americas-best-high-schools-2010: Personal Finance News from Yahoo! Finance

One major challenge all of the nation's best public high schools are facing is how to continue to challenge students despite budget pressures. Although the federal stimulus money has helped many school districts retain teachers who otherwise would have been laid off, many schools are finding it difficult to renovate—or even maintain—their older buildings

via finance.yahoo.com

Comments

[David]

Don,

I log onto your site a few times a week -- even though I'm not a KL contituent ---but a school board member down county -- in Harrison. But I log on here (as a voyeuer or interloper...) because I think you host one of the best sources of education news and commnetary -- not just in Westchester -- but anywhere.

Shortly after I joined the Harrison school baord in 2002 -- I went to a two-day session for new board members in Albany sponsored by the New York State School Boards Association. There I met Bob Dixon and Brent Hailpern -- two newly elected KL board members (and although no longer board members -- continue to have an interest in education -- which is great). I don't remember being overly impresssed with the substance of the Albany sessions-- until, I think the last day -- when we were treated with a speech by a teacher accountability guru out of Philadelhia -- Theodore Hershberg -- and I remember being blown away by the power of his presentation on what was needed to reform our educational system in this country -- accountability -- and value-added teacher evaluation -- among a whole host of things.

In 2002 Harrison was an ok school district with mediocre results across the board-- there were no systems of accountability -- in hiring, evaluation, and curriculum development. Everything was ad hoc -- so the good and the bad co-existed without any levers of accountability. In the Fall of 2002 our board ousted the existing administrative regime at the time -- and took a risk and appointed a strong-willed visionary, administrator, Louis Wool, as our superintendent. With board oversight -- Lou proceeded to embark on a total overhaul of the school system, culture, mores, embedded practices, etc...And while we have more work to do -- the results of this transformation have been startling -- and gratifying. And Lou's peers in New York have just recognized him by awarding him the 2010 Superintendent of the Year award. Here's the link to the press release:

http://bit.ly/6zOSmp.

Keep up the great info on this site.

Regards,

David Singer

[Robert T Dixon]

Hi David:

Congratulations to you, Lou and your board. Nothing like strong, collaborative leadership,willing to make tough decisions.

I certainly remember the Hershberg presentation. Like you, I was very impressed and continue to mention it from time to time on this site. I believe Brent felt the same The good news is that the K-L Board is beginning to think along those lines. I hope they can move forward on it-of course the big question is the unions and tenure.

By the way: I think I remember you quite well. I first talked to you at the conclusion of a P/NW BOCES orientation meeting for newly elected Board members. You were enthusiastically telling me about your plans for change while chatting in the parking lot-just before a big rain storm hit. Looks like you did just what you said you would.

Glad to see you are still serving. I ran for a second term but lost by 14 or so votes. I now live in Huntersville, NC: just another day in paradise they say. I have stayed active on this site and have watched the sea change slowly evolve at K-L. It took a little longer than Harrison, but IMHO it happened.

Bob D

[DBS]

David, Thanks for the kind words and congrats to Super Wool. I will post the link. Also thanks for the lead on Theodore Hershberg. If you see any good articles he has written send the links along. I would be happy to post.

[Brent Hailpern]

David - that was an outstanding talk...it is great that your district was able to act to make that kind of change.