The Suburban Times

A community bulletin board for Western Pierce County.

Clover Park Students Deserve the Best and That Starts at the Top

By

Submitted by Mayor Don Anderson.

The most important task of any school board is to recruit and select a Superintendent. The Clover Park School District has embarked on that difficult quest. Like other members of the City Council, I was encouraged to hear that a search firm was being retained to conduct a nationwide search to insure our district hires the best candidate possible. That would be a sensible path, but it doesn’t appear to be the path that is being followed.

Over the years I been on selection committees for public executives, the CEO of a major non-profit and a school superintendent. Sometimes an internal candidate with a wealth of local knowledge was selected. In other instances it was an outsider with new ideas. In all instances we recruited a wide range of applicants and tested the broader market before making a decision.

I was dismayed when I attended the first “listening session” conducted by the search firm. First, there was less listening than expected, with a greater emphasis placed on telling community members what was going to happen. Most disturbing was the revelation that there is not an ongoing search, national or otherwise. The consulting firm, which has only 16 superintendent job postings nationally, does not even list the Clover Park position on its website as an opening! They only plan to conduct a search if they can’t find a qualified internal candidate. That is not fair to our residents or to the district’s students. It is also unfair to any qualified internal candidate, who if selected by that process will always have his or her hiring questioned by the community.

I’ve heard reports from several other “listening sessions” where community leaders repeatedly voiced similar concerns and frustration at their perception that they were not being heard. Hopefully the school district and its consultants are listening. You should call or write the district to provide your input before the selection train has left the station. This is too important to the future of our community.

Mayor Don Anderson

Website input: www.cloverpark.k12.wa.us/Dept/CommunityRelations/Feedback.aspx
Superintendent: (253) 583-5190; supt@cloverpark.k12.wa.us

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Comments

  2. It seems like a fair point, but I’m still not entirely sure I agree.

    My worry about this push for a national search is that we’re more likely to end up with a corporate-minded administrator who has business experience, instead of an experienced teacher or former teacher who is genuinely knows what’s best for students and understands the community.

    It’s too often the case that “external” searches are a proxy for getting a non-teacher superintendent who is good at belt-tightening. Maybe I’m being overly paranoid, and misinterpreting the Mayor here. There’s a good chance I am… but this was still my initial reaction.

    If the national search were restricted to actual educators, then I could see the benefit. But a person with plenty of classroom experience in their past, AND local knowledge would be ideal. It seems pretty reasonable to look internally first, since I’d much rather see an internal candidate be successful if at all possible. I suppose looking externally couldn’t hurt anything provided the goals are appropriate.

  3. While I would also lean towards an internal candidate, why limit the field? The vacancy should be open nationwide. If there are concerns about having teaching experience, just require the applicants to have X years of K-12 classroom experience. A good job announcement can be tailored to require any experience or education the board deems valuable and get highly qualified candidates.

    Reminds me of a vacancy a buddy and I looked at years ago. NASA was hiring Shuttle Pilots and Mission Specialists. We were curious about the Mission Specialist positions, but we noticed the pilot position had only 3 straight forward requirements. They were 1) 2,000 hours flying high-performance jet aircraft, 2) 20/20 vision, and 3) no corrective eye surgeries (RK at the time). In other words, if you weren’t an experienced fighter pilot whose vision was still perfect, don’t bother. One of the best written job announcements I ever saw…..

  4. Clover Park seems determined to sink lower and lower. The great diversity of our area demands someone with stellar credentials. Debbie did a good job of stopping a sinking ship after the havoc caused by her predecessors. We need someone with hands on knowledge of the classroom as well as administrative and fiduciary experience. No more “testing” the latest innovation in education. The most important job of the superintendent is knowing their student and teacher population and how to best serve their needs. Years ago we had a Board member who visited and had lunch once a month with the staff of different schools. What better way to know what is happening, what is going right, and what is not. High tower administration isn’t conducive to understanding the needs of our students and those tasked to make their education meaningful and successful.

  5. Interesting view.

    Does this mean we should be casting a wider net for elected city officials as well, so we can get “the best candidate possible”?

    Or like elected city officials, should we look locally for someone who is experienced and skilled, AND has the passion and heart to do what is best for his or her own community?

    It would be reassuring to have someone leading the school district who knows, and is truly committed, to each and every one of our students and families.

  6. Sorry Mayor Anderson, but I don’t agree. You see, I have worked in the Clover Park School District for over 14 years. I have seen some really good people over the years donate their blood, sweat and tears for the children of Lakewood. I have witnessed first hand some of those really good people turn into really great educational leaders who know our kids. They know our families. They know our community.
    These people I speak of are some of the people who have helped shape and change our community for the better. They have been involved in implementing curriculum changes and instructional changes that have pushed our staff and student to achieve more than many of us thought possible.
    No, I believe we have leaders among us who can lead us fearlessly into the next few decades. I don’t see how an outsider can come in and make more of a difference.

  7. I DISAGREE Mr. Mayor…. Did your thinking on this apply when the INTERNAL Chief candidate was hired. Nothing against the Chief, because I really like him and his leadership of the LPD. I assume that you hired him because he understood the community, the department and the direction of the city council, as well as, he had the technical and leadership skills needed for the job. SO, if the school board feels that they have an iternal candidate that understands the community, the staff, the students, and the direction of the school board, as well as, has the technical and leadership skills, then they should be looking inside. We need someone who is committed to our students and can relate to our students…. who cares about our students and who looks lie our students.

    • I agree that very often an internal candidate is the best fit. The police chief (actually hired by the city manager) is an example. That doesn’t mean outside applicants were not or should not be compared and considered. The current city manager (hired by the council) was an external candidate who was selected from a field that initially included internal candidates.

      • Yes, but it is no about doing what the city did. The school board is the elected body that hires the superintendent so let them do what they feel is best. And let’s not kid ourselves, the city manager did not hire the chief absent input from the city council. It only takes a google search to know that there was some “baggage” there.

  8. I find it ironic that Mayor Anderson decries the alleged lack of listening during the school district consultant listening sessions when the City of Lakewood council and employees routinely conduct community listening sessions on various issues like the Rental Inspection Program, only to turn their backs on community input and do something totally different at the urging of staff. Just who is it they are listening to? “Listening” is not just a box to check so you can move on to the next box and then do whatever you wanted in the first place.

    It appears that the school board has a strategy which first seeks to find potential internal candidates before casting a wider…..and more expensive…..net for external candidates. In fairness to those who have worked hard in the district, they should be considered first as known entities before bringing someone in from let’s say New York: we already know how “off-putting” then can be! Mayor Anderson’s criticisms of the consulting firm are not strategic in nature but rather what I’d call “tactical”. It’s somewhat like a General Officer complaining about how a Private digs a foxhole. A lot goes into making a strategy: that’s what Generals, Boards and City Councils get paid for so let the Privates dig foxholes.

    This discussion of the school board search needs to be kept at the strategic level because that’s where our elected boards and council members serve. Granted every journey begins with a first step but it’s the final step to the destination that is most important. We can argue all day about whether to begin this journey on the left foot or right foot for this and never reach resolution. Rather such tactical arguments can cloud our vision as to where and why that first step will eventually lead us strategically. There are many ways to get to Seattle from Tacoma and the choice among them is less important than the fact that they all take you to Seattle.

  9. As a district employee for more than 20 years, a graduate of our district and a voting citizen of this Lakewood community, I completely disagree with a search outside of our district and community.

    We have very qualified leaders within the current leadership of our district. My hope is that our school board does not fall into the same trap they fell into when Hugh Burkett was hired. This hire was a national search and was a disaster for our district, staff and students and should never be repeated.

    We have a current leader as Deputy Superintendent serving and willing to take on the challenge of superintendent. Mr. Ronald Banner is a child of a retired first sergeant in the Army, he has been in the classroom as a teacher, an assistant principal, a principal and currently deputy superintendent of our district. He is from a diverse family, his mother was German, his father is a Black American and his wife is Chamorro. His ability to relate to our diverse community is invaluable. However, his strength as a leader of people is his greatest strength.

    Furthermore, We might ask the mayor how far he threw out his net when hiring his Chief of Police. I have never seen the current mayor enter our school buildings, sit in a classroom, teach a classroom full of our students or even connect with our school community. We should not consider his view point valid when hiring our next superintendent.

    • You may not have seen me in the schools. I have been there, and even teaching a lesson on one occasion, in addition to regularly visiting our schools when my four daughters were in attendance. I also spent eight years of weekly lunch hours as a volunteer reading tutor and mentor in Hilltop area classrooms in Tacoma, two years as a contracted public school track coach, two years as a private school basketball coach, four years as a school board member and am married to a teacher who taught 40 years in public schools. As a school board president, I led a selection process where a national search resulted in the hiring of one of our assistant superintendents. He turned out to be a great choice for that district.

      You have described a number of qualities which should be important considerations in the selection process and have also described an outstanding candidate. My comment is about the process, not an opinion on who the school board should select.

      I have always told my athletes (and my children) “Never run in the slow heat.” Winning the slow heat, by whatever margin, is not the same as coming out on top against the best. And you never know if you have the best person on your team if you avoid competition.

  10. As a district employe for 18 years plus i have to disagree with you Mayor Anderson.
    We don’t need someone that is not familiar with the diversity of our district. Our community is very unique with the large amount of military families that we services.
    We need someone with the understanding of military lifestyle and also different cultures. Mr. Ronald Banner would be perfect for this job due to experience in his own personal life.
    First as the child of a interacial military family and second being married to his wife from Guam and successful raising three amazing children .
    Mr. Banner started out as a P. E. Teacher and slowly worked his way up to his position now. He is proof that if you work hard you can accomplish anything . He is a fantastic role model for students , staff and community members alike .We don’t need to institutionalized our schooks and we defiantly don’t need to run schools like businesses .
    Even though i have seen you at certain community events, i have not seen you come and visit our schools !!!

  11. How about you have that conversation yourself when you have dinner with your daughter who serves on the school board who hired the committee?

  12. I have been working in education for 20 years. The past three in the Clover Park School District. I can honestly say the work I have been a part of in the Clover Park School District is what I am most proud of.

    While I understand the need to explore all options, for such an important positions I have faith the board and the community will consider the fine work that is currently being done in the district. Graduation rates have steadily improved as long with increased community connections. The Professional Development I have received from the district on such topics as Cultural Competency, individualized learning, data and meeting emotional needs of children is the best I have ever received.

    My hope is that regardless of hire, they focus on building upon the positive momentum that the board, schools and community have created. I fear an outside hire may have an agenda that could negate the excellent work we are accomplishing. We want the best hire for our children, but likely the best hire is someone who already knows the community, the students and the unique strengths and needs of each school.

  13. From the number of responses, I can see that people feel strongly about the future of Clover Park School District. As an employee of the district, Lakewood homeowner, and parent of two incredible students, I am very invested in the future of our school district. In theory, a nationwide search sounds amazing on paper. However, it is an unnecessary expense when we have internal candidates that will continue the work we have been doing. Our graduation rates are up, our discipline rates are down…we are making a powerful impact for our future. We deserve the best for CPSD. That means someone that truly understands what makes up Lakewood. From the military base to Tillicum to Oakbrook and beyond. We are a one of a kind district that deserves leadership that knows and understands how to support our students. I truly believe we can find that in our current internal candidates.

  14. I’m a graduate, long-time community member, have children in CP schools, and I’m also a former employee. I’ve been a teacher for over 25 years, the first several I spent teaching in Clover Park Schools. I, like many, love our schools and community.
    I want to see the best for our students and community. I agree, we need a superintendent that will also have a vested interest and sees our schools (and diversity) from many angles.

    The school district has already hired a search firm. Why would you hire a search firm just to hire an internal candidate?

    There are long-standing issues in the district (as with many organizations), but the students (our kids) deserve the best fit and a highly qualified candidate. Why wouldn’t you open up the position for the best candidate? New ideas and leadership can also strengthen an organization. We should embrace that opportunity as we move forward for our students.
    If an important criteria is familiarity with the district, the firm can be selective of the candidates that are selected to go through the process. It doesn’t have to be a person from across the country.