LETTERS.

A Message to the President

Kudos to Paul Houston for his Executive Perspective column ("An Open Letter to the President") in the January issue. With candor and passion he has expressed exactly what I want President Bush to hear--that we will welcome his leadership if he will understand the problems and work with us for viable solutions.

I, for one, am of politicians' criticisms, threats and promises when what we really need is thoughtful, gutsy collaboration if we are truly to educate all students to higher standards.

I am grateful that Houston is such an articulate advocate for the needs of American public schools.

KAREN A. FORYS

Superintendent, Northshore School District 

The Circus Metaphor

Bothell, Wash.

The title of Judy Ferguson's guest column ("The Superintendent as Ringmaster," January 2001) enticed me to read her piece before any others. She captured exactly how I feel and she provided some timely information.

Now I will look at my role through a ringmaster's perspective. Sometimes, though, it seems like that little circus car just holds too many clowns.

Thanks for an enjoyable piece of reading.

VICTORIA ZELENAK

Superintendent, Port Republic School District

Port Republic, N.J.

Most of us can relate to Judy Ferguson's characterization of the job as a three-ring circus. As she points out, it is the little details and not always the big stuff that require our constant attention.

NICHOLAS MITCHO

Superintendent, Glassboro Public Schools 

Glassboro, N.J.

Judy Ferguson's guest column was excellent, but she forgot to mention the acrobatic ability of superintendents--especially when their board presidents ask them to jump through hoops.

JOHN FOX

Superintendent, Milford Borough School District

Milford, N.J.

Valuable 15 Minutes

As a recently retired educator, I am writing to compliment Paul Ash on his commitment to hiring the best teachers ("Everything I Need to Know of a Candidate in 15 Minutes") as described in the January issue.

I still can recall the first informal meeting I had years ago with Paul Houston when he came to Riverside, Calif., as our new superintendent. After discussing the importance of teachers having high expectations for all students, he asked me how I would improve teacher attitudes. I responded, "In-service is good, but it's all in the hiring."

A superintendent, though, has to be careful not to be heavy-handed with principals. It's important that principals and school staffs view the process as one of collaboration and not top-down micromanagement.

CARLEY OCHOA

Retired Director of Compensatory Education Programs

Riverside, Calif.

Contracting for Subs

I applaud Alexander Russo's January piece ("No Substitute for Quality"). The issue of how best to recruit and retain excellent substitute teachers indeed merits serious discussion, and the solutions presented in the article were thought-provoking.

Among these strategies, we were pleased to see you examine the viable option of contracting with external firms. While this solution may not be for everyone, Kelly Educational Staffing has received great feedback from the schools we are serving, currently about 530 in 25 states.

When we assume the burden of administering a school's substitute teacher program, school officials are freed to focus on their core mission of education.

DEBBIE BALDWIN

National Sales Manager, Kelly Educational Staffing

Houston, Texas 

Rules for Living

Thanks to David Smith for a great column ("10 Rules for Daily Living," January 2001).

Our work as educators is all about connecting one on one. Remembering the simple truths that Smith identifies gives me great hope that what we do will make some differences along the way.

I work with an administrative team that embraces all 10 points. We're fortunate people!

JACK W. DENNY

Director of Instruction, Leyden High School District 212

Franklin Park, 111.

High-Stakes Misery

Peter Sacks's article ("Predictable Losers in Testing Schemes," December 2000) hit the nail right on the head.

Administrators in southeastern Missouri have been accused of favoring lower standards because we have argued with the powers that be in our state legislature and Missouri Department of Education that the standards are too high and will guarantee failure among our students.

We are forced to narrow our focus and "dummy down" our curriculum in an effort to raise test scores, meet the standards and save us from the disgrace of being unaccredited. Teachers have to drill over and over, year after year the same information because if the students don't perform, we fail.

In Missouri, the high stakes are applied to the schools. We are required to give the Missouri Assessment Test to only certain classes and then are judged by comparing the results to previous years. Our state commissioner of education argues this is a valid way of assessing how much the students are learning.

How can it be valid when you have the same teacher with a different group? Common sense tells me it would be more valid to test the same students with a different teacher if the objective is to determine the quality of instruction.

I have sent copies of Sacks's article to our state board of education and state commissioner. We are all frustrated when we spend millions of dollars a year on tests that in my opinion prove nothing. We may succeed in raising the test scores of all of our students, but it does not mean they are better educated.

JERRY NOBLE

Superintendent, Campbell R-II School District

Campbell, Mo.