive and in good repair.

Child care will be provided at all district sites for parents and school employees.

The district will develop an effective school-community relations program.

MAKING THE GRADE

Representatives of educational and parents groups, and the Simi Valley mayor, graded Superintendent Dan Flynn on his first 100 days in office. They scored his leadership, vision, professional growth, effectiveness and community outreach. In grading Flynn, some of the representatives felt they weren't qualified to score a particular category, which is designated by (xxx).

Sandy Barnett, president of the PTA Council

Alan Coyle, outgoing president of the CalifoArnia School Employees Association

Ginny Jannotto, president of the Simi Educators Association

Elroy Peterson, president of the Simi Valley Management Council

Greg Stratton, mayor of Simi Valley

CATEGORY BARNETT COYLE JANNOTTO PETERSON STRATTON

LEADERSHIP (xxx) B INC. A- (xxx)

VISION A B INC. B+ A

PROFESSIONAL

GROWTH (xxx) A INC. INC. (xxx)

EFFECTIVENESS INC. C INC. B+ B

COMMUNITY

OUTREACH A A INC. (xxx) A-

CAPTION(S):

2 Photos, Box, Chart

PHOTO (1--Color) Simi Superintendent Dan Flynn will mark his first 100 days in office Thursday.

David R. Crane/Daily News

(2) Dan Flynn

BOX: GOALS AT SIMI VALLEY SCHOOLS (see text)

CHART: MAKING THE GRADE (see text)