6 EDCAL September 5 , 2016
REGION 19
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unemployed ,” he said .
RUSD is working to build districtwide capacity to identify student and staff strengths that increase wellbeing , engagement and hope . Region 19 ’ s Keyisha Holmes , assistant director for targeted support and engagement , has focused her efforts on accelerating RUSD ’ s vision for strengths development and embracing cultural differences as a means to leverage the practice of equity for all .
“ The work of Restorative Justice is just as much about bridging cultural divides , as it is about alleviating the disparate treatment that currently characterize traditionally underserved students . Leading with our values will pay huge dividends ,” Holmes said .
The goal of the coalition is to advance targeted professional development in restorative practices to equip teachers and community stakeholders with tools to engage students in ways that promote healthy school climates . Region 19 member Michael Roe , principal at Riverside Poly High School , has teamed up with Harvard University ’ s Making Caring Common Initiative in looking at proactive measures , beyond legislative requirements , that can be employed on the front end to build a moral imperative to reach every kid by personalizing needs in and out of the classroom .
“ Restorative practices is largely dependent upon a prevailing mindset of every stakeholder in our respective school communities committed to building a culture that promotes and cultivates empathy , moral courage , shared understanding and common purpose ,” Roe said .
Farooq stated the need to keep moving forward in spreading the word about restorative practices .
Region 19 ’ s Michael Roe makes a point during a conversation on Restorative Justice practices at the White House that included other equity and conflict resolution leaders , L-R , Kimmy Maniquis , Tasreen Khamisa , Justine Darling , Felicia Singleton-Daniel , ( Roe ), and Fernando Macial .
“ Our community has the opportunity to deepen its engagement with stakeholders to foster a dynamic culture that can be replicated nationally , and for our students to realize the aspirations that our collective efforts can yield together ,” he said .
INTERIM
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in nature , averaging three days a week every other week , superintendents know that there ’ s never really time off , and this was our experience as co-interim superintendents as well . When we worked from home during vacation periods we accepted it as the nature of the job and for the most part did not count the work as service days .
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Supporting others , adjusting
The co-interim superintendents maintained constant communication with each other , with senior managers and with board members by phone , email or text . We knew from experience that the superintendency is a 24 / 7 job , and we told staff that we expected to be contacted whenever needed .
Given the ability to be in contact , staff really did not know whether we were sitting at the desk , in the office , were at home or someplace else – they could reach us as needed , and they were encouraged to do so .
I once took a cell call while kayaking off the coast of Ventura on one of my “ nonwork ” days . Joel texted in his opinion on a decision while skiing at Big Bear .
Anyone who has served as superintendent knows it can be an isolated position . Collaborating with each other , sharing responsibilities and tasks , and discussing issues made the job easier . The ability to process issues and discuss positions with another person at the same level of responsibility was a new experience ; active superintendents seldom had the opportunity to do this on a meaningful level .
But the partnership also made the job challenging , creating the need to be sure our views and decisions were aligned before going public with them or adjusting them on the fly . And sharing the space could be a challenge at times . When you ’ ve been a superintendent , you tend to be the leader and take action . Joel and I knew each other professionally for a long time , and we knew that we had similar leadership styles that would lend to a successful partnership .
Each co-interim superintendent brought a discrete skill set and background experiences to the position , and we learned to consult , listen , assert or defer to one another in given situations based on our unique strengths and experiences . Communication was key .
Taking the lead role
To ensure optimal leadership and management of the district and to support the board of education , we originally thought we would jointly , with input from the board and staff , determine areas for which we would have primary responsibility . That notion quickly went by the wayside because we realized that each of us needed to be involved in every aspect of the work .
One or the other would take a lead role in a matter , but not assume total responsibility . Generally , whoever was “ on duty ” for the week dealt with the issues that occurred during the week , and saw them through to resolution . We kept a weekly log of activity for consistency and for use when things spanned over more than a week ’ s time in case the “ other ” person needed to deal with the issue . There were a number of big issues that occurred over the six-month span , and we collaborated on them as needed .
We each have expertise in various areas , or we had been through an experience that the other had not had . I had experience with charter schools and the California Voters Rights Act . During the interim term Glendale had received a charter petition and was in the initial phase of proceeding with a CVRA settlement and the change in school board voting areas .
Joel was well versed in issues of LGBT students and high school management in general . Both of us had experience with school district cultures , curriculum and instruction , and dealing with implementation of the California content standards . Both of us worked with and supported many elected school board members during our superintendencies .
Glendale ’ s senior managers are experienced and knowledgeable , and we acknowledged and valued this . At the same time , with “ fresh eyes ,” we frequently questioned much of “ what goes on .”
“ Why are you doing this ?” sometimes seemed to be the operative starting point . We both came from a collaborative leadership mindset that shaped our vision for how to analyze and approach problems . We were able to get people to break out of old patterns or repetition of what had worked – or sometimes had not worked – and try new methods and ideas . This was done collaboratively and staff was responsive because of the superintendents ’ supportive approach . Success breeds success . If staff finds new ways to be successful , and practices these new behaviors , after an interim period , the change will continue .
We were in a unique position . Our work was temporary , but stretched over half the school year . We stated from the outset that we did not intend to be caretakers and thought we could contribute meaningfully to the success and workings of the school district . There wasn ’ t a formal evaluation or measure of our work , but we received positive feedback about our contributions . Chris Walters , Glendale USD board president , summed it up : “ If this was considered an experiment , it was certainly a big success .”
There definitely were days when we looked at each other and said , “ This is why I retired !” However , in our new roles we knew we served a district well in its time of need , kept our own skills sharp , and contributed to the education of more than 26,000 students . Still friends and colleagues , we consider this challenging assignment a success .
Before retirement Marc Winger served as superintendent of the Newhall School District for 18 years and Joel Shawn served as superintendent of the Arcadia USD for seven years . Both are career-long ACSA members .
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