Letters.

Missed Target

Ruth Sternberg's article ("The New Job Fit," May 2002) is excellent, but only one quoted source hit on the issue that transcends everything else in superintendent longevity: Changes in school board membership. It's inevitable that new members with new agendas will come on the board before the end of the contract.

It only takes one or two votes to alter the mix by the time the superintendent's contract comes up for renewal.

AASA promoted the best answer about 30 years ago: the two-year, annually renewable contract. When a contract has a deadline on the horizon, be it 3 or 4 years, this is far too strong a signal to the board and the community that it is time to throw the superintendent out.

The rollover contract starts with two years and may be extended a year to create a new two-year contract at the end of every 12-month period. If the contract is not extended, the superintendent has 12 months to make changes in the operation or take the full year left to search for a new position. Without the looming end-of-contract deadline, the 12-month review generally will be well thought out and less threatening.

FRED C. SALES

Professor of Education, College of Charleston, Charleston, S.C.

Coaching Superintendents

Re: Len Lubinsky's guest column ("Coaching Our Game," May 2002).

Coaching leaders in our schools is a great idea. Our foundation has sponsored two pilot programs that provide leadership development and a full year of life coaching for superintendents and principals around the country. The pilot programs were so successful that we are seeking funding to scale up the amount of service we can provide.

WILLIAM RENTZ

Vice President for Breakthrough Enterprises, The Brande Foundation, Rapid City , S.D.

I've been coordinating staff development services in a regional service center for many years and have noticed how void the professional growth opportunities seem to be for administrators. Coaching is the perfect model for them.

I began coach training in the spring with a focus on executive coaching and intend to build a practice and cadre of coaches to focus on school systems. Much of my experience is in school change, systemic planning and goal setting. I've been working with a coach myself for the past six months in the making of a television documentary about change. It's been a powerful experience. It just makes great sense to have a process that is focused on your needs, when you need it, in a convenient format.

KARLA REISS

President, Designing The Future, New Rochelle, N.Y.

Better Preparation

I agree wholeheartedly with Anthony Lease's conclusions in his guest column ("New Administrators Need More Than Good Grades," June 2002) on refocusing educational leadership preparation.

During a dozen years in administration, I have worked with many new and experienced administrators. What seems to set apart the great leaders from the mediocre or poor ones is the ability to make decisions in the best interest of kids. Successful principals elicit input from all constituents, acknowledge and validate all ideas and make a rational decision. Ineffective administrators make decisions based on the least friction, which tends to meet the needs of staff, parents or themselves.

In the area of personal relationship skills, I believe the power of admitting a mistake is often overlooked. This may be one of the strongest bonding experiences for an administrator with a staff. When the principal can try new things and admit failure, it gives license to the staff to take risks.

Lease's column was a good reminder of the teaching I need to do with my administrative staff during this new school year.

DAN ESPELAND

Superintendent, Converse County School District 1, Douglas, Wyo.

Aggressive Recruitment

Just as Jack Crews described in his Focus article ("Recruiting Teachers to Rural Communities," May 2002), our high school district in the western suburbs of Chicago also is experiencing the impact of a national teacher shortage and we are aggressively recruiting quality faculty. I liked the approach to recruitment he described.

Our district was fortunate enough to be awarded a substantial federal grant that will be used to coordinate teacher recruitment for the state and refine our own recruitment process.

TOM BILL

Director of Personnel, Lyons Township High School District, LaGrange, Ill.

Farson's Assertion

I was especially interested by Richard Farson's statement ("Decisions, Dilemmas and Danger," February 2002) that home schooling is proving to be effective and that guidance from professionals would improve it.

If the assertions made in his first paradox are accurate, it would seem that professional educators have the knowledge to educate properly and the constant barrage by outside interests only diminishes what educators can do. If that is valid, then home schooling done by clientele other than professionals should not be very effective. It would appear home schoolers do not have the training to be good educators.

As a superintendent of a small, rural district, I have seen both good and bad home schooling. The majority of students return to public education in middle school or high school for social and educational reasons. Over the years, I have observed that many of these students tend to be poorly prepared in math and science. In my experience, the most successful home schooling has been for gifted youngsters by parents who are professional educators by trade.

Further, I wonder how might Farson explain the concept that "the issue may be more systemic, more influenced by education's own culture and traditions and more determined by the posture of the administrators"?

SHANDA G. HAHN

Superintendent, Borrego Springs Unified School District, Borrego Springs, Calif.