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Kentucky
New Era, Hopkinsville, June 18, 2008
Superintendent finalists picked
By Joe Parrino
After interviewing three more candidates on Tuesday, the Christian
County Board of Education decided on finalists for the top job in the
district.
Graves County Superintendent Brady Link, reform consultant Dr. Clara
Patterson and Russellville Independent Schools Superintendent Roger Cook
have all been invited for daylong visits next week. Each visit will
include a forum and an extended interview with the board.
Board chairman Barry Cornelius said all five semifinalists, who met with
the board this week, interviewed well. Don Love, the principal of the
Career and Technical Center, interviewed Tuesday. Ben Wright, a former
Nashville schools executive, visited Monday. But both missed the cut.
Cornelius said the three finalists possessed the leadership experience
the board was looking for.
Patterson, 53, said her goal, if hired, would be to advance the district
from the bottom 10 percent to the top 5 percent of Kentucky school
systems within five years. Patterson also aims to make school management
and classroom practices more “data-driven.”
Cook, 55, said he believes he can motivate students and teachers to
dramatically elevate Christian County’s scores on the Commonwealth
Accountability Testing System. Under his three-year leadership,
Russellville schools leapfrogged more than 50 Kentucky school districts
in CATS rankings.
The board questioned each of the superintendent hopefuls for about 30
minutes.
One of Cook’s proudest achievements is leading Russellville schools from
eighth worst in the state in 2005 to 115th. The state has 175 school
districts.
The district adopted a comprehensive improvement plan in 2006 and raised
its overall index more than 12 points.
Cook said he is a superb motivator of teachers and students.
“You have to make believers of them,” Cook said.
Cook has also worked as a school administrator for Hardin, Crittenden
and Russell public schools. He has also served in state level positions
for the Kentucky Department of Education and the Workforce Development
Cabinet.
Cook’s superintendent experience is at a much smaller district.
Russellville Independent has about 1,200 students to Christian County’s
8,000 plus.
But Cook said he is just as at home in big districts. He was the
assistant principal at North Hardin High School when it had an
enrollment above 2,500.
Patterson earned her doctorate from Trevecca Nazarene University in
Nashville with a dissertation on a student achievement topic.
She spent 20 years in the Clarksville-Montgomery County School System,
first as a teacher, then as a principal and finally as director of
educational services throughout the district.
Because of a personal mission to improve achievement among poor and
racial minority children, Patterson became a program manager for the
Stupski Foundation in California nearly two years ago. She left that
position a few months ago.
The foundation researches disparities in student performance and advises
districts on effective solutions.
The key to closing achievement gaps, Patterson says, is being
data-driven. Schools need to assess students regularly and be guided by
the results. Instruction should adjust according to what the data shows
students are struggling with, Patterson said.
Patterson said her research of Christian County’s recent initiatives
showed some schools’ decision-making was guided by test data. But it
would take a leader with her skills to articulate that attitude clearly
and effectively.
“That (vision) needs to be in the heart of every educator,” Patterson
said.
Cornelius said the finalists will visit on three consecutive days. Cook
is scheduled to spend his day in the district Monday. Patterson will
come Tuesday and Link on Wednesday.
The schedule for each includes breakfast with the Hopkinsville-Christian
County Chamber of Commerce, a meeting with Superintendent Dr. Bob
Lovingood, an extended interview with the board and meetings with
central office staff and principals.
The Christian County Education Coalition will moderate forums for each
candidate in the CCHS and HHS cafeterias.
Coalition chairman Fannie Louise Maddux said she is collecting questions
for the event. Questions can be submitted by e-mail to ccec@hopkinsvilleky.us
or by phone at 270-885-8060
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