When Dr. Lisa Andrejko was Superintendent of the Norristown School District, Senator Arlen Specter paid a visit. His first word was "Gladtomeetyouwhichwaytothebathroom?". Now, as QCSD Super, Dr A is dealing with much shorter, but far more emotionally-charged, words: Openness. Communication. Change. Community-friendly. Words that have been frequently, disturbingly, intentionally absent from the district's dictionary. But there is a new Superintendent in town, and new promise.
Andrejko recalled when she was a young Assistant Superintendent in Norristown, and a reporter asked her to give the district a grade. She spontaneously replied "C". Then she spent a few sleepless nights wondering where she would be applying for her next job. But a funny thing happened - nothing. People knew she was right. And, she learned, they actually appreciated her honesty.
When she left Norristown, she again was asked to rate the schools. This time the answer was "B+", a quantum leap for a system inescapably tied to an area with seemingly insolvable economic and social issues. Her candor will be refreshing here, since prior administrators, and myopic board members, have constantly given themselves straight A's. It's a bit premature for her to offer a grade, but Dr. A is already addressing the ABC's of our problems: Administration. Board. Community.
Administration: Andrejko is very upfront that mistakes have been made. But, unlike prior administrators, and some current directors, she doesn't cling to past poor decisions solely out of a refusal to admit misjudgment. Her first official act was to eliminate some existing positions, and consolidate others, saving at least $200,000. And tacitly acknowledging that QCSD has over-hired and over-paid.
She puts great value in PSSA's, but not as the only evaluation of progress, as the district has acted. Unlike prior administrators, she is not opposed to employing a national achievement test. Of even greater importance to taxpayers, she is willing to reconsider QCSD's budget process, utilizing a Variance Analysis to determine where your tax dollars actually went. In fact, she pointed out that Norristown did a monthly Variance Analysis, something that QCSD has resisted even yearly.
QCSD teachers are generally committed and caring, but, in the end, the test of teacher performance is how students perform on tests. Standardized, and in the classrooms. We have a long way to go. Dr. A intends to use "multiple sources of data - test results, observations, student work, student understanding, etc." to evaluate all instructional practices. She promises a full report, which will become part of the district's strategic plan, for all to see. But, even now, Andrejko radiates real optimism as she tells the story of one local principal, who was upset even though more students scored "proficient" on the PSSA's, because fewer scored "advanced". Just satisfactory doesn't cut it. We must aspire to more. Isn't that a pleasant change!!!
Board: One of the major reasons Andrejko left Norristown was district politics. Yet she landed in a system where there will be either two, or three, new directors next year, and the agendas of all board members have become hotly debated. She is quick to say that the administration, and the board, both work for the community, but, frankly, that is not how it has gone down here. And as long as the defensive, tax-and-spend folks who caused the problems - Linda Martin, Bob Leight, Nancy Tirjan, Kelly Van Valkenburgh, and Zane Stauffer - remain on the board, change is questionable. To be successful, Andrejko must inspire some serious attitude adjustments.
If Dr. A has a mantra, it is that QCSD can be, and will be, a great district. But there must be no more debacles like Integrated Math, hidden survey results, grade manipulation, and midnight teacher contracts. She sees those as water over the dam, preferring to look only ahead. In the past, the board has tended to do pretty much what the superintendent wanted. Using that power wisely will minimize the need for future damage control.
She already has an excellent start - limit the number of QCSD "spokesmen". In recent months, at least four people have written columns, and others have sent letters to the editor, attempting to explain, or excuse, newly revealed problems. Dr A wants all "official" district statements to come from her office. In other words, she doesn't want to be stuck explaining explanations that aren't hers. As long as she addresses the issues candidly, this is another step in the right direction.
Community: This must be Andrejko's Job One. The cloak of secrecy that has surrounded QCSD decision-making has left many people resentful. Complaints were ignored. Graduates, and their families, are struggling with the effects of Integrated Math. The district hid financial manipulations. Area development, and school construction, were falsely blamed for tax increases. Residents, who are shelling out about sixty percent more than they did a few years ago, are understandably angry.
Citizens must feel included, with complaints and input taken seriously. Dr A will start by overhauling and improving QCSD's website, to make it interactive, and more informative, like Norristown's. And she will be seeking your input on taxes! While Act 1 now limits QCSD to four percent increases, Andrejko says "the dirty work has been done". We will not be seeing four percent bumps, or three percent, or even two percent, without the voice of the people through referendum. Buildings will need renovation, particularly the high school, but the community will make the decision. We wouldn't desperately need Andrejko's philosophy here today if our directors had followed that simple rule all along!
Lisa Andrejko doesn't want to be seen as the White Knight of Quakertown, but the new board next year is going to be deeply divided. Debates will likely be contentious, and votes close. Certain members, and certain administrators, are hyper-sensitive to criticism. The "reformers" see plenty to reform, and the public apparently agrees, given the results of the primary. It will take a strong and determined superintendent to unify the administration, board, and community. But at least - and at last - we have hope.