FWCS Board approves administrative changes as part of comprehensive reform efforts

Press release from Fort Wayne Community Schools:

FWCS Board approves administrative changes as part of comprehensive reform efforts

The Fort Wayne Community Schools Board of School Trustees approved several administrative changes Monday, Jan. 25, as part of the district’s efforts to reinvent the high schools making them centers of high achievement for all students. The process began with each high school assistant principal being notified that there would be significant changes in job descriptions, and they would need to reapply for positions, if interested, and commit to the new requirements. The new job descriptions were established, detailing the skills needed for each assistant principal position and the duties assigned to each job to more precisely focus each individual’s responsibilities.

Assistant principals now fall into one of five categories:

Comprehensive

• Assistant Principal/260 – Works the entire year (260 days) and supports the principal in providing educational leadership throughout the building; administration, supervision and evaluation of building staff as appropriate; responsible for master scheduling; works with building coaches and department heads to coordinate professional development; collect, analyze and report data for end of course, discipline, failure rates and other reports as needed; must possess good people skills, have the ability to work collaboratively and facilitate change; assist in other areas as needed, including school improvement, assessment and student supervision.
• Assistant Principal/Pyramid for Success – Works 215 days and supports the principal in providing educational leadership throughout the building; evaluation of building staff as appropriate; responsible for coordination of students services for discipline and creative application of behavior modification techniques; collaborate with directors of Pyramid for Success and Student Services; assist in other areas as needed, including student supervision, discipline and data analysis.
• Assistant Principal/Freshman Initiative – Works 215 days and supports the principal in providing educational leadership throughout the building; administration, supervision and evaluation of building staff as appropriate; responsible for comprehensive oversight of all freshman activities; collaborate with Student Services as needed; assure successful transition from middle school to high school; work with building coaches to coordinate professional development; assist in other areas as needed, including student supervision, ninth-grade schedules; school improvement and data analysis.
• Assistant Principal/Operations – Works 215 days and supports the principal in providing educational leadership throughout the building; administration, supervision and evaluation of building staff as appropriate; coordinates building supervision, transportation and food services; manages and coordinates with athletic director for facility usage; responsible for discipline and creative application of behavior modification techniques; assist in other areas as needed, including student supervision and data analysis.

Non-comprehensive

• Assistant Principal – Works in the district’s non-traditional high schools (Anthis, Ward, Youth Life Skills and New Tech) and supports the principal in providing educational leadership throughout the building; administration, supervision and evaluation of building staff as appropriate; responsible for master scheduling and student scheduling; collect, analyze and report data for end of course, discipline, failure rates and other reports as needed; must possess good people skills, have the ability to work collaboratively and facilitate change; assist in other areas as needed, including school improvement, assessment and student supervision.

After the new job descriptions were established, candidates were then eligible to apply and interview for positions. That information, along with past work history and skill considerations were used to determine who would receive jobs in the new structure. Individuals were selected based on their work ethic, performance, current skill set, ability to work as a team, relationship skills and answers to interview questions.

Principal placements were based on individual schools’ academic progress, culture and leadership style.

“These are massive changes establishing the administrative teams who will now move forward with additional changes to provide students with a rigorous education that prepares them for life after high school,” Superintendent Dr. Wendy Robinson said.

Principals and assistant principals for the 2010-11 school year will be as follows. The number and type of assistants assigned to each school are based on the size and needs of the building.

Elmhurst High School
Principal TBD
Manju Hayes, Assistant Principal/260
Kevin Damerell, Assistant Principal/Pyramid for Success
Dan Nolan, Assistant Principal/Freshman Initiative

North Side High School
Chad Hissong, Principal
Mark Bailey, Assistant Principal/260
David West, Assistant Principal/Pyramid for Success
Jo Knight, Assistant Principal/Freshman Initiative

Northrop High School
Barb Ahlersmeyer, Principal
Cheryl Strader, Assistant Principal/260
TBD, Assistant Principal/Pyramid for Success
Steve Simmons, Assistant Principal/Freshman Initiative
Linda Johnson, Assistant Principal/Operations

South Side High School
Carlton Mable, Principal
John Houser, Assistant Principal/260*
Kevin Goralczyk, Assistant Principal/Pyramid for Success
TBD, Assistant Principal/Freshman Initiative

Snider High School
Deborah Watson, Principal
David Stinson, Assistant Principal/260*
Craig Sloan, Assistant Principal/Pyramid for Success
TBD, Assistant Principal/Freshman Initiative
LeeAnn Thompson, Assistant Principal/Operations

Wayne High School
Thomas Smith, Principal
Chuck DeFord, Assistant Principal/260*
Mike Schnelker, Assistant Principal/Pyramid for Success*
Barry Schrock, Assistant Principal/Freshman Initiative*
Liz Bryan, Assistant Principal/New Tech

Anthis Career Center
Larry Gerardot, Principal
Mary Larsen, Assistant Principal/260
Mary McArdle, Assistant Principal/Pyramid for Success
Bob Roebuck, Assistant Principal/Operations

Ward Education Center
Gradlin Pruitt, Principal
Tracy Huckleberry, Assistant Principal/260

Youth Life Skills
J. Marc Outlaw, Assistant Principal/Youth Life Skills

*New to administration or changed classification.

The Board also approved Jennifer Mable as the principal of Kekionga Middle School effective July 1.
She has been the principal of Lane Middle School since 2006.

About Fort Wayne Community Schools
With nearly 32,000 students, Fort Wayne Community Schools is Indiana’s second-largest school district. FWCS proudly allows families to choose any of its 53 schools through its successful school-choice program creating diversity in each school, including some with more than 75 languages spoken. FWCS offers seven magnet schools focusing on areas such as fine arts or Montessori at the elementary and middle school level as well as the prestigious International Baccalaureate program for high school students.

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