The Columbus Municipal School District is looking for three new principals and it is taking all the help it can get.
CMSD superintendent Dr. Philip Hickman has hosted meetings at Franklin Academy Magnet Elementary School, Columbus Middle School and Columbus High School to let community members discuss what attributes they would like future principals to have, what has been working in the district and what needs improvement.
Franklin principal Patricia Overstreet resigned this year. CHS principal Jill Savely left the district to take the principal position at the new Golden Triangle Early College High School. CMS principal Freda Dismukes is staying within the school district, but leaving CMS to lead the new Freshman Academy at CHS as the ninth grade principal.
That leaves many holes to be filled, and Hickman has sought counsel from the district’s teachers and community members.
Tuesday night, around 35 people came to the CHS cafeteria to have a discussion with Hickman and CMSD personnel director Gregory Hunley.
“We really want to make sure we have parents, teachers and some of our students choose a leader for this school, not just me and my staff,” Hickman told the crowd.
He said there are currently 16 applicants for the CHS position. The idea is to narrow the field down to four top candidates and put those candidates in front of an interview committee, which will include teachers and a few parent representatives. The interview committee will rank the candidates. Hickman will pass on the highest ranked candidate for recommendation to the board of trustees.
Tuesday night
Sitting at long tables in the cafeteria, attendees discussed four questions: What characteristics will the ideal principal have? What is currently working at the school? What changes need to be made? What does the new principal need to know about the community?
The first characteristic many parents said was approachable. Many expressed that in the past, principals had not been accessible, and, if they were, the communication could have been improved.
“We want somebody who can communicate with parents and students, no matter what the parents educational background is,” said Pastor Troy Miller.
The parents threw around more ideas: someone who will address the whole child; someone who can be looked up to, in and out of school; someone who can become involved in the community and live in the city, who parents might bump into at the grocery store; someone who would not be influenced by local politics; and, above all else, someone who is qualified.
The parents discussed the questions in smaller groups for about 20 minutes, then they presented what they had come up with to Hunley and Hickman. Hunley wrote the answers on large, easel size paper taped to the cafeteria wall and Hickman took time to question people to see exactly what they were looking for when they said things like “respectful.”
“You can have authority over the kids and still be respectful,” said Charron Calvert, whose son Tyree is junior at CHS. “We need someone who can talk to our young men.”
Open communication
Parents of district students in attendance said they were happy with the communication they have been getting from the district via “Falcon Blast,” a program that texts parents about district events, which is how many knew about Tuesday’s meeting.
Several parents expressed happiness with changes interim principal Johnny Johnson has made since taking over at CHS, such as enforcing a strict tardy policy. The parents have enjoyed the district trying to emphasize and celebrate student achievement through the new “Caught In The Act” program, which recognizes kids for committing random acts of kindness. The district has also been calling parents when students are absent, something many said was helpful.
Parents had many ideas of things that had to change. They want a stronger advanced placement program. Many said their children who are taking AP classes are not passing AP exams. Hickman acknowledged the district needs to get stronger in AP instruction and said it is a goal of his.
Parents requested more time for students between classes, and called for punishments that don’t accidentally reward kids by sending them home.
Many expressed frustration with parent-teacher conferences. Multiple parents said they have come to conferences where their child’s teacher was not present.
Hickman, who is in his first year as superintendent, was shocked and apologetic for those incidents. He said he wants to hold conferences once a quarter, with teacher presence being mandatory.
One man spoke about challenging students more. He said his children bring home study guides to fill out, and then the tests are the exact same as the study guide. He fears his children are not learning and that they will be ill-prepared for college.
Chance to be heard
Overall, parents and community members said they were happy this meeting had been called to give their perspective.
Karen Gibbs moved back to Columbus last summer from St. Louis. Gibbs grew up here, but her daughter, Kayla Jordan, a junior, did not. She said the transition was rough.
“It was such a disaster, the change in academic structure,” she said. “The teachers are not on the same level with the kids.”
Gibbs said she came Tuesday night because she wants to see a principal who will hold teachers to a higher standard.
“This was very encouraging,” said CMSD board of trustees president Angela Verdell, the sole board member in attendance Tuesday. “I’ve had lots of feedback from the community saying they don’t get enough input. So this was positive, to hear parents speak up, say what their concerns and their expectations are.”
Verdell said the meetings at CMS and Franklin were similarly attended and that the message from parents across the district remained constant. Hickman did note that while parents at the middle school and the elementary school said they wanted a principal who was not from Columbus or the area, while many at the high school said local leadership could be positive.
Either way, parents said they wanted someone who would be in the job for the long haul.
“If you think about it, teachers and faculty spend more time with your kids than you do,” Calvert said after the meeting. “That’s why we’re so concerned about the new principal.”
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