Scott Interviews With Cambridge School Committee Friday

On Friday, Framingham Superintendent of Schools Stacy Scott will have a formal interview with the Cambridge School Committee to become that city’s newest superintendent of schools.

Thursday night, he participated in a community forum along with the other two finalists.

Framingham Patch broke the news in Framingham Tuesday that Scott was one of three finalists.

Scott has been with the Framingham Public Schools since 2012. He was recently awarded a new contract with Framingham.

The other two finalists are:

• Dr. Sergio M. Paez, who is a consultant to the Holyoke Public Schools, where he formerly led the district as Superintendent, appointed in 2013. Paez was previously Assistant Superintendent and English Language Learners Director for the Worcester Public Schools, and Language Acquisitions Director for the Leominster Public Schools.
  
• Dr. Kenneth N. Salim, who has been the superintendent of the Weymouth Public Schools since 2012.

The Cambridge Public Schools released Scott’s interest statement, in which he talks about his successes and accomplishments and what he could do for Cambridge.

The public school district published the interest statements for all three finalists. Editor’s Note: You can read Scott’s entire statement below.

The Friday, Oct. 16, Cambridge School Committee meeting is expected to start at 12:30 and end about 5:30 p.m.

It is anticipated after the formal interviews, that the Committee will go into a meting closed to the public to discuss the candidates. At this time, no vote is expected on Friday.

On Tuesday, Scott issued a statement to the media and to Framingham Public School staff in which he said: “You should know that Framingham Public Schools is dear to me, both personally and professionally, and while I am confident that FPS can continue to thrive, I have mixed emotions about the idea of leaving our school district. My tenure as superintendent at Framingham has been deeply rewarding.”

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DR. STACY SCOTT
STATEMENT OF INTEREST

My career has been a steady journey toward understanding the nature of development and how the obstacles for high performance can be managed. I started as a teacher and became a teacher of teachers helping create effective classrooms and lesson plans that could eradicate performance gaps and low expectations. I soon realized we must create schools and districts that could build effective cultures but there was no formal training that would ensure that all leaders would know how to make this happen. I endeavored to create the training and support to make that happen. Along the way, one of my collaborators sent me to Montgomery County to lead a team that would study the reasons for its high performance as an urban district. I stayed on after the study at the invitation of the former Superintendent, Jerry Weast taking on the position of Associate Superintendent. My intention was to learn all that I could about how the organization was structured and to take with me for future years all the strategies that make systems work well. I had always been a systems-oriented psychologist and this was a well oiled system worth knowing.

Since leaving MCPS, I have enjoyed success managing turn around processes for two districts both needing significant systems development. I have found that it is possible in 2 - 3 years to put in place systems that enable high performing central offices with powerful supporting impact on the schools it serves. My focus has consistently been on creating alignment between the key systems and their leaders. I have created standards of excellence for student and staff performance and development. Organizational quality that produces strong customer service and satisfaction has been central requiring updating almost all existing systems. Finally, feedback and information flow has been the crux of building accelerated performance improvement.

All systems are different and it is ill-advised to try to make one system look just like another. But, Framingham has benefited from the introduction of IBB and PAR as a means of building collaborative relationships with the teacher’s association. I am interested in carrying this work to Cambridge because Cambridge is a system that will both teach me a lot and where I can contribute a great deal from my experience.

Please list the five accomplishments in your professional career of which you take the greatest satisfaction and why you do so.

I was nominated to the Massachusetts State Board of Education in 1993. Serving on the Board of Education allowed me to have an impact on state policy especially for at-risk students and those in need of alternative education. It was meaningful to participate in the early education reform days in Massachusetts. I Continue to be connected and involved in the issues and relationships created in those days.

The writing of my first book, Making Equity Work, was a pivotal professionally. It was a culmination of years of work with over 40,000 teachers and administrators working on closing the achievement gap. I enjoyed creating a roadmap for leaders to use to manage culture change in their schools and districts. Writing the book released my own creativity and clarified my core strategies used to train leaders and guide system change.

In Dracut, I created a 3 year plan encompassing the education reform needed in the District. After 2 years, we had accomplished the significant reforms outlined in that plan. I felt great satisfaction in bringing reform in the curriculum reform efforts with long range planning and immediate improvements in place. Technology upgrades affected HR and every other department. A stronger team was in place after two years and a renovation project for the high school was securely underway.

In Framingham, I am proud of the fact that we have established long range planning in several areas of importance. Curriculum redesign is now on a 5 year cycle that is in its third year showing immediate impact on students performance and raising schools accountability levels. Long range strategic planning is focusing the District’s movement forward in several areas. Integration of the capital improvement plan with a plan for advancing teaching and learning is a central organizing guide to the District. We have built plans for rolling out a Comprehensive Assessment plan as well as a Student Support Services plan focusing on PBIS and other student support systems. Finally, we have created a 5 year financial model for anticipating budget numbers for years ahead. This process has
changed the discussion across town. Planning has been the hallmark of our work and it is having an appropriate impact.

I am very encouraged with the changes in Framingham, including shifting over to a more inclusive district in terms of the way we integrate bilingual, Special Education and gifted students. This has involved a philosophical shift in practice in the District. Leadership and teachers have quickly worked through their concerns and areas of resistance. Having simultaneously increased the amount of collaboration time, teachers are cross pollinating and sharing strategies at an increased rate. Having placed exemplary classrooms in every building, teachers are able to pursue professional development right in their building with their peers regularly. It is very satisfying watching teachers collaborate and redesign their work. The positive atmosphere that this is creating for teachers is making numerous state mandates flow with considerable ease in contrast to initial expectation. Instead of strife, the changes like the new supervision and evaluation system are reaping positive results including powerful conversations about teaching and learning without fear and discomfort.