Jack, Schlichtman Stress Readiness to Lead City Schools

By Jennifer Myers, The Sun, Lowell, Mass.

Mar. 14–LOWELL — The home team came up to bat last night as the School Committee grilled Paul Schlichtman and Wendy Jack, the two internal finalists vying to succeed Superintendent of Schools Karla Brooks Baehr.

Both Schlichtman, the district’s coordinator of research, testing and assessment, and Jack, the director of curriculum and instruction at Lowell High School, stressed the ability of an internal candidate to “hit the ground running from day one,” in their push to persuade members of the committee to hire them.

Schlichtman said he plans to build upon the visions of former superintendent George Tsapatsaris, who he said brought the district into the 21st century, and Baehr, who brought in “quality people” and looked at curriculum

with a critical eye, to push the momentum of the district forward.

“I am the best qualified candidate and best leader for this district,” Schlichtman said, adding that there is no reason why Lowell’s schools cannot compete with highly esteemed suburban districts like Lexington. “I don’t want to compete with Dracut, I want to compete with Lexington and because we have our eye on the prize, we will get there.”

He spoke of a desire to strengthen the partnerships between the public schools, the city’s colleges and the business community in order to bolster the district.

“The state of technology in the district is in tough shape,” Schlichtman said, explaining that the schools have purchased software they cannot use because the

computers are not up to the task. “The employers in Lowell want technology-savvy employees. We need to go into the business community to ask them to help.

“I’m going to be out on the streets full-time selling what is going on in the system,” he added. “I’ll go to the opening of an envelope if I have to, to promote this system.”

Jack said that in order to bring the school district to the next level, a leader needs a solid plan. Her plan is centered on literacy at all levels of education.

She said that soon, students will have to pass English, math, social studies and science MCAS exams in order to graduate.

“If they are not literate, they are not going to pass any of them,” she said.

In Lowell, she added, the biggest challenge is meeting the needs of the 45 percent of the students that are English-language learners, many of whom come from countries where they had minimal formal education.

“It is about the whole school rallying around the English language learners to support them,” Jack said.

On the issue of special education, Jack advocates for inclusion in the classroom.

“We have to change the thinking of mainstream teachers about special education,” she said. “We are all teachers of

all students and regular education teachers need professional development to support students with disabilities.”

Jack was asked how she, as superintendent, would address low morale among teachers, a phenomenon recently brought to light through a survey conducted by the United Teachers of Lowell.

Jack said low morale among teachers is a problem because “some of them will leave, but some will hunker down and do what they have to, but not keep the students moving ahead.”

She said the reasons for low morale in the Lowell schools include teachers feeling that they are not part of the decision-making process when it comes to budgetary or professional development issues, and that there is not enough time in the day for professional development and shared planning among their colleagues.

Jack said one solution, if the money was there, would be to negotiate additional work days into the teachers’ contract to make time for professional development.

“That would be a tremendous way to build a learning community and money well-spent,” she said.

Following last night’s interviews, the School Committee voted unanimously to set the position’s salary range at $145,000 to $165,000, adding that the number could possibly be negotiated to a higher amount during contract negotiations with the victorious candidate, who is expected to be chosen March 24.

Interviews of the remaining finalists will continue tonight at 6:30 in the City Council Chambers. Portia Selene Bonner, the assistant superintendent in Hamden, Conn., will start the evening, followed by Chris Augusta-Scott, superintendent of the Norfolk Public Schools.

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