On her third day as superintendent of the Rochester City School District, Barbara Deane-Williams shared how she would first help the struggling district. Reorganizing some roles at central office, she said, would allow teachers to better focus on their students.
On Wednesday morning, Deane-Williams visited the summer bridge programs offered to incoming ninth-graders at Edison Career and Technology High School. She sat down with administrators and met with students in English, math and computer classes.
Deane-Williams returns to the Rochester area after working for one year as Boston’s senior deputy superintendent, overseeing transportation, facilities and enrollment services. She served as the Greece school superintendent for four years prior to that.
Her time spent reorganizing the district office in Boston, Deane-Williams said, prepared her for the work that is needed here.
“A central office really can build itself to be a responsive service provider. Right now we're organized very much into departments which can become siloed inadvertently. It’s nothing intentional,” said Deane-Williams.
She said a 100-day listening and learning tour, during which she will gather feedback from principals, teachers and families, will help catapult the mission. In essence, if school administrators ask for support with service areas like the reading curriculum, attendance, or student engagement and behavior, Deane-Williams wants her newly crafted central office team to be able to provide a more timely and accurate response.
Almost immediately, administrators who supervise each principal - she referred to them as “chiefs” - will begin reporting to the superintendent directly.
Drawing ideas from people outside of the education industry is another strategy Deane-Williams finds effective.
“I look to Southwest Airlines, for example – increasing operational efficiency and on-time efficiency within the support structure. So that the schools can focus on what they need to focus on, which is teaching and learning,” she said.
The superintendent said she’s aware of the challenges faced in urban districts like Rochester: poor attendance, low graduation rates, and students who can’t afford a school lunch, for starters. The superintendent is optimistic that the district will make some headway in the first 100 days, with more parent involvement and a better connection with students.
“Bringing the student voice into this will be something that's systematic and intentional. Walking into schools and making sure that we take the time to listen to students. They have a unique perspective and I think it's an important one,” said Deane-Williams.
Edison was the first stop in the superintendent’s tour. She continues to build her schedule, which will include other school visits and a closer look at the summer meal program.
