Post by title1parent on Jul 20, 2009 5:09:14 GMT -5
www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=307948&src=76
Rookie superintendent faces new realities in classroom, pocketbook
By Melissa Jenco | Daily Herald 7/20/09
Naperville Unit District 203's top administrative post quietly changed hands this month as students were busy enjoying what's left of summer break.
Mark Mitrovich has taken over as superintendent, replacing Alan Leis who retired after six years at the helm.
Though his first official days on the job were spent under the radar, Mitrovich had his share of the spotlight in February when his hiring sparked controversy because his doctorate came from the University of Santa Barbara - an unaccredited school that is now defunct.
But that issue is water under the bridge, he says now, and the community has been welcoming thus far.
Mitrovich spent the past 10 years as chief education officer for EdGate, a company he co-founded in the Seattle area. He has spent 30 years in education, including experience as a superintendent in the Peninsula School District in Gig Harbor, Wash.
He signed a three-year contract earlier this year with District 203 that includes a starting salary of $203,000.
Mitrovich recently sat down with the Daily Herald to discuss the coming school year. This is an edited version of that conversation.
Q. What's the first item to tackle in District 203?
A. One, take a look at organizationally how we're structured because we've got some new people. Sitting down with the cabinet (of advisers) ... just to say let's talk about what we're about and do that in a collaborative process as opposed to "Hey, I've got the plan."
We have three contracts that are up for negotiation this year and those are obviously a high priority for us.
I think another is while I know enough to be functional, there's still a lot I need to learn and I still haven't been in every building. I want to be in every building, I want to spend time in those buildings, have a sense of every building. I want the staff to have a sense of who I am and that no one person does anything; this is all a collaborative effort.
Also I need to be in the community to say we're very good at doing what we're doing, but the climate in which we're doing those things changes every day and we need to stay ahead of that as much as we can.
A key part of it is listening to a lot of people. Before you start spouting off on all your ideas, you have to hear what a lot of other smart people have to say.
Q. What would you like to accomplish in your first year?
A. Those (previously mentioned items) are the key pieces structurally that have to be taken care of before you start saying I want to start flying around at 50,000 feet. You have to take care of those critical issues.
The reality is our students are not competing with just somebody from Hinsdale, Highland Park or Indian Prairie. They're going to be competing and living in a world that is going to demand things of them that were never demanded of me when I was their age. We're educating children for their future, not ours. We have to be very judicious about that. What they're able to do and what they know now, how does that transfer?
I think when you look at the mission and vision statement and you hear the conversations from people in the school buildings, that's how they're thinking.
The goal is not for the student to complete the fifth grade. That's part of the process that's moving the child toward those five qualities (of the mission) because that's what's going to make you survive in the future - those real-world applications of what you're learning in school.
Whether we like it or not, all of those are being imposed on our children at a younger and younger age. I came out of a book-driven culture. These kids know no boundaries and so how do you prepare them for that?
The old educational model was constrained by location, time and control. Those three pillars have crumbled. What these kids know is anytime, anywhere, any way. That's their standard of operation.
We're got to think about what we do preparing them for that and that's not easy. It's exciting, challenging. The people I've met in the district so far embrace that challenge. I guess the bottom line is if you can't do it here, you can't do it.
Q. Are you happy with the plans for facility improvements?
A. Absolutely. We got an update and Mill Street (Elementary School renovations) are coming along great. They're redoing the parking lots at Naperville North (High School). Some people were surprised by that, but there were major safety issues we had to address at North.
You probably heard the pile driver out there behind Naperville Central (High School near Mitrovich's office). They're trying to conclude the asbestos abatement there.
They have begun to pour footings for the early childhood (center). We're behind on the early childhood and that's really a result of weather; we couldn't really get in there with as much rain as we've had. But that's OK because that project was scheduled to be done before school was out so we have the entire summer.
It's amazing to have this much going on.
Q. What can teachers and taxpayers expect from the coming teachers contract in light of the district facing a 0.1 percent rate of inflation?
A. I think it's a little premature on that right now. We're going to have to sit down with the board. Now that I'm here we're going to have to take a look at that to see what we can do because that 0.1 percent is a reality here.
Our goal is to be very thoughtful, very deliberate about what we do. I think at this point, and I'm not trying to duck the question, I just think it's a little premature but, believe me, it's on everybody's minds and we're very aware.
______________________________
Two additional articles/interviews with D203 Super:
New Naperville Unit District 203 boss says he can't be office-bound superintendent. 'I'd just die,' he says.
www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=307637&src=76
Mitrovich made seven trips here before taking helm
[http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=307949&src=76/url]
Rookie superintendent faces new realities in classroom, pocketbook
By Melissa Jenco | Daily Herald 7/20/09
Naperville Unit District 203's top administrative post quietly changed hands this month as students were busy enjoying what's left of summer break.
Mark Mitrovich has taken over as superintendent, replacing Alan Leis who retired after six years at the helm.
Though his first official days on the job were spent under the radar, Mitrovich had his share of the spotlight in February when his hiring sparked controversy because his doctorate came from the University of Santa Barbara - an unaccredited school that is now defunct.
But that issue is water under the bridge, he says now, and the community has been welcoming thus far.
Mitrovich spent the past 10 years as chief education officer for EdGate, a company he co-founded in the Seattle area. He has spent 30 years in education, including experience as a superintendent in the Peninsula School District in Gig Harbor, Wash.
He signed a three-year contract earlier this year with District 203 that includes a starting salary of $203,000.
Mitrovich recently sat down with the Daily Herald to discuss the coming school year. This is an edited version of that conversation.
Q. What's the first item to tackle in District 203?
A. One, take a look at organizationally how we're structured because we've got some new people. Sitting down with the cabinet (of advisers) ... just to say let's talk about what we're about and do that in a collaborative process as opposed to "Hey, I've got the plan."
We have three contracts that are up for negotiation this year and those are obviously a high priority for us.
I think another is while I know enough to be functional, there's still a lot I need to learn and I still haven't been in every building. I want to be in every building, I want to spend time in those buildings, have a sense of every building. I want the staff to have a sense of who I am and that no one person does anything; this is all a collaborative effort.
Also I need to be in the community to say we're very good at doing what we're doing, but the climate in which we're doing those things changes every day and we need to stay ahead of that as much as we can.
A key part of it is listening to a lot of people. Before you start spouting off on all your ideas, you have to hear what a lot of other smart people have to say.
Q. What would you like to accomplish in your first year?
A. Those (previously mentioned items) are the key pieces structurally that have to be taken care of before you start saying I want to start flying around at 50,000 feet. You have to take care of those critical issues.
The reality is our students are not competing with just somebody from Hinsdale, Highland Park or Indian Prairie. They're going to be competing and living in a world that is going to demand things of them that were never demanded of me when I was their age. We're educating children for their future, not ours. We have to be very judicious about that. What they're able to do and what they know now, how does that transfer?
I think when you look at the mission and vision statement and you hear the conversations from people in the school buildings, that's how they're thinking.
The goal is not for the student to complete the fifth grade. That's part of the process that's moving the child toward those five qualities (of the mission) because that's what's going to make you survive in the future - those real-world applications of what you're learning in school.
Whether we like it or not, all of those are being imposed on our children at a younger and younger age. I came out of a book-driven culture. These kids know no boundaries and so how do you prepare them for that?
The old educational model was constrained by location, time and control. Those three pillars have crumbled. What these kids know is anytime, anywhere, any way. That's their standard of operation.
We're got to think about what we do preparing them for that and that's not easy. It's exciting, challenging. The people I've met in the district so far embrace that challenge. I guess the bottom line is if you can't do it here, you can't do it.
Q. Are you happy with the plans for facility improvements?
A. Absolutely. We got an update and Mill Street (Elementary School renovations) are coming along great. They're redoing the parking lots at Naperville North (High School). Some people were surprised by that, but there were major safety issues we had to address at North.
You probably heard the pile driver out there behind Naperville Central (High School near Mitrovich's office). They're trying to conclude the asbestos abatement there.
They have begun to pour footings for the early childhood (center). We're behind on the early childhood and that's really a result of weather; we couldn't really get in there with as much rain as we've had. But that's OK because that project was scheduled to be done before school was out so we have the entire summer.
It's amazing to have this much going on.
Q. What can teachers and taxpayers expect from the coming teachers contract in light of the district facing a 0.1 percent rate of inflation?
A. I think it's a little premature on that right now. We're going to have to sit down with the board. Now that I'm here we're going to have to take a look at that to see what we can do because that 0.1 percent is a reality here.
Our goal is to be very thoughtful, very deliberate about what we do. I think at this point, and I'm not trying to duck the question, I just think it's a little premature but, believe me, it's on everybody's minds and we're very aware.
______________________________
Two additional articles/interviews with D203 Super:
New Naperville Unit District 203 boss says he can't be office-bound superintendent. 'I'd just die,' he says.
www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=307637&src=76
Mitrovich made seven trips here before taking helm
[http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=307949&src=76/url]