Category: From the Superintendent

The Danville School Board held a three-day retreat, November 2 through November 4, 2017, to consider a future vision of public education in the city of Danville and develop a robust framework for the Danville Public Schools’ Education Strategic Plan. The Board and Superintendent spent three days brainstorming and planning in an effort to develop… Continue reading What is the Proposed Vision for Danville’s Desired Public Education System?

  Simply put, the most important efforts, strategies, and initiatives that will result in improved student outcomes require Danville Public Schools to implement the highest quality and most engaging instructional strategies in every classroom every day.  Fortunately, Danville Public Schools has a rich history of high-quality performance. In previous articles, my efforts to explain where… Continue reading What Efforts, Strategies, and Initiatives are Imperative to Improve Student Outcomes?

  We are presently living in remarkable times.  The first three months of school have been uniquely successful largely due to the very positive opening of school in August, followed by significant changes in school climate and culture in many of our schools. These changes are the result of a host of strategies including: changes… Continue reading How Do We Reach the Extraordinary?

The VDOE publicly released overall statewide school division and school pass rates for 2016-2017 state assessments on August 15. State accreditation ratings will be released to the news media and general public on September 13. As superintendent, I am the first to acknowledge that the accreditation process is only “one” measure of school performance.  The challenge with the… Continue reading Accreditation Results – What is Being Measured?

  Happy New Year and Welcome Back as we begin the 2017 – 2018 school-year.  While many businesses have only one grand opening, Danville Public Schools has a grand opening every year.  We are excited to begin the new year of learning not only for our students but for ourselves as leaders of learning. By… Continue reading How Do We Interrogate Our Own Reality as a Learning Organization?

  July 1, 2017 will mark the beginning of my third year as superintendent of Danville Public Schools.  I am very happy to have the opportunity to serve in this role, and I continue to believe we are moving in the right direction to improve learning for our school community. As I reflect on the… Continue reading Reflections on Year Two

  There are moments when it is beneficial for me to step outside of the public education realm to carefully consider the idea that public education is an investment rather than an expense.  This perspective may be a direct result of what has been a lengthy but successful budget season for Danville Public Schools. As… Continue reading Is the Cost of Public Education an Investment or Expense?

As you are well aware, the challenges of working in public education are not becoming any easier.  In fact, I am first to acknowledge that there is always a desire to improve our work and optimize our success.  Our staff, especially our teachers, continue to give more and more time toward the demands placed upon… Continue reading A Perspective on Leading in Difficult Times

We are living in an era of increasing demands and diminishing resources for public schools.  In cities where there is an unwillingness to invest in public schools, the likelihood of overcoming the challenges related to economic development, creating a viable work force, improving neighborhood quality of life, reducing crime, and improving health, are nearly impossible. … Continue reading What Does It Take to Reinvest In Teaching and Learning?