Post by WeNeed3 on Aug 14, 2009 9:29:42 GMT -5
D204's Birkett is ready for new experiences
August 14, 2009
By TIM WALDORF twaldorf@scn1.com
Thirty years ago, Kathy Birkett began her career in Indian Prairie School District 204 as a teacher at Waubonsie Valley High School.
Since then, she's climbed the ranks, serving as principal for the opening of two schools — Steck Elementary and Neuqua Valley High school — before taking an administrative position at the district offices in 2004.
This year, she was named the district's new superintendent.
Promoted to the post after Stephen Daeschner accepted a superintendent position in Jeffersonville, Ind., this summer, she had to hit the ground running.
There's the launch of "professional development Wednesdays," which will have school staff members arrive a little earlier each Wednesday — and students arrive a little later — to allow time for teachers to collaborate and work together to improve their instruction.
And there's the opening of two new buildings — Metea Valley High School and Fischer Middle School. That, of course, means plenty of students and teachers will find themselves in unfamiliar places when classes begin Thursday.
She's now charged with seeing to the details that will make these endeavors successful. Of course, she'll be relying on those who now hold roles she once held to "make that all happen."
And, as she told The Sun in a recent exclusive interview, when it gets a little tense — when she'll have to "make her own fun" — she'll remember the reason she's there, and look to the kids for inspiration.
The Sun: You've spent about a month and a half in this office. How are the superintendent shoes fitting? Has it gone like you thought it would?
Birkett: You know, I think I've been in the district long enough that I pretty much knew what the district issues would be and how things would go. But I think anytime you go into a new position, there's a real learning curve, and for me it really has been learning how I interact with the rest of the cabinet in a different role, and really how I interact with everybody. People that never wanted to meet me as deputy superintendent suddenly want to meet me now that I'm the superintendent. So that's very interesting.
The Sun: You talked about when you were named to this position that there's really no honeymoon for some hired from within. Have you found that to be that case?
Birkett: Yeah, I didn't expect any honeymoon. I really thought, 'I've got to hit the ground running.' And I don't know that I've experienced any big honeymoon.
You know, I've enjoyed learning some things. Just last week, I was down in Springfield for 2½ days with the Illinois Association of School Administrators, and, actually, Mark Mitrovich was there as well. We got to know each other, which was really nice. I think he and I are going to be a very nice complement to each other, and I look forward to an ongoing relationship him, very much so. But, again, learning a lot of the ins and outs that nobody can really teach you until you're doing the job.
The Sun: What's something off the bat that you want to see done?
Birkett: Oh, there are lots of things. Obviously, first and foremost right now in my mind is getting these two buildings open. So I have to be focused on that. I have got to make sure that our students who are transferring buildings are transferring buildings successfully, and that those two buildings open very successfully.
And we have a number of projects with that. We are undergoing a whole new project with our phones and trying to be a little more communicative with our public through our phone system. ...
And a big piece of what I came back (from Springfield) with was a lot of what we will do with our data. We are very fortunate here that we have a lot of bright people on staff that work with our student data, and certainly now, with our new initiative — with our professional development Wednesdays — we've got to show our public that those mornings focus on those students — focused on their individual students — are worthwhile. So that's a big focus for me right now.
The Sun: That's a big deal. That touches everybody.
Birkett: That's exactly right. That professional development on those Wednesday mornings is a big issue, and I think a lot of people are watching that and seeing how it goes, and we're watching it more closely than anybody.
The Sun: You mentioned opening two schools. We'll get to Metea later. It seems like Fischer has, in some ways, been lost in the hype.
Birkett: And I feel bad about that.
The Sun: I know it's a school that's already established — that has already been built and things like that — but what is the work that has gone into getting it ready?
Birkett: A lot of work has gone into that building to make it look like it's Fischer Middle School. The colors aren't green and gold. And we've already had the parents and students in there. We've had two evenings with them, and they're extremely impressed. The custodians there have done a yeoman's job. Jennifer Nonnemacher and her administrative team have done a phenomenal job of getting that building ready.
You're building a new school community, and there's a lot to that. What are we going to be all about? How are we going to run things? What are we going to be focused on? So they've had a lot of staff meetings. They've had a lot of meetings with parents — a lot of communication with parents to form a new school community.
The Sun: I guess when you're dealing with what you are now with Metea, I guess there has to be times where you smile and recall those days (of when you opened Neuqua) fondly, and then there has to be times where maybe you break out in a cold sweat. I have no idea. For that reason, I guess this has to be real special to you, right?
Birkett: Yes, it's very special. And it was very special to open Neuqua Valley as its first principal. That was just a once-in-a-lifetime experience. And opening Steck Elementary as its first principal was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Now, watching it from the other side, and being part of all of that political stuff that has to go on — the boundaries, which are always very, very ugly; it's one of the worst things a district can go through is taking a look at boundaries. Having to pass a referendum — all of those things are very, very political. Seeing all of that happen, and now seeing that come to fruition — that's very rewarding for me, but I have to take a little bit of a step back. This is the time for Jim Schmid, his staff and those kids, most importantly, to shine.
The Sun: Speaking of the kids, there's been a lot of talk about those kids who are being shifted from one school to another. There are the kids who are going from Waubonsie Valley High School to Metea, and they're going to have that once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to open a school, which could be kind of cool for them. But then there are the kids who are going from Neuqua to Waubonsie, and, in many ways, those have been the controversial set of kids, as we both know. What's being done to smooth that transition for them — especially some of those freshmen who were at Neuqua last year who are just going to be assimilated into an existing student body?
Birkett: That's probably the toughest group, and we got a lot of questions about those freshmen going and why couldn't they stay. Well, if they stay, then I would also have to offer than opportunity to the Waubonsie students going to Metea, and then you're into the hundreds, and it defeats the purpose. We're trying to alleviate the overcrowding in the long haul. We recognize that Waubonsie will be slightly overcrowded this year, but we've done some things in that building that I think will make it all work over very nicely. Kristine Marchiando, the principal there, feels very comfortable. But I think those things have to happen.
There's a lot in the press about all of these people who have stayed or not stayed. But the numbers of exemptions are not huge at all. They're very small numbers.
What's been done on this over the last year is that Kristine Marchiando has been over there and met with the kids. We had upperclassmen meeting with the freshmen at Neuqua Valley. We've had coaches making contacts so that they could meet them and know who they are and make that connection. Students that have had a particularly difficult time, we've tried to put them in touch with people who can make that transition a little bit smoother. I think we've done as much as we can on our end. It is never perfect, but I will tell you that, even with opening Neuqua Valley — a new school, so it would be similar to the Waubonsie to Metea thing — there were many students that I heard from at the time that did not want to leave. "What do you mean? There's no upperclassmen. Why would I want to go to this new place? I don't even know what it is." And it always warms my heart, but students are resilient. They go, they join, they meet and they assimilate, and they do it much more quickly than we do as adults. I'll just say that, and I'll include myself in that. Students assimilate much more quickly. So I think we've tried to make that as comfortable was we can.
The Sun: I remember your predecessor talking about how, despite all of the problems with the third high school and the Gregory controversy, he'd laughed and had more fun with this staff than any other he'd been with. Why is it that way around here?
Birkett: That's a very interesting question. I believe that you give so much time to whatever your chosen profession is — and this is for any parent out there, or any young person out there. Whatever that profession is, you better enjoy it, or it is going to be a really long, miserable life, and I have enjoyed what I've done my whole career.
They joke around here because, when things get a little tense, I always say, 'OK, you've got to make your own fun. Let's go. You've got to remember why you're here.'
When I was a high school principal, I remember exactly which classroom I would go to. I would often go to our multi-needs room. The kids all knew me, and I would go and lay on that wonderful, tall mat with them and interact for however long it took me to get my head together, and then go back at it. And I think that's what you have to do.
... This isn't about a product that you don't care emotionally about. These are kids. You care deeply about those kids, or you shouldn't be in the profession, and if people are in the profession that don't care deeply about kids, then I hope that they choose to leave, because caring about the kids is what it's all about, and that's what makes it fun. That really is what makes it fun when it is political and when it is nasty and when it is ugly. You just have to remember that.
www.suburbanchicagonews.com/napervillesun/news/1715718,D204-Birkett-ready-new-experiences_na081309.article
August 14, 2009
By TIM WALDORF twaldorf@scn1.com
Thirty years ago, Kathy Birkett began her career in Indian Prairie School District 204 as a teacher at Waubonsie Valley High School.
Since then, she's climbed the ranks, serving as principal for the opening of two schools — Steck Elementary and Neuqua Valley High school — before taking an administrative position at the district offices in 2004.
This year, she was named the district's new superintendent.
Promoted to the post after Stephen Daeschner accepted a superintendent position in Jeffersonville, Ind., this summer, she had to hit the ground running.
There's the launch of "professional development Wednesdays," which will have school staff members arrive a little earlier each Wednesday — and students arrive a little later — to allow time for teachers to collaborate and work together to improve their instruction.
And there's the opening of two new buildings — Metea Valley High School and Fischer Middle School. That, of course, means plenty of students and teachers will find themselves in unfamiliar places when classes begin Thursday.
She's now charged with seeing to the details that will make these endeavors successful. Of course, she'll be relying on those who now hold roles she once held to "make that all happen."
And, as she told The Sun in a recent exclusive interview, when it gets a little tense — when she'll have to "make her own fun" — she'll remember the reason she's there, and look to the kids for inspiration.
The Sun: You've spent about a month and a half in this office. How are the superintendent shoes fitting? Has it gone like you thought it would?
Birkett: You know, I think I've been in the district long enough that I pretty much knew what the district issues would be and how things would go. But I think anytime you go into a new position, there's a real learning curve, and for me it really has been learning how I interact with the rest of the cabinet in a different role, and really how I interact with everybody. People that never wanted to meet me as deputy superintendent suddenly want to meet me now that I'm the superintendent. So that's very interesting.
The Sun: You talked about when you were named to this position that there's really no honeymoon for some hired from within. Have you found that to be that case?
Birkett: Yeah, I didn't expect any honeymoon. I really thought, 'I've got to hit the ground running.' And I don't know that I've experienced any big honeymoon.
You know, I've enjoyed learning some things. Just last week, I was down in Springfield for 2½ days with the Illinois Association of School Administrators, and, actually, Mark Mitrovich was there as well. We got to know each other, which was really nice. I think he and I are going to be a very nice complement to each other, and I look forward to an ongoing relationship him, very much so. But, again, learning a lot of the ins and outs that nobody can really teach you until you're doing the job.
The Sun: What's something off the bat that you want to see done?
Birkett: Oh, there are lots of things. Obviously, first and foremost right now in my mind is getting these two buildings open. So I have to be focused on that. I have got to make sure that our students who are transferring buildings are transferring buildings successfully, and that those two buildings open very successfully.
And we have a number of projects with that. We are undergoing a whole new project with our phones and trying to be a little more communicative with our public through our phone system. ...
And a big piece of what I came back (from Springfield) with was a lot of what we will do with our data. We are very fortunate here that we have a lot of bright people on staff that work with our student data, and certainly now, with our new initiative — with our professional development Wednesdays — we've got to show our public that those mornings focus on those students — focused on their individual students — are worthwhile. So that's a big focus for me right now.
The Sun: That's a big deal. That touches everybody.
Birkett: That's exactly right. That professional development on those Wednesday mornings is a big issue, and I think a lot of people are watching that and seeing how it goes, and we're watching it more closely than anybody.
The Sun: You mentioned opening two schools. We'll get to Metea later. It seems like Fischer has, in some ways, been lost in the hype.
Birkett: And I feel bad about that.
The Sun: I know it's a school that's already established — that has already been built and things like that — but what is the work that has gone into getting it ready?
Birkett: A lot of work has gone into that building to make it look like it's Fischer Middle School. The colors aren't green and gold. And we've already had the parents and students in there. We've had two evenings with them, and they're extremely impressed. The custodians there have done a yeoman's job. Jennifer Nonnemacher and her administrative team have done a phenomenal job of getting that building ready.
You're building a new school community, and there's a lot to that. What are we going to be all about? How are we going to run things? What are we going to be focused on? So they've had a lot of staff meetings. They've had a lot of meetings with parents — a lot of communication with parents to form a new school community.
The Sun: I guess when you're dealing with what you are now with Metea, I guess there has to be times where you smile and recall those days (of when you opened Neuqua) fondly, and then there has to be times where maybe you break out in a cold sweat. I have no idea. For that reason, I guess this has to be real special to you, right?
Birkett: Yes, it's very special. And it was very special to open Neuqua Valley as its first principal. That was just a once-in-a-lifetime experience. And opening Steck Elementary as its first principal was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Now, watching it from the other side, and being part of all of that political stuff that has to go on — the boundaries, which are always very, very ugly; it's one of the worst things a district can go through is taking a look at boundaries. Having to pass a referendum — all of those things are very, very political. Seeing all of that happen, and now seeing that come to fruition — that's very rewarding for me, but I have to take a little bit of a step back. This is the time for Jim Schmid, his staff and those kids, most importantly, to shine.
The Sun: Speaking of the kids, there's been a lot of talk about those kids who are being shifted from one school to another. There are the kids who are going from Waubonsie Valley High School to Metea, and they're going to have that once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to open a school, which could be kind of cool for them. But then there are the kids who are going from Neuqua to Waubonsie, and, in many ways, those have been the controversial set of kids, as we both know. What's being done to smooth that transition for them — especially some of those freshmen who were at Neuqua last year who are just going to be assimilated into an existing student body?
Birkett: That's probably the toughest group, and we got a lot of questions about those freshmen going and why couldn't they stay. Well, if they stay, then I would also have to offer than opportunity to the Waubonsie students going to Metea, and then you're into the hundreds, and it defeats the purpose. We're trying to alleviate the overcrowding in the long haul. We recognize that Waubonsie will be slightly overcrowded this year, but we've done some things in that building that I think will make it all work over very nicely. Kristine Marchiando, the principal there, feels very comfortable. But I think those things have to happen.
There's a lot in the press about all of these people who have stayed or not stayed. But the numbers of exemptions are not huge at all. They're very small numbers.
What's been done on this over the last year is that Kristine Marchiando has been over there and met with the kids. We had upperclassmen meeting with the freshmen at Neuqua Valley. We've had coaches making contacts so that they could meet them and know who they are and make that connection. Students that have had a particularly difficult time, we've tried to put them in touch with people who can make that transition a little bit smoother. I think we've done as much as we can on our end. It is never perfect, but I will tell you that, even with opening Neuqua Valley — a new school, so it would be similar to the Waubonsie to Metea thing — there were many students that I heard from at the time that did not want to leave. "What do you mean? There's no upperclassmen. Why would I want to go to this new place? I don't even know what it is." And it always warms my heart, but students are resilient. They go, they join, they meet and they assimilate, and they do it much more quickly than we do as adults. I'll just say that, and I'll include myself in that. Students assimilate much more quickly. So I think we've tried to make that as comfortable was we can.
The Sun: I remember your predecessor talking about how, despite all of the problems with the third high school and the Gregory controversy, he'd laughed and had more fun with this staff than any other he'd been with. Why is it that way around here?
Birkett: That's a very interesting question. I believe that you give so much time to whatever your chosen profession is — and this is for any parent out there, or any young person out there. Whatever that profession is, you better enjoy it, or it is going to be a really long, miserable life, and I have enjoyed what I've done my whole career.
They joke around here because, when things get a little tense, I always say, 'OK, you've got to make your own fun. Let's go. You've got to remember why you're here.'
When I was a high school principal, I remember exactly which classroom I would go to. I would often go to our multi-needs room. The kids all knew me, and I would go and lay on that wonderful, tall mat with them and interact for however long it took me to get my head together, and then go back at it. And I think that's what you have to do.
... This isn't about a product that you don't care emotionally about. These are kids. You care deeply about those kids, or you shouldn't be in the profession, and if people are in the profession that don't care deeply about kids, then I hope that they choose to leave, because caring about the kids is what it's all about, and that's what makes it fun. That really is what makes it fun when it is political and when it is nasty and when it is ugly. You just have to remember that.
www.suburbanchicagonews.com/napervillesun/news/1715718,D204-Birkett-ready-new-experiences_na081309.article