The Leadership That Will Keep Our District Great!

By Robert N. "Bob" Hathaway

An outline is provided of the requirements of Experiece and Leadership needed in the years ahead to meet the challenges to keep the District great.

I have interpreted this to mean that I should work to provide the highest quality educational programs for all of our youth, every day, in every classroom. I believe that this District has accomplished this by providing an award-winning educational program that is second to none in this area. Decisions that were made during my service on the Board, beginning in the mid-1980's, have set this District apart as one of choice and on the course to its present quality and excellence.

It is of critical importance to maintain and improve upon the quality of educational programs that set the District apart from others, and create a climate that encourages families to move into our District or come through inter-district permits. It also encourages the best and brightest teacher candidates to apply for positions.

District success was started with the strength, experience, and continuity of the current Board. With this continuity, we have been able to deal fairly and ethically with difficult decisions involving students and staff for many years.

Over the next few years, we will determine the future of this District for many years to come. This includes dealing with the implementation of the State-mandated Common Core State Standards, which requires teaching to a new set of standards and new testing methodology. In addition, the new State funding formula, known as the Local Control Funding Formula, places our District at a disadvantage, and our schools will receive less State funding. Also, if the School Bond, Measure "I" on the ballot, passes, we will be engaged in a major building program across the District. These challenges will take strong and experienced continuity of leadership on the Board.

The coming years will require highly ethical, strong and stable leadership to weather the educational and financial challenges, while maintaining our District as one of quality apart from others. Truly understanding core values of our District is essential to achieving this. We must maintain the quality of our Core program and understand all the trade-offs that go into dealing with the various budgetary demands vs. the instructional demands.

Experience, to cope with the issues, is essential to success. Now is not the time for changing leadership simply "for sake of change"; to provide a "new face", or "new voice" in the District. Now is not the time for "bumper sticker" slogans! Now is the time for experience, leadership and continuity. Resorting to the "change for change sake" mentality will slow the progress by the "on the job training" that will be required of a new Board Member. The learning curve for a Board member is steep under ordinary times; requiring the real time dealing with the historical perspective, a new language, and a prior ability to deal with complex issues. It is only made more difficult, in these critical times, to provide the continuity to be able to deal with critical problems immediately after the election. Higher education level experience or industry experience only isn't easily transferable.

If the District students were failing or in organizational or financial disarray, one could make the argument for a change. But, that is not the case with the Fullerton Joint Union High School District. The educational program is the envy of Districts across the state and nation, and according to Moody's Financial Services, "The District manages its funds as well as any school district in America." There are no issues that justify a change in leadership.

One of the most common elements that all successful Districts have in common is stability of leadership at the Board level. The District successes, in addition to those attributable to a strong, stable Board, are also the reflection of the quality of the staff and the families and communities that are served.