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Dear Ben Canada: Welcome to the world of Portland Public Schools. Despite the legitimate complaints of a citizens advisory committee over the process that resulted in your selection, we're glad to hear of your appointment. If the reports of your four-year tenure in Atlanta are anywhere near accurate, you're what our school system needs. You have a reputation for identifying key players and working effectively with them. You've been described as a good, smart person who connects with school-age kids. You're also said to be a risk-taker who nonetheless believes in standards-based education. Perhaps most important, you hold fast to the notion of accountability--from entire schools as well as students, teachers and principals. As our form of welcome, we'd like to offer a few words of advice: 1. Create a short list of priorities right away and make them the centerpiece of your first year. Our list would call for $10,000 a year in increased pay for principals, accompanied by special training; $2,000 more per year in pay for starting teachers; greater accountability from each school building in the district; and more money from the Legislature. 2. Build a sound senior team as soon as possible. This district has remarkably engaged and diverse constituencies. You cannot address them satisfactorily without a new group of leaders working under you. 3. Don't let school board chairman Ron Saxton and interim superintendent Diana Snowden rest easy now that you're hired. Both Republicans, they will be essential if you are to succeed in your quest for added general fund support at next year's session of the Legislature. Moreover, they know better than anyone else the district's internal strengths and weaknesses. 4. Take advantage of the genuine good will that exists toward you--and toward PPS--on the citizens advisory committee that reviewed your candidacy. Brief the committee on your plans as soon as possible and ask its members to serve as your special ambassadors to the larger community. 5. Avoid direct involvement in contract negotiations with the teachers union. Despite the obvious significance of these discussions to your tenure here, you must leave this matter to the school board and the team of negotiators appointed by Snowden. 6. Finally, don't let members of the school board and others who advocated your selection continue to refer to you as "Dr. Canada." This may seem picayune, but Portland is the sort of place that likes to know its most important citizens on a first-name basis. That's it--for now. Good luck. Starting salaries for PPS teachers are below those of every district in the area. For example, the starting salary this year for a teacher with a bachelor's degree is $25,771. In the David Douglas School District, the same teacher would command $28,908. In Gresham, starting pay is $27,241. |
