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Booker's status up for debate
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By Kathie Colgrove
For the Record |
Thursday, July 2, 2009 2:25 PM EDT |
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While most of Nassau County's principals know where their annual contracts stand, West Nassau High School Principal Ron Booker still doesn't.
During a Nassau County School Board meeting June 25, Booker's name was removed from a consent agenda that included other principals' contracts, following an objection raised by Vice Chair Kathy Burns, District 5.
WNHS recently earned a school grade of D from the state. Superintendent Dr. John Ruis said the school was one point from a B, but the lower quartile's scores play a significant role in the grading, and without significant improvement in that quartile, the school's grade gets penalized a letter, leaving WNHS with a D.
Burns said she could not vote to approve Booker's reappointment with the "lack of consistency" and WNHS' low grade.
"I see that the D school has remained under the same leadership. Can you give us any more information on that?" Burns asked.
"Basically I'm disappointed in the final result, school grade, for West Nassau," Ruis said. "Last year they had made considerable progress and I was very pleased with that. I know they were also very close to having what I would consider an acceptable grade at this juncture, but they fell a little bit short. The lower quartile jumped up and bit them as it did Fernandina Beach High School, so their grade fell and I'm disappointed in that, however I do feel the leadership was being provided there as providing a sound basis for them to improve and get back on track in this coming year."
Burns said that though she's proud of the school district overall, she has concerns with recent grades.
"Most of our schools continue to strive for excellence and utilize effective strategies for improvement. In most cases we definitely have ... the right people on the bus and the bus going in the right direction. Our elementary and middle schools and intermediates have utilized strategies for success and it hasn't always been fun, but they've stayed focused on that. These folks are driven to do what's best for our kids and they've done it. I don't - as a teacher I don't like the fact that test scores are the name of the grade, but unfortunately that's our report card, and that's what we have to live by. However ... we have to confront the brutal facts. Our school grades this year, we have A's for everybody except our high schools, we have A, B, C, D. One school has a D again. C, D, B, D, that's been their track record. Data drives everything we do; that's the data. It seems at this school we continue to struggle with creating an atmosphere for success."
She did add that the culture of the school has changed, with a lot of areas "reined in, but academically, we're not getting it."
Burns said the school needs "a strong, consistent academic focus."
"We're sending A+ kids to that school every year, consistently for the last six or seven years and something happens," she said. "But we don't' give up, we just keep doing what we are supposed to do and hope that good things are happening, but their track record doesn't show it. I don't know what we need to do, but I know if you keep doing the same thing, you're going to keep getting the same results."
Booker's name was pulled from the consent agenda after Burns' objection, under the advisement of Leonard Hackett, school board attorney, and moved into the agenda as an action item.
During the subsequent vote, school board members Donna Martin, District 1, and Gail Cook, District 2, voted in favor of the contract renewal, while Burns and Muriel Creamer, District 3, dissented. Jim Adams, District 4, was absent.
Because of the tied vote, the contract failed to receive the board's approval. Martin said that the item will be readdressed at the board's July 9 meeting.
Telephone calls to Creamer and Adams were not returned by press time.
Booker, who was in the school's office working Wednesday morning, declined to comment on the meeting's outcome, because he had not yet heard a recording of the school board meeting.
However, Martin voiced support for Booker.
"I understand their concern, it is a D school," she said Tuesday morning. "I think, overall, he's good for the school. He's doing a good job for the overall climate."
Cook, also in support of Booker, said Wednesday morning, "When I have visited the school, the atmosphere has improved. When I talk to parents and kids, they have a lot of positive things to say."
She added that with the school's plan to change to a block schedule in the fall, she didn't believe that making a change right now was appropriate.
"I feel like he's the man to lead the school," Cook said.
When asked if moving Booker's name from the consent agenda to an action item caught her by surprise, she said, "Not totally. We don't like a D school. The fact that it went from a B back to a D is a concern."
Though Cook has not received any telephone calls from citizens either for or against making any administrative changes at WNHS, she said other school board members may have.
She added that having five school board members' input is beneficial to the county.
"That's why you have five members on the board," she said. "Different opinions and experiences are brought to the table and that will be a better expression of the views of the county as a whole."
A parent wrote in a letter delivered to the Record that, "During his short tenure, Mr. Booker has done far more than just come to WNHS to fulfill the minimal requirements of his contract. If this were the case, there would not be an outcry by teachers, staff, students and community leaders at his unexpected removal."
The parent also mentioned Booker's dedication to the community with his leadership role in West Nassau County's Relay for Life.
Booker joined the administrative staff as principal July 19, 2005. He also served as the assistant principal for three years prior. During his tenure, WNHS earned a grade of C in 2005-06, a D in 2006-07 and a B in 2007-08.
Ruis couldn't be reached for additional comment, as he is out of the office until Monday.
The July 9 meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. at the School Board District Office, 1201 Atlantic Ave., Fernandina Beach.
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