For those who complain that I am a bah-humbug Scrooge, particularly about the problems in QCSD, here are the tidings of comfort and joy you have been waiting for. Amidst the politics and Sunshine Act violations, you can almost hear the herald angels singing. Reforms are piling up like presents under the tree. Not from the newly elected board members - they are still in the minority. And certainly not from the Grinches on the majority. But from the jolly lady with the twinkle in her eyes, and the mission "to make Quakertown a great district" - Superintendent Dr. Lisa Andrejko.
She doesn't really like it when such things are written: "It easily sets me up for failure with any slip-up. I will slip up. I am human". Like referring to the 50+ percent tax increases as "mythical". But while proving herself human, she has also demonstrated the most important trait for a Superintendent here - acting decisively without regard for the politics of the board. "Decisions must be made based on the best data I have to benefit the most number of students, teachers, and community members. The results of the decisions will not please everyone. It is the nature of leadership. I may have to make an unpopular decision, which may make me unpopular, but it is the right thing to do." Ho Ho Ho. You go, girl!
She has completely revamped the administration, creating more specific responsibilities, and saving over $200,000. She is drafting new regulations, including forbidding distribution of political and sales flyers on school grounds, to prevent a repeat of director Linda Martin's evasion of the weak existing rules. This has already ruffled some feathers, but Andrejko stood firm: "We administrators are in agreement that we are not in the publicity or advertising business for others."
In addition to closing Linda's Loophole, she has shown no hesitancy to make vital decisions that do, indeed "benefit the most number of students, teachers, and community members". And put coal in the old guard's stockings. Witness the page of information she recently posted on the QCSD website. The long title is "Executive Performance Expectations: Superintendent's Goals 2007-2008. Vision established by the board, supported with policy, budget and climate". She politely credits the board's "vision", but the actions are hers alone...
Topping the list is Finance and Facilities Result 1, which could be called a long-overdue QCSD Taxpayers' Bill of Rights. "Minimal increase in taxes, cost saving measures implemented, and alternative sources of revenue explored (grants). Detailed information and justification is provided for all spending increases. Cost of salary increases, excluding benefits, are kept within the Act 1 Index + 1%".
Forget figgy pudding. This is the present every Who down in Whoville has been waiting for. The Financial Sanity Clause. "Minimal tax increases", "cost savings", and "controlled spending". Dr. A promised that her decisions would benefit the community, and this was at the top of everyone's list. It is, in actuality, a salary cap on teacher pay increases, and the ramifications are huge. ACT 1 only limits the total budget. Teacher salaries, which exceed 60 percent of QCSD spending, were rising at levels significantly above Act 1. This squeezed the rest of the budget, like art, music, and sports, with the potential to endanger programs. When the salary cap concept was discussed earlier this year by the Budget Ad Hoc Committee, it died without even a vote. Now it is a goal! Ho Ho Ho. You go, girl!
Check out Student Achievement Result 2: "High school plan is developed to have students 'college ready', for implementation in 2008-2009. The plan includes a study of the curriculum with recommended changes designed to positively impact student results in college entrance exams and work skills." Yep, there it is - "changes designed to positively impact student results in college entrance exams". For years, QCSD only wanted to talk about PSSA's. Standardized tests like SAT's were pooh-poohed as unnecessary and biased. Former director Bob Leight, who was on the board for more than two decades, tried to downplay the tests in a letter to the Free Press in November, 2006, by claiming "Many colleges no longer require the submission of scores in the (SAT) test".
Former Coordinator of Guidance Mary Bogle insisted that college entrance exam data was "irrelevant" to QCSD curriculum, and "If you hear any politician even mention the SAT you can be sure she (he) is trying to fool you". But with 25 percent more of our students now taking the SAT, and over 80 percent of our graduates going on to college, we are finally giving official recognition to the true importance of those tests and exams. Now they are a goal! Ho Ho Ho. You go, girl!
Then there is Communications Result 1: "An internal and external communications plan to include survey of staff and community is developed". The board discussed a teacher survey as recently as March. The minutes of that meeting show that director Manuel Alfonso asked for a survey because he "believes the teachers don't complain because their concerns are not considered by administrators". But, "Dr. Leight noted that during an earlier discussion Dr. Landis explained the complaint policy is in place for teachers and believes there is no need to pass this motion...Mr. Stauffer agrees with Dr. Leight and will oppose this motion". The vote was 6-2 against the survey. Now it is a goal! Ho Ho Ho. You go, girl!
Of course, the district has actually conducted both internal and external surveys before - on Integrated Math. Grads in October, 2005; QCSD teachers in June, 2006; grads and parents in October, 2006. But no results had been made public by the end of January, 2007, because they were so embarrassing. You can bet your reindeer that with any future findings, Andrejko will be makin' a list and checking it twice. We will indeed find out what is naughty, and nice. Thanks to Lisa Claus, it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.