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Let's

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do all together. All right. Um, good

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evening everyone. I'll call to order a

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special meeting of the Salem School

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Committee of July 7th, 2026 at 6 p.m.

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This meeting is taking place in person

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at 29 Highland Avenue, room 227 in

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Salem. In person is the primary method

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of public access to this meeting. Um if

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technologically feasible, you can access

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via Salem Access TV or remotely using

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the Zoom link posted in the meeting

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agenda. The only item on our agenda for

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this evening is interview with our

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superintendent finalist, Jorge Allen. Um

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we will begin with uh allowing uh you to

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uh offer a two to three minute opening

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statement if you like. There'll be a

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series of questions from the committee

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members. Uh committee members that wish

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to ask a follow-up question to any of

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the questions that were asked, please

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raise your hand. Uh and I'll call on

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folks. Um and then we'll move on to the

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next questions and then at the

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conclusion of the questions, uh you'll

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have an opportunity for another two to

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three minute closing statement if you'd

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like.

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» All right.

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» Thank you.

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» Okay.

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Well, uh with that, the floor is yours.

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» Thank you. Uh good evening. Uh thank you

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uh for the opportunity to be here. Um I

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would like to start by saying what

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really excites me about Salem. Um what

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really excites me about Salem is

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basically who the community is. The um

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having almost um for more than 40% of

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families and students to be uh Hispanic.

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Um having one in every six um students

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roughly to be English learners. Uh those

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are the things that really excite me but

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especially the fact that this is a

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community that is very intentional and

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deliberate in communicating their sense

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of belonging to um all these members. Um

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and the most important thing is that the

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multiculturalism and the multilingualism

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of this community is not being seen as a

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challenge to be managed but instead as

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an asset that enriches the community and

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should also enrich educational

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experience of the students. Um,

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personally as a immigrant myself, as a

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first generation college educated in my

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family, as a descendant or uh descendant

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Westinians that actually built the

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Panama Canal, um, I feel connected with

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this community and I feel that the I

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don't see way I don't see Salem as a

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basically a district, but I see the

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families that represent also my family

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as well. uh also because of the fact of

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me having to raise uh three

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African-American uh boys in in this uh

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community and having to navigate this

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the school system as a parent in a

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language and a culture that was not

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actually my first that has given me a

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perspective that is not just imagine or

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learned from a book but actually lived

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um in every day of my experience as a as

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a parent. Two things that I would like

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to highlight tonight and hopefully

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you'll be able to see that through line

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is one I truly feel and believe that

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Salem is not at the beginning of

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something. It's actually in the midst of

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uh extraordinary things that are

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happening. When I came to the site visit

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uh a couple a few weeks ago, I I was

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able to see um from the early early

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childhood center how the adults were

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excited about kids getting dirty in the

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community garden. I was able to see uh

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the dual language school be very proud

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about the um the teachers that they have

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brought from Brazil, from the Dominican

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Republic and Spain. Uh then I was able

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to experience and and have a

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conversation with the a middle school

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principal that's actually very excited

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about the possibility that next year

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they will be um the start of a dual

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language program at the at their school.

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And then also in um in my meeting with

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high school students when I asked them

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what what is one aspect of the Salem

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High School uh experience that they feel

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really proud that they will be able to

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brag about and the answers I got were

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two that really were very telling. One

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one of the students mentioned that they

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were really proud of the special

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education program.

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This has been my first time in my

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educator life that actually students

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will actually highlight the education

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special education program as a highlight

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of their educational experience.

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The second thing that also uh was shared

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by the students when I met with them was

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that they were really proud and really

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excited about the design of the high

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school that allows them to to experience

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uh career and technology education

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opportunities and pathways in addition

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to the uh regular high school

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curriculum. So those are the things that

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I describe by extraordinary. Those are

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the things that really make Salem for me

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a exciting place to be able to join um

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as an educator. The second thing I would

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like to um highlight that my second

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through line is and it will hopefully

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will make more sense later is the

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concept of um locally rooted and

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globally ready. I I feel and I believe

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that all and every single Salem public

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school student deserves uh access to the

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core curriculum and also they deserve to

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really learn about their language, about

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the culture and about their local

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community and those things and those

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elements should make them ready for um

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basically be ready globally for career

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or any post-secary uh opportunities that

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they might want to pursue.

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So um those were my two uh through lines

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today and hopefully that will capture my

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vision and again I'm thank you for the

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opportunity um as I'm really honored to

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be here with with you today.

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» Thank you Mr. Allen. Um so our first

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question

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equity often requires difficult choices.

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How do you approach decisions about

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allocating resources, opportunities, and

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supports across students, schools, and

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programs when needs exceed available

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resources?

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» Yeah, I think for me the first operating

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definition is to keep in mind that

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equity doesn't mean equal distribution

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of assets. So equity is not asking for

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every single school, every single

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student to have the same thing. is

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actually is asking us to be mindful

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about how distribution of assets is u

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providing equal opportunity of uh access

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to opportunities.

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So um

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there's always this dilemma that is that

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we're bound to face that needs always

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going to surpass resources.

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The question that I will have as a

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superintendent that actually has

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dictated my um my career is to always

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ask the question like what are the

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students or families that will be

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impacted by any budget decision.

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especially keeping in mind that we want

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to u protect the families that are more

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vulnerable that the families that have

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been uh under reppresented or the the

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students have not been achieving

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educationally as their peers. So um with

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those decisions with those principles in

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mind it's important to communicate those

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values when um having budget

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considerations and conversations. I

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would like to offer an example. Um,

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as a department head in a in a world

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language program, I had to make the

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decision about uh increasing the class

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size of the honors classes to be able to

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to have enough staffing to support the

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um the college prep courses offered in

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my department. That was not a popular

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decision. That was not a decision that

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is in a way counterintuitive.

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But the principle, the driving principle

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for that is that those students that are

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labeled as college prep versus honors,

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those are the students that in a world

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language program are the ones that are

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more vulnerable. They are the ones that

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don't see themselves as language

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learners and those are the ones that

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will benefit from having a smaller class

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size in which that will um provide more

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access to the teachers.

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um those kind of decisions are the ones

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that I that I use when I look at

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budgetary uh considerations

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and um and what is more important is to

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keep in mind what will be the effect or

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the impact of those. So I was trying to

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protect the students that our program

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needed to um highly support and the

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students that were actually were

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underrepresented academically.

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Um but the most important thing is that

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that decision was owned by me. That

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decision was understood by the

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department and I did not pass that um

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the negativity that came with the

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decision and spread to the rest of the

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staff. So um in in the end the driving

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decision is about the impact. A budget

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document becomes a document of values

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and statements. And it's not just a list

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of cuts and expenses, but actually it

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should show what a district, what a

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program or a school values.

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» Thank you. Uh follow-up questions from

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committee members.

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Member Cornell.

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» Thank you. Um I'm wondering if you can

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uh develop a little bit how you would

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use what metrics you would use to sort

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of assess how we allocate

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our resources equitably. Um you know

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this is a concern for us going forward

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and equity is our guiding light in this

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district. So, how would you think about

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being data informed at the same time

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that we're, you know,

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um being human about the way that that

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we approach our high needs population?

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So, just like what sort of metrics and

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data would you be looking for to make

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sure that we're appropriating uh our

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finances um to the to the kids who need

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it the most?

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» Yeah, I think um a key element for that

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analysis has to be disagregating the

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data. We have to understand um what is

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the um the level of achievement not

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necessarily as a district as a whole but

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actually being able to be more nuanced

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and be able to understand um are we

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actually closing the gaps between the

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different student subgroups. And then we

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had to be a I will have to understand

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basically what is that connection

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between the uh prepundance of the those

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subgroups where are they mostly located

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or likely to be situated in the district

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operationally and also in um in the

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academic programming. So um I think the

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metrics for me that um that I basically

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drive when I understand district

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decisions, it has to come to the dis the

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segregated data and understanding what

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are the programs that actually

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supporting those particular groups that

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are trailing the mainstream or trailing

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the average of the district and what

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where are the programs that actually are

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helping to close that gap and to

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accelerate learning. And so in an

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environment which one is considering

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either right sizing or sunsetting

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programs that is kind of the metric that

278
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I will be looking for the educational

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outcomes for the particular groups that

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we're interested in protecting.

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» Thank you.

282
00:12:42,000 --> 00:12:47,120
» All right. No further follow-ups on that

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00:12:44,320 --> 00:12:49,360
point. Member Cornell.

284
00:12:47,120 --> 00:12:52,160
» We have the next question.

285
00:12:49,360 --> 00:12:53,920
Uh the next question is uh Salem has

286
00:12:52,160 --> 00:12:56,320
worked hard to build a culture of high

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expectations for all students while also

288
00:12:56,320 --> 00:13:00,560
offering strong college and career

289
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pathways. How would you ensure students

290
00:13:00,560 --> 00:13:05,519
experience a coherent educational

291
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journey from elementary through high

292
00:13:05,519 --> 00:13:10,240
school and graduate prepared graduates

293
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prepared for co success in college

294
00:13:10,240 --> 00:13:14,560
career and life? I'm sorry and graduate

295
00:13:12,800 --> 00:13:15,920
prepared for co success in college

296
00:13:14,560 --> 00:13:18,639
career and life.

297
00:13:15,920 --> 00:13:21,680
» Yeah. Um thank you for the question. For

298
00:13:18,639 --> 00:13:25,440
me the uh key term with that question is

299
00:13:21,680 --> 00:13:28,320
coherence. And by coherence I mean that

300
00:13:25,440 --> 00:13:29,920
when I think about a kindergarten

301
00:13:28,320 --> 00:13:33,040
student who might be starting in the

302
00:13:29,920 --> 00:13:34,959
fall in the and Sarah Parker Raman

303
00:13:33,040 --> 00:13:37,120
school for example and when I think

304
00:13:34,959 --> 00:13:40,720
about high school sale high school

305
00:13:37,120 --> 00:13:44,959
student uh are they experiencing

306
00:13:40,720 --> 00:13:48,079
educationally an alignment of um or

307
00:13:44,959 --> 00:13:50,639
opportunities or are we just a district

308
00:13:48,079 --> 00:13:53,600
that is basically a conglomerate of

309
00:13:50,639 --> 00:13:56,639
disperate um experience. experiences

310
00:13:53,600 --> 00:14:00,959
under the same name of uh Salem public

311
00:13:56,639 --> 00:14:03,680
schools. So it is important that um I

312
00:14:00,959 --> 00:14:06,320
see the coherency reflected by what

313
00:14:03,680 --> 00:14:08,880
Selma has done with the uh portrait of

314
00:14:06,320 --> 00:14:10,639
the graduate and the question for me

315
00:14:08,880 --> 00:14:13,040
will be how is that portrait of the

316
00:14:10,639 --> 00:14:17,519
graduate reflected in all vert

317
00:14:13,040 --> 00:14:21,120
vertically in all the levels. Um, one

318
00:14:17,519 --> 00:14:24,399
should be able to see that unfolding and

319
00:14:21,120 --> 00:14:25,839
unpacking of those um, characteristic of

320
00:14:24,399 --> 00:14:27,680
the posture of the graduate like

321
00:14:25,839 --> 00:14:31,120
critical thinking, creative problem

322
00:14:27,680 --> 00:14:34,480
solving, collaboration, communication,

323
00:14:31,120 --> 00:14:37,920
self-awareness and cultural competence

324
00:14:34,480 --> 00:14:40,480
from the early stages from um,

325
00:14:37,920 --> 00:14:43,519
kindergarten, elementary and middle

326
00:14:40,480 --> 00:14:45,519
school and so forth. It should not start

327
00:14:43,519 --> 00:14:49,199
at ninth grade. which actually should

328
00:14:45,519 --> 00:14:51,680
start in our levels. And um this

329
00:14:49,199 --> 00:14:55,519
alignment of experiences

330
00:14:51,680 --> 00:14:57,120
um is important to be able to provide

331
00:14:55,519 --> 00:14:59,600
students with access to the core

332
00:14:57,120 --> 00:15:01,760
curriculum and high standards. And also

333
00:14:59,600 --> 00:15:06,639
going back to what I say about being

334
00:15:01,760 --> 00:15:10,480
able to um experience a enrich locally

335
00:15:06,639 --> 00:15:13,519
um informed educational uh curriculum

336
00:15:10,480 --> 00:15:15,920
and also to prepare them for the global

337
00:15:13,519 --> 00:15:17,920
economy and all the um future readiness

338
00:15:15,920 --> 00:15:20,079
that we're asking students to be ready.

339
00:15:17,920 --> 00:15:23,279
So going back to the question, I mean I

340
00:15:20,079 --> 00:15:25,199
think the the key thing is coherence and

341
00:15:23,279 --> 00:15:27,279
what we should be able to see that

342
00:15:25,199 --> 00:15:31,320
elements of that coherence throughout

343
00:15:27,279 --> 00:15:31,320
vertically in all the levels

344
00:15:36,399 --> 00:15:39,880
follow-up questions.

345
00:15:41,839 --> 00:15:46,959
» I'm just gonna say yes every time.

346
00:15:43,360 --> 00:15:48,560
» Okay. Member Cornell. Um, so just to

347
00:15:46,959 --> 00:15:50,959
drill down a little bit more on that,

348
00:15:48,560 --> 00:15:56,079
I'm wondering if you could talk about

349
00:15:50,959 --> 00:15:59,120
how you will work with teachers to

350
00:15:56,079 --> 00:16:01,199
assess whether or not we we are being

351
00:15:59,120 --> 00:16:04,560
coherent, right? Um, with our

352
00:16:01,199 --> 00:16:07,519
expectations and our follow through um

353
00:16:04,560 --> 00:16:08,880
and also ensuring high standards while

354
00:16:07,519 --> 00:16:10,399
we're doing that. And I think that also

355
00:16:08,880 --> 00:16:14,160
goes back to our the first question

356
00:16:10,399 --> 00:16:15,680
about our um you know about equity and

357
00:16:14,160 --> 00:16:17,120
making sure that our most marginalized

358
00:16:15,680 --> 00:16:19,360
students are getting the most having

359
00:16:17,120 --> 00:16:21,120
those h how you assess that and how you

360
00:16:19,360 --> 00:16:23,120
work with teachers to kind of make sure

361
00:16:21,120 --> 00:16:25,440
we're on track.

362
00:16:23,120 --> 00:16:28,079
» Yeah, I think you know definitely um

363
00:16:25,440 --> 00:16:32,160
with the educational data that we have

364
00:16:28,079 --> 00:16:33,920
that is to ensure that um that the

365
00:16:32,160 --> 00:16:35,440
educational programming is actually

366
00:16:33,920 --> 00:16:39,759
yielding the resource that we're looking

367
00:16:35,440 --> 00:16:42,240
for. For example, here um in Salem um

368
00:16:39,759 --> 00:16:44,480
you know it's it's remarkable the growth

369
00:16:42,240 --> 00:16:47,920
that we have seen with former English

370
00:16:44,480 --> 00:16:51,839
learners. Uh personally um in my current

371
00:16:47,920 --> 00:16:54,320
district I I participated in um in tried

372
00:16:51,839 --> 00:16:56,880
to introduce datainformed

373
00:16:54,320 --> 00:16:59,839
uh meetings regarding uh English

374
00:16:56,880 --> 00:17:02,240
learners uh in the sense of you know a

375
00:16:59,839 --> 00:17:04,319
kind of a variation of multi-ter systems

376
00:17:02,240 --> 00:17:06,880
of support in which we're using data to

377
00:17:04,319 --> 00:17:09,439
inform our educational moves and

378
00:17:06,880 --> 00:17:13,360
instructional practices.

379
00:17:09,439 --> 00:17:15,439
um is not too much about remediation a

380
00:17:13,360 --> 00:17:18,000
mindset of remediation but it's a

381
00:17:15,439 --> 00:17:20,240
mindset of what do we need to provide at

382
00:17:18,000 --> 00:17:26,720
the student at the right time uh at the

383
00:17:20,240 --> 00:17:28,160
right moment um so that the data inform

384
00:17:26,720 --> 00:17:29,840
instructional decisions is something

385
00:17:28,160 --> 00:17:32,880
that I will be looking as a

386
00:17:29,840 --> 00:17:35,440
superintendent and hopefully in um in

387
00:17:32,880 --> 00:17:38,640
different spaces there will be evidence

388
00:17:35,440 --> 00:17:42,720
that educators we are using that not as

389
00:17:38,640 --> 00:17:45,760
the only solution or the only aspect but

390
00:17:42,720 --> 00:17:48,559
that is actually partially informing our

391
00:17:45,760 --> 00:17:50,320
decision aside from understanding the uh

392
00:17:48,559 --> 00:17:53,679
context of the different students. So I

393
00:17:50,320 --> 00:17:56,559
think um going back to data on and

394
00:17:53,679 --> 00:17:59,360
seeing every year how we closing those

395
00:17:56,559 --> 00:18:02,640
gaps. For example, Salem has done

396
00:17:59,360 --> 00:18:05,280
remarkable in um their student growth.

397
00:18:02,640 --> 00:18:07,919
You know, even though that our prof our

398
00:18:05,280 --> 00:18:10,880
achievement um levels have not caught up

399
00:18:07,919 --> 00:18:12,400
yet, we know that research shows that

400
00:18:10,880 --> 00:18:15,280
sustained

401
00:18:12,400 --> 00:18:19,120
um increase in growth will actually pay

402
00:18:15,280 --> 00:18:21,600
off or show off with achievement. So um

403
00:18:19,120 --> 00:18:24,320
to your question about how we'll ensure

404
00:18:21,600 --> 00:18:27,760
that that is happening in classrooms and

405
00:18:24,320 --> 00:18:29,919
in schools. I think by having by

406
00:18:27,760 --> 00:18:33,280
listening and observing conversations in

407
00:18:29,919 --> 00:18:36,679
which educators are using data to inform

408
00:18:33,280 --> 00:18:36,679
their conversations.

409
00:18:43,280 --> 00:18:49,360
» Um member bias you have the next

410
00:18:44,880 --> 00:18:52,160
question. Can we get prepared first?

411
00:18:49,360 --> 00:18:53,679
» Hello. So, I'm going to be asking my

412
00:18:52,160 --> 00:18:55,679
question in Spanish and I just want to

413
00:18:53,679 --> 00:18:57,440
thank the interpreter here for helping

414
00:18:55,679 --> 00:19:01,480
us tonight.

415
00:18:57,440 --> 00:19:01,480
Let me know when you guys are ready.

416
00:19:04,080 --> 00:19:07,080
Okay.

417
00:19:08,880 --> 00:19:11,880
Okay.

418
00:19:12,400 --> 00:19:15,400
andific.

419
00:19:42,720 --> 00:19:45,720
Army

420
00:19:59,200 --> 00:20:02,000
parame

421
00:20:16,400 --> 00:20:19,400
experience.

422
00:20:26,480 --> 00:20:29,480
Um,

423
00:20:34,400 --> 00:20:37,640
collabor. Fore

424
00:21:02,559 --> 00:21:05,880
being inch.

425
00:21:21,200 --> 00:21:24,960
Um,

426
00:21:22,960 --> 00:21:26,400
in closing, I would like to say this in

427
00:21:24,960 --> 00:21:30,240
English for everyone to have access to

428
00:21:26,400 --> 00:21:32,640
it. I think the goal is for Salem to be

429
00:21:30,240 --> 00:21:35,520
a district where everyone feels that

430
00:21:32,640 --> 00:21:35,520
they belong.

431
00:21:35,919 --> 00:21:39,960
Gracias.

432
00:21:36,960 --> 00:21:39,960
» Gracias.

433
00:21:44,720 --> 00:21:48,120
» Any follow-ups?

434
00:21:48,799 --> 00:21:51,799
No.

435
00:21:51,919 --> 00:21:55,880
Um, member Hoffman,

436
00:21:59,280 --> 00:22:03,039
» Tell us about your experience supporting

437
00:22:01,039 --> 00:22:05,679
students who face significant barriers

438
00:22:03,039 --> 00:22:07,600
to success, including students from

439
00:22:05,679 --> 00:22:10,799
marginalized communities and those at

440
00:22:07,600 --> 00:22:14,159
risk of disengagement. How would you

441
00:22:10,799 --> 00:22:18,159
ensure Salem's systems identify needs

442
00:22:14,159 --> 00:22:20,799
early and provide effective support?

443
00:22:18,159 --> 00:22:22,880
Early

444
00:22:20,799 --> 00:22:26,240
identification

445
00:22:22,880 --> 00:22:30,880
is the name of the game is the most

446
00:22:26,240 --> 00:22:34,080
important aspect for me. Um

447
00:22:30,880 --> 00:22:36,080
in one of my previous um districts or

448
00:22:34,080 --> 00:22:38,880
actually schools

449
00:22:36,080 --> 00:22:42,480
um educators had access to a system that

450
00:22:38,880 --> 00:22:43,919
via email any educator in the team could

451
00:22:42,480 --> 00:22:47,039
actually communicate with the entire

452
00:22:43,919 --> 00:22:48,320
group when there was any uh reason for

453
00:22:47,039 --> 00:22:50,400
concern.

454
00:22:48,320 --> 00:22:53,520
Uh it didn't have to be a crisis. It

455
00:22:50,400 --> 00:22:56,559
just was just a concern. Um for example,

456
00:22:53,520 --> 00:22:58,559
in my case as a language um educator, if

457
00:22:56,559 --> 00:23:01,520
I had a concern about a particular

458
00:22:58,559 --> 00:23:04,240
student, I will just email the group of

459
00:23:01,520 --> 00:23:06,799
adults. Um this is what I'm seeing. This

460
00:23:04,240 --> 00:23:08,720
is I'm wondering and likely the

461
00:23:06,799 --> 00:23:10,960
counselor which as as a part of that

462
00:23:08,720 --> 00:23:13,760
group will reach out to me. I will try

463
00:23:10,960 --> 00:23:16,159
to understand better what I have seen or

464
00:23:13,760 --> 00:23:18,400
heard from the student or uh regarding

465
00:23:16,159 --> 00:23:20,480
the student performance and then they

466
00:23:18,400 --> 00:23:23,679
may share with me a little more context

467
00:23:20,480 --> 00:23:25,200
so I can understand um what is the

468
00:23:23,679 --> 00:23:28,640
reality of the student and what could be

469
00:23:25,200 --> 00:23:31,360
the factors um in playing into that.

470
00:23:28,640 --> 00:23:32,880
That system might seem really small but

471
00:23:31,360 --> 00:23:36,640
it's something that I had taken

472
00:23:32,880 --> 00:23:38,720
throughout my career in the sense that a

473
00:23:36,640 --> 00:23:41,600
concern we should not let a concern

474
00:23:38,720 --> 00:23:43,120
become a crisis and sometimes we

475
00:23:41,600 --> 00:23:47,600
formalize

476
00:23:43,120 --> 00:23:50,400
alert systems. Um yes they are designed

477
00:23:47,600 --> 00:23:54,799
to capture those moments but if we could

478
00:23:50,400 --> 00:23:57,760
also normalize more frequent more less

479
00:23:54,799 --> 00:24:00,240
formal in a way kind of informal way or

480
00:23:57,760 --> 00:24:02,400
letting other adults in the group on the

481
00:24:00,240 --> 00:24:05,919
team kind of know we will be able to

482
00:24:02,400 --> 00:24:08,480
kind of close that gap between a concern

483
00:24:05,919 --> 00:24:10,960
and a crisis. I think that when a

484
00:24:08,480 --> 00:24:14,559
student disengages in multiple

485
00:24:10,960 --> 00:24:17,600
disciplines, we have missed the mark. We

486
00:24:14,559 --> 00:24:20,640
should try to respond early and try to

487
00:24:17,600 --> 00:24:24,600
um access and and um provide that

488
00:24:20,640 --> 00:24:24,600
support from the early stages.

489
00:24:33,760 --> 00:24:39,840
» Member Cornell.

490
00:24:36,159 --> 00:24:43,360
Thank you. I'm wondering um if you could

491
00:24:39,840 --> 00:24:44,799
talk about how you will work with

492
00:24:43,360 --> 00:24:48,240
teachers, you know, the people who are

493
00:24:44,799 --> 00:24:50,640
really on the ground to ensure that

494
00:24:48,240 --> 00:24:52,799
we're not leaving students behind. Sort

495
00:24:50,640 --> 00:24:55,279
of what is your leadership look like in

496
00:24:52,799 --> 00:24:56,720
that regard? Um or how do you expect to

497
00:24:55,279 --> 00:24:59,600
engage with teachers to kind of make

498
00:24:56,720 --> 00:25:01,120
sure that everybody is prioritizing the

499
00:24:59,600 --> 00:25:03,679
same things?

500
00:25:01,120 --> 00:25:06,000
» Yeah. Um I mean obviously I mean there

501
00:25:03,679 --> 00:25:09,919
are there are structures in schools like

502
00:25:06,000 --> 00:25:12,960
um student student support and teams um

503
00:25:09,919 --> 00:25:15,120
data meetings also um at the building

504
00:25:12,960 --> 00:25:16,640
level that might bring up some of those

505
00:25:15,120 --> 00:25:19,039
conversations.

506
00:25:16,640 --> 00:25:21,120
Um personally currently in my district

507
00:25:19,039 --> 00:25:23,679
what we are working in what we call

508
00:25:21,120 --> 00:25:25,919
relationship mapping which is basically

509
00:25:23,679 --> 00:25:29,200
just a tool in which we are trying to

510
00:25:25,919 --> 00:25:32,880
account for every student making sure

511
00:25:29,200 --> 00:25:34,400
that they have at least a trusted adult.

512
00:25:32,880 --> 00:25:36,799
is not too much on the student

513
00:25:34,400 --> 00:25:40,000
perception of having an adult but

514
00:25:36,799 --> 00:25:43,840
actually matching the stu the adult or

515
00:25:40,000 --> 00:25:46,559
the teacher perception or of how they

516
00:25:43,840 --> 00:25:48,480
connect with a particular student. So

517
00:25:46,559 --> 00:25:51,200
we're trying to in that way kind of

518
00:25:48,480 --> 00:25:53,919
survey the landscape identify where we

519
00:25:51,200 --> 00:25:56,000
had gaps identify the students that have

520
00:25:53,919 --> 00:25:59,200
not been quote unquote claimed by any

521
00:25:56,000 --> 00:26:01,200
adult and then act as okay let's

522
00:25:59,200 --> 00:26:04,480
understand who can be that trusted

523
00:26:01,200 --> 00:26:07,679
adult. um so that so that the student is

524
00:26:04,480 --> 00:26:10,080
connected. A lot of times those uh gaps

525
00:26:07,679 --> 00:26:12,559
or holes in my current practice they

526
00:26:10,080 --> 00:26:15,279
happen to be new students, new transfer

527
00:26:12,559 --> 00:26:18,320
students that are new to the community.

528
00:26:15,279 --> 00:26:20,640
But also it kind of when we look at the

529
00:26:18,320 --> 00:26:22,559
aggregate data in those that that kind

530
00:26:20,640 --> 00:26:25,760
of practice it tell us a little bit

531
00:26:22,559 --> 00:26:29,200
about our practices and our about

532
00:26:25,760 --> 00:26:31,919
internal biases regarding why students

533
00:26:29,200 --> 00:26:35,679
need connections and why students don't

534
00:26:31,919 --> 00:26:37,679
need connections. So that is a very uh

535
00:26:35,679 --> 00:26:40,159
it's a small tool that's a daily

536
00:26:37,679 --> 00:26:43,600
practice but that is how currently we're

537
00:26:40,159 --> 00:26:45,600
trying to remind our staff members of

538
00:26:43,600 --> 00:26:47,440
the important of connections and

539
00:26:45,600 --> 00:26:49,840
hopefully those connections will allow

540
00:26:47,440 --> 00:26:52,159
us to have those identification as I

541
00:26:49,840 --> 00:26:54,880
mentioned in my previous question and

542
00:26:52,159 --> 00:26:58,919
then also be able to tackle a concern

543
00:26:54,880 --> 00:26:58,919
before it becomes a crisis.

544
00:27:05,840 --> 00:27:12,960
Okay. Um, next question is mine. Um,

545
00:27:11,200 --> 00:27:15,039
Dr. Allen, school districts across

546
00:27:12,960 --> 00:27:17,279
Massachusetts face significant fiscal

547
00:27:15,039 --> 00:27:19,679
challenges. Tell us about your approach

548
00:27:17,279 --> 00:27:22,559
to budgeting and resource allocation and

549
00:27:19,679 --> 00:27:25,679
share an example of how you've navigated

550
00:27:22,559 --> 00:27:27,919
a period of financial constraint.

551
00:27:25,679 --> 00:27:32,559
Yeah, as I mentioned, I mean, uh, budget

552
00:27:27,919 --> 00:27:35,360
is a value statement document. Um,

553
00:27:32,559 --> 00:27:39,120
in my experience, you know, um, as a

554
00:27:35,360 --> 00:27:42,640
department head, as a district director,

555
00:27:39,120 --> 00:27:45,840
um, I had an a situation in which, um,

556
00:27:42,640 --> 00:27:49,600
because of FD reductions, we had to look

557
00:27:45,840 --> 00:27:51,440
at, um, you know, cuts in the, uh, high

558
00:27:49,600 --> 00:27:54,640
school programming.

559
00:27:51,440 --> 00:27:57,039
um the cuts could have impacted the

560
00:27:54,640 --> 00:28:01,440
Chinese language program uh in my

561
00:27:57,039 --> 00:28:04,000
particular setting. Um, two of the key

562
00:28:01,440 --> 00:28:06,080
drivers going back to what I mentioned

563
00:28:04,000 --> 00:28:08,480
at the beginning about looking at

564
00:28:06,080 --> 00:28:11,120
budget, looking at finances, looking at

565
00:28:08,480 --> 00:28:14,080
impact from an equity lens was to

566
00:28:11,120 --> 00:28:17,840
appreciate the fact that our middle

567
00:28:14,080 --> 00:28:20,240
schools offer Spanish and French.

568
00:28:17,840 --> 00:28:22,559
Whereas um the only exposure or access

569
00:28:20,240 --> 00:28:24,399
to Chinese was actually at the high

570
00:28:22,559 --> 00:28:26,240
school level.

571
00:28:24,399 --> 00:28:28,399
the Chinese lang language program in

572
00:28:26,240 --> 00:28:30,880
this particular district actually

573
00:28:28,399 --> 00:28:33,760
represent was a statement of value

574
00:28:30,880 --> 00:28:36,000
because it it represented a significant

575
00:28:33,760 --> 00:28:39,279
portion of the demographic of the

576
00:28:36,000 --> 00:28:40,880
community. So that was one equity

577
00:28:39,279 --> 00:28:43,760
consideration.

578
00:28:40,880 --> 00:28:47,120
The second equity consideration was that

579
00:28:43,760 --> 00:28:48,799
for students that have not found success

580
00:28:47,120 --> 00:28:51,440
in French or Spanish at the middle

581
00:28:48,799 --> 00:28:54,000
school, uh having access to a different

582
00:28:51,440 --> 00:28:55,919
language, uh a very different language

583
00:28:54,000 --> 00:28:59,120
from the Romans languages of French and

584
00:28:55,919 --> 00:29:02,399
Spanish actually offer an opportunity to

585
00:28:59,120 --> 00:29:05,919
try again to reset and not lose that

586
00:29:02,399 --> 00:29:07,440
confidence of them becoming um language

587
00:29:05,919 --> 00:29:11,039
learners.

588
00:29:07,440 --> 00:29:13,360
Um the importance of small programs at

589
00:29:11,039 --> 00:29:15,919
the high school for example is that they

590
00:29:13,360 --> 00:29:20,080
tend to only have one teacher. So the

591
00:29:15,919 --> 00:29:21,840
students actually were um exposed or uh

592
00:29:20,080 --> 00:29:24,399
actually working with one educator for

593
00:29:21,840 --> 00:29:26,799
four years. So it created a level of

594
00:29:24,399 --> 00:29:29,840
safety that we were not being able to

595
00:29:26,799 --> 00:29:32,240
provide with the larger uh language

596
00:29:29,840 --> 00:29:37,120
programs. Again this is a decision that

597
00:29:32,240 --> 00:29:40,080
was not popular is not intuitive. Um and

598
00:29:37,120 --> 00:29:43,120
it's um it's the kind of decisions that

599
00:29:40,080 --> 00:29:45,679
one has to make and one has to own and

600
00:29:43,120 --> 00:29:47,760
be able to also absorb the negativity

601
00:29:45,679 --> 00:29:51,120
that will come that may come with the

602
00:29:47,760 --> 00:29:53,200
decision and not pass it to the the rest

603
00:29:51,120 --> 00:29:54,640
of the team or the rest of the staff

604
00:29:53,200 --> 00:29:58,399
because I believe that that's part of

605
00:29:54,640 --> 00:30:00,159
the being a servant leader to also be

606
00:29:58,399 --> 00:30:02,000
able to understand that there will be a

607
00:30:00,159 --> 00:30:04,159
price to be paid by decisions that had

608
00:30:02,000 --> 00:30:05,919
to be made but as long as one is

609
00:30:04,159 --> 00:30:08,640
transparent about what is the guiding

610
00:30:05,919 --> 00:30:10,399
principle in this case the two equity

611
00:30:08,640 --> 00:30:13,520
considerations

612
00:30:10,399 --> 00:30:15,039
um at least there's an understanding

613
00:30:13,520 --> 00:30:18,399
even though that people might not agree

614
00:30:15,039 --> 00:30:20,960
about the the execution of the plan when

615
00:30:18,399 --> 00:30:22,960
when I scale out envisioning what

616
00:30:20,960 --> 00:30:25,840
happens at the district level it's kind

617
00:30:22,960 --> 00:30:28,720
of the same being led by the same

618
00:30:25,840 --> 00:30:31,679
principles uh understanding what will be

619
00:30:28,720 --> 00:30:34,320
the impact of the cut or the budget

620
00:30:31,679 --> 00:30:37,200
change depending on the um the

621
00:30:34,320 --> 00:30:40,000
challenges of the budget and to ask

622
00:30:37,200 --> 00:30:42,000
ourselves about are there other ways to

623
00:30:40,000 --> 00:30:44,240
protect those vulnerable students and

624
00:30:42,000 --> 00:30:46,960
and families. Are there other services

625
00:30:44,240 --> 00:30:51,120
that comparable to that uh and it's not

626
00:30:46,960 --> 00:30:53,120
just an exercise of balancing numbers um

627
00:30:51,120 --> 00:30:55,279
even though that that's is you know

628
00:30:53,120 --> 00:30:58,279
obviously going to be present in those

629
00:30:55,279 --> 00:30:58,279
discussions.

630
00:31:00,720 --> 00:31:04,640
» Stop.

631
00:31:02,080 --> 00:31:06,640
» Thank you. Um

632
00:31:04,640 --> 00:31:08,159
I I had two quick questions actually.

633
00:31:06,640 --> 00:31:09,440
The first question was so the the

634
00:31:08,159 --> 00:31:11,760
example that you provided with the

635
00:31:09,440 --> 00:31:14,159
Chinese language program. Were you able

636
00:31:11,760 --> 00:31:15,520
to keep that program or did you have to

637
00:31:14,159 --> 00:31:16,240
no longer have that program in the

638
00:31:15,520 --> 00:31:18,799
district?

639
00:31:16,240 --> 00:31:21,039
» Yeah. So the specifics is that the there

640
00:31:18,799 --> 00:31:23,840
were some retirements happening in in in

641
00:31:21,039 --> 00:31:26,240
Spanish and also they we had a teacher

642
00:31:23,840 --> 00:31:28,080
that could actually teach both languages

643
00:31:26,240 --> 00:31:30,640
French and Spanish. So we were able to

644
00:31:28,080 --> 00:31:34,480
kind of like swing that person to

645
00:31:30,640 --> 00:31:36,399
support the not refilling the uh or

646
00:31:34,480 --> 00:31:38,880
replacing retirements in the Spanish

647
00:31:36,399 --> 00:31:40,640
program to be able to have enough FTEEs

648
00:31:38,880 --> 00:31:43,679
to be able to maintain the Chinese

649
00:31:40,640 --> 00:31:45,760
language teacher at that moment. So

650
00:31:43,679 --> 00:31:48,159
obviously by doing that class sizes

651
00:31:45,760 --> 00:31:50,159
increased you know this uh expectation

652
00:31:48,159 --> 00:31:52,960
like why you doing this I mean these are

653
00:31:50,159 --> 00:31:55,519
the most of our students are in Spanish

654
00:31:52,960 --> 00:31:57,840
and French they are now being served by

655
00:31:55,519 --> 00:31:59,200
these decisions but there was the equity

656
00:31:57,840 --> 00:32:01,360
consideration that I mentioned in my

657
00:31:59,200 --> 00:32:04,799
answer about this is the only space

658
00:32:01,360 --> 00:32:08,080
where a significant number of families

659
00:32:04,799 --> 00:32:10,720
see reflected and also it's important

660
00:32:08,080 --> 00:32:13,039
because otherwise we will be narrowing

661
00:32:10,720 --> 00:32:14,880
the language options for students that

662
00:32:13,039 --> 00:32:16,799
may not have seen success at at the

663
00:32:14,880 --> 00:32:18,960
middle school level.

664
00:32:16,799 --> 00:32:21,200
» Thank you for closing that loop for me.

665
00:32:18,960 --> 00:32:24,720
» Um and then just a question about the

666
00:32:21,200 --> 00:32:26,880
the budget communication in in general.

667
00:32:24,720 --> 00:32:28,320
Um you know it happens every year,

668
00:32:26,880 --> 00:32:31,360
right? We all know what's coming and so

669
00:32:28,320 --> 00:32:33,360
I'm curious as to what your your

670
00:32:31,360 --> 00:32:35,840
philosophy is with communication of the

671
00:32:33,360 --> 00:32:39,919
budget to you know the different groups

672
00:32:35,840 --> 00:32:42,399
that we have. So staff um families

673
00:32:39,919 --> 00:32:44,480
students even sometimes like how is that

674
00:32:42,399 --> 00:32:45,679
all communi or what's your philosophy of

675
00:32:44,480 --> 00:32:48,559
communicating that out and working with

676
00:32:45,679 --> 00:32:50,720
the other groups? Yeah, I think it comes

677
00:32:48,559 --> 00:32:53,519
back to what I have said in in some of

678
00:32:50,720 --> 00:32:55,120
the answers uh before

679
00:32:53,519 --> 00:32:57,279
just remind the community about the

680
00:32:55,120 --> 00:32:59,600
guiding principles. I mean they are

681
00:32:57,279 --> 00:33:02,159
budget drivers you know the you know

682
00:32:59,600 --> 00:33:04,799
that actually are f more financial in

683
00:33:02,159 --> 00:33:06,240
nature but also they should be a

684
00:33:04,799 --> 00:33:10,080
reminder to the community about the

685
00:33:06,240 --> 00:33:12,240
guiding principles so that when we start

686
00:33:10,080 --> 00:33:14,320
um having discussions

687
00:33:12,240 --> 00:33:15,760
the preemptively we have the we have

688
00:33:14,320 --> 00:33:17,919
shared with the community and with the

689
00:33:15,760 --> 00:33:20,000
stakeholders what will be the equity

690
00:33:17,919 --> 00:33:24,480
consideration that we'll be using for

691
00:33:20,000 --> 00:33:26,480
those decisions. Um I mean budgets um I

692
00:33:24,480 --> 00:33:29,279
would assume if it's similar to my

693
00:33:26,480 --> 00:33:31,120
previous districts I mean they basically

694
00:33:29,279 --> 00:33:35,120
start early in the fall. I mean when we

695
00:33:31,120 --> 00:33:38,480
start looking at at those um anticipated

696
00:33:35,120 --> 00:33:40,799
um sizes of revenues um we might

697
00:33:38,480 --> 00:33:42,880
anticipate any shortfall from the very

698
00:33:40,799 --> 00:33:45,519
beginning. We start asking programmatic

699
00:33:42,880 --> 00:33:47,679
questions at the at the academic council

700
00:33:45,519 --> 00:33:49,440
level we call it which is basically all

701
00:33:47,679 --> 00:33:51,919
the department heads and principals and

702
00:33:49,440 --> 00:33:54,799
directors. And then the equity question

703
00:33:51,919 --> 00:33:58,399
will be always the the equity probe that

704
00:33:54,799 --> 00:34:01,120
those conversations will be um will be

705
00:33:58,399 --> 00:34:02,240
used is who are these who are the

706
00:34:01,120 --> 00:34:06,640
families and students that will be

707
00:34:02,240 --> 00:34:09,440
impacted? how uh can we protect them and

708
00:34:06,640 --> 00:34:11,280
are other uh alternatives where students

709
00:34:09,440 --> 00:34:13,200
can still have access to the same

710
00:34:11,280 --> 00:34:16,320
educational outcomes that we wanted to

711
00:34:13,200 --> 00:34:20,159
provide for these other programs. the I

712
00:34:16,320 --> 00:34:22,800
think with with um staff I think given

713
00:34:20,159 --> 00:34:24,480
the declining enrollment that we're

714
00:34:22,800 --> 00:34:26,480
having across the state and even in a

715
00:34:24,480 --> 00:34:29,200
way the country I mean that's a it's a

716
00:34:26,480 --> 00:34:31,359
reality that communities are facing we

717
00:34:29,200 --> 00:34:33,280
have to be also be cognizant of the

718
00:34:31,359 --> 00:34:35,839
impact that immigration enforcement is

719
00:34:33,280 --> 00:34:38,000
having in in a number of our communities

720
00:34:35,839 --> 00:34:40,800
because it's impacting our enrollment so

721
00:34:38,000 --> 00:34:43,040
I think the more that we let people

722
00:34:40,800 --> 00:34:46,240
preemptively know what are the factors

723
00:34:43,040 --> 00:34:49,599
that are going to be at Okay.

724
00:34:46,240 --> 00:34:53,200
Is not going to alleviate the discomfort

725
00:34:49,599 --> 00:34:57,040
and the frustration but at least will

726
00:34:53,200 --> 00:34:58,560
allow people to see transparently what

727
00:34:57,040 --> 00:35:02,160
was the framework and the thinking

728
00:34:58,560 --> 00:35:05,320
behind the decisions.

729
00:35:02,160 --> 00:35:05,320
» Thank you.

730
00:35:05,920 --> 00:35:12,000
» Any further follow-ups? Member Cornell.

731
00:35:10,000 --> 00:35:13,599
As a body, we really value our

732
00:35:12,000 --> 00:35:16,560
relationships with our collective

733
00:35:13,599 --> 00:35:17,920
bargaining units and uh you know, the

734
00:35:16,560 --> 00:35:19,520
Salem Teachers Union is the biggest

735
00:35:17,920 --> 00:35:21,839
collective bargaining unit and is is the

736
00:35:19,520 --> 00:35:25,040
one most impacted when we have uh budget

737
00:35:21,839 --> 00:35:27,359
deficits. And we rely on the the

738
00:35:25,040 --> 00:35:29,280
superintendent to be that bridge between

739
00:35:27,359 --> 00:35:31,359
the Salem teachers union and the school

740
00:35:29,280 --> 00:35:34,960
committee both in the buildup to the

741
00:35:31,359 --> 00:35:37,280
budget process and and um and in the

742
00:35:34,960 --> 00:35:40,079
negotiation process as well which is

743
00:35:37,280 --> 00:35:42,400
dependent on budgets obviously but um so

744
00:35:40,079 --> 00:35:44,240
that as you know is an important job of

745
00:35:42,400 --> 00:35:46,960
school committee of the um the

746
00:35:44,240 --> 00:35:53,040
superintendent. So, I'm I'm wondering

747
00:35:46,960 --> 00:35:56,320
how how you'll negotiate that role of of

748
00:35:53,040 --> 00:35:59,599
um you know, being that liaison between

749
00:35:56,320 --> 00:36:03,359
us and and the the school commit or the

750
00:35:59,599 --> 00:36:07,359
um the teachers union uh preparing them

751
00:36:03,359 --> 00:36:09,920
for uh potential deficits, you know, how

752
00:36:07,359 --> 00:36:12,720
do you see that relationship evolving as

753
00:36:09,920 --> 00:36:15,599
you as you get into the job?

754
00:36:12,720 --> 00:36:17,760
Yeah, that's a great question and I I

755
00:36:15,599 --> 00:36:22,000
have to admit that in my experience I

756
00:36:17,760 --> 00:36:23,440
have not seen the perfect way to do it.

757
00:36:22,000 --> 00:36:26,800
I mean I just want to be honest about

758
00:36:23,440 --> 00:36:30,560
that. I think it's always uh hope that

759
00:36:26,800 --> 00:36:33,280
there will be some kind of um

760
00:36:30,560 --> 00:36:36,079
anticipated communication that will uh

761
00:36:33,280 --> 00:36:38,720
avoid that sense of shock and

762
00:36:36,079 --> 00:36:42,160
frustration that comes and at the same

763
00:36:38,720 --> 00:36:44,800
time the um

764
00:36:42,160 --> 00:36:48,560
the sometimes the details of knowing

765
00:36:44,800 --> 00:36:51,200
exactly how a reduction will impact a

766
00:36:48,560 --> 00:36:55,200
specific employees or in specific number

767
00:36:51,200 --> 00:36:58,720
of FDs is always uh a tricky uh act to

768
00:36:55,200 --> 00:37:00,880
navigate. I will say that bringing back

769
00:36:58,720 --> 00:37:03,440
everything I have said, I mean I will I

770
00:37:00,880 --> 00:37:05,520
will assume that Salem compared to other

771
00:37:03,440 --> 00:37:08,800
districts will have routine

772
00:37:05,520 --> 00:37:11,200
conversations with leadership. I I I am

773
00:37:08,800 --> 00:37:13,119
currently part of those leadership um

774
00:37:11,200 --> 00:37:15,839
you know once a month every you know

775
00:37:13,119 --> 00:37:18,480
twice a month uh communications and

776
00:37:15,839 --> 00:37:20,400
engagement and one of the guiding

777
00:37:18,480 --> 00:37:22,240
principle is let's try to avoid

778
00:37:20,400 --> 00:37:24,560
surprises

779
00:37:22,240 --> 00:37:27,839
uh let's try to at least as much as we

780
00:37:24,560 --> 00:37:30,640
can you know giving our different roles

781
00:37:27,839 --> 00:37:36,640
um to be able to kind of give a heads up

782
00:37:30,640 --> 00:37:39,280
and and try to also be open to um

783
00:37:36,640 --> 00:37:42,160
to different perspectives. I think what

784
00:37:39,280 --> 00:37:46,800
I would I would hope if it's possible to

785
00:37:42,160 --> 00:37:48,880
bring is a space and a time where uh

786
00:37:46,800 --> 00:37:52,079
decisions have not been made and

787
00:37:48,880 --> 00:37:54,960
decisions can actually um entertain

788
00:37:52,079 --> 00:37:57,520
multiple perspectives because budget can

789
00:37:54,960 --> 00:37:59,680
give you a sense of where the gaps are

790
00:37:57,520 --> 00:38:02,000
but the stories and perspectives are the

791
00:37:59,680 --> 00:38:04,720
ones that actually will inform you about

792
00:38:02,000 --> 00:38:07,760
the impact. So on the one hand as I'm

793
00:38:04,720 --> 00:38:10,000
holding the kind of the primordia

794
00:38:07,760 --> 00:38:11,599
principle for me of understanding the

795
00:38:10,000 --> 00:38:14,480
impact and making sure that the impact

796
00:38:11,599 --> 00:38:16,480
is not falling on the most vulnerable to

797
00:38:14,480 --> 00:38:20,079
really of be able to understand that

798
00:38:16,480 --> 00:38:23,839
impact uh requires engagement with uh

799
00:38:20,079 --> 00:38:26,720
the teach association with other um you

800
00:38:23,839 --> 00:38:29,359
know uh units of the um the collective

801
00:38:26,720 --> 00:38:31,599
bargaining agreement uh because those

802
00:38:29,359 --> 00:38:33,920
are the stories that really inform what

803
00:38:31,599 --> 00:38:39,000
just the numbers are kind of like

804
00:38:33,920 --> 00:38:39,000
leading us to to focus on

805
00:38:43,839 --> 00:38:47,240
member Miranda.

806
00:38:48,480 --> 00:38:53,040
» How do you balance supporting principles

807
00:38:51,119 --> 00:38:55,200
and school leaders with holding them

808
00:38:53,040 --> 00:38:57,680
accountable when student outcomes,

809
00:38:55,200 --> 00:39:00,400
school climate, or equity goals are not

810
00:38:57,680 --> 00:39:03,040
being consistently met?

811
00:39:00,400 --> 00:39:06,240
» Thank you for the question. Uh I would

812
00:39:03,040 --> 00:39:09,760
like to start by saying that I don't see

813
00:39:06,240 --> 00:39:11,760
um support and accountability as

814
00:39:09,760 --> 00:39:13,280
mutually exclusive you know

815
00:39:11,760 --> 00:39:16,079
propositions.

816
00:39:13,280 --> 00:39:19,440
I actually see them as basically the two

817
00:39:16,079 --> 00:39:21,599
halves of one situation.

818
00:39:19,440 --> 00:39:24,800
Um

819
00:39:21,599 --> 00:39:29,280
it is not fair to hold any any educator

820
00:39:24,800 --> 00:39:32,560
accountable for um goals that we have

821
00:39:29,280 --> 00:39:35,520
not spend the time explaining

822
00:39:32,560 --> 00:39:37,760
and providing resources and coaching um

823
00:39:35,520 --> 00:39:42,400
the educators to be able to execute that

824
00:39:37,760 --> 00:39:44,800
plan when adults you know basically um

825
00:39:42,400 --> 00:39:47,680
adults are just grownup students. So the

826
00:39:44,800 --> 00:39:49,839
same thing that that we face sometimes

827
00:39:47,680 --> 00:39:53,280
in the classroom in be able to kind of

828
00:39:49,839 --> 00:39:57,040
manage um changes it also happens with

829
00:39:53,280 --> 00:39:59,760
adults. When adults tend to face or tend

830
00:39:57,040 --> 00:40:02,960
to react in a reactive way, an

831
00:39:59,760 --> 00:40:06,400
oppositional way is we have to be able

832
00:40:02,960 --> 00:40:09,359
to slow down and appreciate and assess

833
00:40:06,400 --> 00:40:12,320
if this is coming because of fear of not

834
00:40:09,359 --> 00:40:15,040
knowing how to do it

835
00:40:12,320 --> 00:40:17,760
and fear that if I don't know how to do

836
00:40:15,040 --> 00:40:20,480
it, would I be fired? Would I lose my

837
00:40:17,760 --> 00:40:23,359
job? Would I lose my standing? So it's

838
00:40:20,480 --> 00:40:28,480
important that in the coaching of of

839
00:40:23,359 --> 00:40:31,040
every um leader the superintendent is

840
00:40:28,480 --> 00:40:33,599
getting close to that building leader or

841
00:40:31,040 --> 00:40:36,800
that department leader or program leader

842
00:40:33,599 --> 00:40:40,400
to uh to ensure that that leader

843
00:40:36,800 --> 00:40:43,680
understands what the goal is about. that

844
00:40:40,400 --> 00:40:46,079
that leader develops um a sense of what

845
00:40:43,680 --> 00:40:48,320
kind of resources they might have to

846
00:40:46,079 --> 00:40:51,440
provide to their staff in order for the

847
00:40:48,320 --> 00:40:55,359
goal to be accomplished and that they

848
00:40:51,440 --> 00:40:58,000
have time to believe in the goal. Uh

849
00:40:55,359 --> 00:41:02,160
personally I you know bring it to the

850
00:40:58,000 --> 00:41:04,800
educator level to to the educator level.

851
00:41:02,160 --> 00:41:09,040
I had um a situation with a couple of

852
00:41:04,800 --> 00:41:10,960
educators in which um I feel that we

853
00:41:09,040 --> 00:41:14,000
provided coaching and support and

854
00:41:10,960 --> 00:41:16,560
resources for extended period of time

855
00:41:14,000 --> 00:41:20,240
and the educators were not able to uh

856
00:41:16,560 --> 00:41:23,839
meet those goals. Um it was not

857
00:41:20,240 --> 00:41:26,240
necessarily a lack of uh skills was not

858
00:41:23,839 --> 00:41:30,079
really a lack of resources. It came down

859
00:41:26,240 --> 00:41:32,560
to be a mismatch between

860
00:41:30,079 --> 00:41:34,800
the district beliefs and the personal

861
00:41:32,560 --> 00:41:38,079
beliefs of the educators.

862
00:41:34,800 --> 00:41:40,160
Do I continue providing the coaching?

863
00:41:38,079 --> 00:41:42,560
The uh the educators then came to the

864
00:41:40,160 --> 00:41:45,200
point that they realized that it was not

865
00:41:42,560 --> 00:41:46,800
going to be a match between what they

866
00:41:45,200 --> 00:41:49,040
believe and there was no way they could

867
00:41:46,800 --> 00:41:51,599
they could access the district goals. So

868
00:41:49,040 --> 00:41:53,119
they in both cases they decided to uh

869
00:41:51,599 --> 00:41:54,720
separate themselves from the from the

870
00:41:53,119 --> 00:41:57,520
positions.

871
00:41:54,720 --> 00:41:59,760
Um that's not really a failure of

872
00:41:57,520 --> 00:42:02,000
accountability. It's actually

873
00:41:59,760 --> 00:42:04,800
accountability h providing a little

874
00:42:02,000 --> 00:42:08,160
dignity to allow professionals to come

875
00:42:04,800 --> 00:42:11,280
to that realization when there's no way

876
00:42:08,160 --> 00:42:13,920
that they can give up their personal

877
00:42:11,280 --> 00:42:17,680
beliefs in order to align them with the

878
00:42:13,920 --> 00:42:19,760
district beliefs. Um I I view that those

879
00:42:17,680 --> 00:42:22,720
cases as exceptions rather than the

880
00:42:19,760 --> 00:42:24,560
rules because educators normally come to

881
00:42:22,720 --> 00:42:26,560
education because they really want to

882
00:42:24,560 --> 00:42:27,920
make a difference in in students and

883
00:42:26,560 --> 00:42:31,359
families.

884
00:42:27,920 --> 00:42:33,040
Um so I think the same kind of um

885
00:42:31,359 --> 00:42:34,560
pattern kind of works for a

886
00:42:33,040 --> 00:42:37,839
superintendent working with building

887
00:42:34,560 --> 00:42:42,160
levels building uh leaders in the sense

888
00:42:37,839 --> 00:42:45,599
of ensuring that when a building leader

889
00:42:42,160 --> 00:42:48,400
is not meeting the the standard is not

890
00:42:45,599 --> 00:42:50,400
achieving the goal is not a question of

891
00:42:48,400 --> 00:42:52,160
what's wrong with the leader but it's

892
00:42:50,400 --> 00:42:55,599
actually an introspective question for a

893
00:42:52,160 --> 00:42:57,200
superintendent to ask what why am I or

894
00:42:55,599 --> 00:42:59,520
what are we not providing the leader

895
00:42:57,200 --> 00:43:02,160
leader as far as coaching and support

896
00:42:59,520 --> 00:43:05,200
for them to continue with that growth.

897
00:43:02,160 --> 00:43:07,119
And I think it's important that uh

898
00:43:05,200 --> 00:43:09,599
building leaders at the same time as a

899
00:43:07,119 --> 00:43:11,599
superintendent, we have the patience and

900
00:43:09,599 --> 00:43:14,640
the willingness to go through that

901
00:43:11,599 --> 00:43:16,480
journey to go through that process and

902
00:43:14,640 --> 00:43:20,800
and that we can provide some grace to

903
00:43:16,480 --> 00:43:23,040
each other in that in that journey. Um,

904
00:43:20,800 --> 00:43:25,200
and that it basically because that's the

905
00:43:23,040 --> 00:43:27,280
same kind of modeling I would like for

906
00:43:25,200 --> 00:43:28,880
them to share with their staff when

907
00:43:27,280 --> 00:43:31,880
they're coaching classroom teachers as

908
00:43:28,880 --> 00:43:31,880
well.

909
00:43:39,280 --> 00:43:44,880
» Thank you. I really appreciated

910
00:43:41,200 --> 00:43:46,640
appreciated that sentiment about um

911
00:43:44,880 --> 00:43:48,880
you know looking at yourself you know as

912
00:43:46,640 --> 00:43:51,680
a as the leader um and saying what am I

913
00:43:48,880 --> 00:43:53,599
you know how how what am I not providing

914
00:43:51,680 --> 00:43:55,920
you know doing doing a little personal

915
00:43:53,599 --> 00:43:58,480
reflection that's um important in

916
00:43:55,920 --> 00:44:04,240
leadership so um just to piggyback on

917
00:43:58,480 --> 00:44:06,000
that I'm wondering what role or h how I

918
00:44:04,240 --> 00:44:09,359
may not be saying this correctly because

919
00:44:06,000 --> 00:44:11,920
I'm not a teacher but it's sort of how

920
00:44:09,359 --> 00:44:14,000
how um

921
00:44:11,920 --> 00:44:17,040
professional development

922
00:44:14,000 --> 00:44:19,119
can be used to help to support teachers,

923
00:44:17,040 --> 00:44:23,040
which is what it's for. But like how do

924
00:44:19,119 --> 00:44:25,920
you view professional development um

925
00:44:23,040 --> 00:44:28,720
as a you know as a tool to help give

926
00:44:25,920 --> 00:44:30,160
give um our educators the support that

927
00:44:28,720 --> 00:44:31,760
they need? What would your approach be

928
00:44:30,160 --> 00:44:36,400
to professional development?

929
00:44:31,760 --> 00:44:39,119
» Thank you. I appreciate the question. Um

930
00:44:36,400 --> 00:44:41,040
I have maybe a little individual

931
00:44:39,119 --> 00:44:43,359
perspective on this. I I believe the

932
00:44:41,040 --> 00:44:46,319
professional development

933
00:44:43,359 --> 00:44:48,560
at its best is when is more about

934
00:44:46,319 --> 00:44:51,920
coaching and the the reason why I use

935
00:44:48,560 --> 00:44:53,680
that those those terms in a distinctive

936
00:44:51,920 --> 00:44:56,240
way is that sometimes professional

937
00:44:53,680 --> 00:44:59,839
development sounds to educators as a one

938
00:44:56,240 --> 00:45:03,200
shot check a box. Here we go. We taught

939
00:44:59,839 --> 00:45:04,880
it. You should do it. And the same

940
00:45:03,200 --> 00:45:06,640
analogy and extension of what I'm saying

941
00:45:04,880 --> 00:45:09,119
like adults were just like grown-up

942
00:45:06,640 --> 00:45:11,760
students is that there there's a

943
00:45:09,119 --> 00:45:14,720
learning curve and the question is when

944
00:45:11,760 --> 00:45:18,079
I'm learning the new skill in order for

945
00:45:14,720 --> 00:45:21,440
the new task or goal that has been set

946
00:45:18,079 --> 00:45:26,640
for the district or for the school

947
00:45:21,440 --> 00:45:29,839
am I being able to share my my failures

948
00:45:26,640 --> 00:45:33,280
and my small successes with someone? Am

949
00:45:29,839 --> 00:45:36,960
I able to get feedback, timely feedback

950
00:45:33,280 --> 00:45:39,040
so I can know how to improve? And so I

951
00:45:36,960 --> 00:45:42,400
think for me professional development

952
00:45:39,040 --> 00:45:44,880
that is really uh most effective is the

953
00:45:42,400 --> 00:45:48,079
one that resembles coaching. So it's

954
00:45:44,880 --> 00:45:51,839
like a sustained relationship

955
00:45:48,079 --> 00:45:53,520
um throughout the the um learning the

956
00:45:51,839 --> 00:45:57,599
new learning that educators are being

957
00:45:53,520 --> 00:46:00,240
asked to to acquire rather than just one

958
00:45:57,599 --> 00:46:03,800
presentation. an afterchool one or two

959
00:46:00,240 --> 00:46:03,800
hour session.

960
00:46:09,680 --> 00:46:16,960
» Uh, next question is member stop.

961
00:46:12,960 --> 00:46:19,520
» Thank you. Salem has a strong foundation

962
00:46:16,960 --> 00:46:21,520
and an ambitious future including a

963
00:46:19,520 --> 00:46:23,040
transformative high school project that

964
00:46:21,520 --> 00:46:25,520
will impact the community for

965
00:46:23,040 --> 00:46:27,839
generations. What should Salem schools

966
00:46:25,520 --> 00:46:29,680
look like 10 years from now? And how can

967
00:46:27,839 --> 00:46:32,240
the superintendent ensure that long-term

968
00:46:29,680 --> 00:46:34,720
investments remain educationally sound,

969
00:46:32,240 --> 00:46:36,960
fiscally responsible, and responsive to

970
00:46:34,720 --> 00:46:41,319
community needs?

971
00:46:36,960 --> 00:46:41,319
» Yeah, thank you. Um

972
00:46:41,520 --> 00:46:47,200
the buildings and infrastructures that

973
00:46:44,480 --> 00:46:52,160
those are the easy part. I think the the

974
00:46:47,200 --> 00:46:54,000
real um core of the enterprise is

975
00:46:52,160 --> 00:46:57,520
actually the program and the vision

976
00:46:54,000 --> 00:47:00,079
inside the building. Um it's important

977
00:46:57,520 --> 00:47:02,560
that our capital investments or

978
00:47:00,079 --> 00:47:06,319
infrastructure investments are a

979
00:47:02,560 --> 00:47:08,800
reflection of our educational vision,

980
00:47:06,319 --> 00:47:13,119
not the other way around.

981
00:47:08,800 --> 00:47:17,599
Um it's important that that we find ways

982
00:47:13,119 --> 00:47:20,400
to include the key um comm school

983
00:47:17,599 --> 00:47:24,079
community me uh members who are

984
00:47:20,400 --> 00:47:27,040
basically the educators and students not

985
00:47:24,079 --> 00:47:30,240
just in the planning phase um but also

986
00:47:27,040 --> 00:47:33,599
in the implementation phase so that our

987
00:47:30,240 --> 00:47:38,800
initiatives have um

988
00:47:33,599 --> 00:47:43,440
vibrancy and currency as we implement

989
00:47:38,800 --> 00:47:45,839
Um my job is to ensure that a for

990
00:47:43,440 --> 00:47:48,800
example in the case of the um future

991
00:47:45,839 --> 00:47:51,680
high school that the uh future the

992
00:47:48,800 --> 00:47:53,520
future high school maintains the uh

993
00:47:51,680 --> 00:47:56,720
educational programming that Salem

994
00:47:53,520 --> 00:47:58,480
values and that is actually is a place

995
00:47:56,720 --> 00:48:00,240
where there's a ocean of opportunities

996
00:47:58,480 --> 00:48:04,240
for students.

997
00:48:00,240 --> 00:48:05,760
Um it is important that the three

998
00:48:04,240 --> 00:48:07,599
elements that I heard from the students

999
00:48:05,760 --> 00:48:10,560
when I met with them that they love

1000
00:48:07,599 --> 00:48:14,319
about Sale High are preserved and

1001
00:48:10,560 --> 00:48:16,400
actually uh better resource the regular

1002
00:48:14,319 --> 00:48:19,359
high school programming

1003
00:48:16,400 --> 00:48:21,280
their uh vocational pathways

1004
00:48:19,359 --> 00:48:23,200
uh and also something that I I learned

1005
00:48:21,280 --> 00:48:26,400
in talking to the high school principal

1006
00:48:23,200 --> 00:48:30,720
is about your robust uh early college u

1007
00:48:26,400 --> 00:48:34,079
programming as well. So um it's

1008
00:48:30,720 --> 00:48:36,400
important to keep that currency that we

1009
00:48:34,079 --> 00:48:41,040
are always asking ourselves if these

1010
00:48:36,400 --> 00:48:44,400
investments are the um in in service

1011
00:48:41,040 --> 00:48:48,240
with educational vision and that um we

1012
00:48:44,400 --> 00:48:50,319
constantly find ways to for any capital

1013
00:48:48,240 --> 00:48:52,480
improvement to actually reflect those

1014
00:48:50,319 --> 00:48:56,920
educational goals and visions that we we

1015
00:48:52,480 --> 00:48:56,920
have set for the for the community.

1016
00:49:03,119 --> 00:49:06,960
and we're stopp

1017
00:49:04,960 --> 00:49:08,240
Thank you. Um I would love to unpack a

1018
00:49:06,960 --> 00:49:10,079
little more if you don't mind the

1019
00:49:08,240 --> 00:49:11,520
response about educators and students

1020
00:49:10,079 --> 00:49:13,599
need to be involved in not just the

1021
00:49:11,520 --> 00:49:16,240
implementation but the the planning

1022
00:49:13,599 --> 00:49:18,400
process and the um you know the the

1023
00:49:16,240 --> 00:49:20,000
before we get to the end part. How do

1024
00:49:18,400 --> 00:49:22,000
you envision that happening or what has

1025
00:49:20,000 --> 00:49:24,640
worked for you in the past with making

1026
00:49:22,000 --> 00:49:26,240
sure those voices are heard?

1027
00:49:24,640 --> 00:49:29,119
» Right.

1028
00:49:26,240 --> 00:49:31,680
um

1029
00:49:29,119 --> 00:49:33,040
in any new construction. I mean I'm I'm

1030
00:49:31,680 --> 00:49:35,599
focusing on the on the building of the

1031
00:49:33,040 --> 00:49:39,359
new high school. I anticipate that with

1032
00:49:35,599 --> 00:49:41,200
rising costs with uh unanticipated

1033
00:49:39,359 --> 00:49:45,119
challenges that the construction may

1034
00:49:41,200 --> 00:49:47,280
face that we have not been able to to um

1035
00:49:45,119 --> 00:49:48,640
protect or forecast with the finances

1036
00:49:47,280 --> 00:49:49,680
that there will be decisions that will

1037
00:49:48,640 --> 00:49:52,160
have to be made. So I think it's

1038
00:49:49,680 --> 00:49:54,640
important with educators and students

1039
00:49:52,160 --> 00:49:57,760
that uh the superintendent creates a

1040
00:49:54,640 --> 00:50:02,480
list of the non-negotiables of the most

1041
00:49:57,760 --> 00:50:04,640
haves and the other a second list of the

1042
00:50:02,480 --> 00:50:06,480
in case we need to cut something because

1043
00:50:04,640 --> 00:50:09,520
of rising costs or any external

1044
00:50:06,480 --> 00:50:12,720
challenges that we could live without.

1045
00:50:09,520 --> 00:50:16,079
If the educational programming is one,

1046
00:50:12,720 --> 00:50:19,680
let's say that uh fosters maker spaces

1047
00:50:16,079 --> 00:50:21,920
and and innovation or and spaces where

1048
00:50:19,680 --> 00:50:26,800
students can actually integrate a lot of

1049
00:50:21,920 --> 00:50:29,680
the STEM um knowledge and and um create

1050
00:50:26,800 --> 00:50:32,960
projects. I mean, do we have those wide

1051
00:50:29,680 --> 00:50:36,400
open spaces to allow that more agnostic

1052
00:50:32,960 --> 00:50:39,760
spaces opposed to just um subject bound

1053
00:50:36,400 --> 00:50:42,880
spaces? And I think in in creating those

1054
00:50:39,760 --> 00:50:45,520
master lists of the we're going to try

1055
00:50:42,880 --> 00:50:48,000
to protect this at all cost and these

1056
00:50:45,520 --> 00:50:50,079
are the ones that if needed that

1057
00:50:48,000 --> 00:50:52,559
students and educators have been part of

1058
00:50:50,079 --> 00:50:54,640
that of those conversations because I

1059
00:50:52,559 --> 00:50:57,760
think the last thing that we want is to

1060
00:50:54,640 --> 00:51:01,119
have a final product that the the school

1061
00:50:57,760 --> 00:51:03,920
community did not feel that their voices

1062
00:51:01,119 --> 00:51:07,160
were represented or honored uh through

1063
00:51:03,920 --> 00:51:07,160
the project.

1064
00:51:13,920 --> 00:51:18,480
member Cornell.

1065
00:51:16,400 --> 00:51:20,240
» So, we've

1066
00:51:18,480 --> 00:51:22,480
we've had a lot to think about with

1067
00:51:20,240 --> 00:51:24,559
regard to infrastructure in the past few

1068
00:51:22,480 --> 00:51:26,480
years, as I'm sure you probably know.

1069
00:51:24,559 --> 00:51:28,240
So, we, you know, we've consolidated

1070
00:51:26,480 --> 00:51:32,160
middle schools, we've consolidated

1071
00:51:28,240 --> 00:51:35,119
schools, um we've moved some some two

1072
00:51:32,160 --> 00:51:36,319
programs into another school. Uh so

1073
00:51:35,119 --> 00:51:39,040
going forward, we have a lot to think

1074
00:51:36,319 --> 00:51:40,640
about. I think particularly around preK.

1075
00:51:39,040 --> 00:51:43,119
Um even though our enrollment numbers

1076
00:51:40,640 --> 00:51:44,640
are are good, we're in good shape

1077
00:51:43,119 --> 00:51:46,559
relative to other districts. You know,

1078
00:51:44,640 --> 00:51:48,720
we still need to think about that um

1079
00:51:46,559 --> 00:51:52,559
birth rate cliff, you know, going

1080
00:51:48,720 --> 00:51:54,000
forward. So thinking about buildings is,

1081
00:51:52,559 --> 00:51:55,119
I don't think something that any of us

1082
00:51:54,000 --> 00:51:58,720
love to think about, but it's something

1083
00:51:55,119 --> 00:52:00,960
we really have to think about. So um I'd

1084
00:51:58,720 --> 00:52:03,680
love to know

1085
00:52:00,960 --> 00:52:05,200
it. It is a day one job. is really

1086
00:52:03,680 --> 00:52:09,440
thinking about the infrastructure. So,

1087
00:52:05,200 --> 00:52:12,079
I'd like to know um kind of what your

1088
00:52:09,440 --> 00:52:13,760
approach would be to to really thinking

1089
00:52:12,079 --> 00:52:16,240
about what's in our portfolio of

1090
00:52:13,760 --> 00:52:17,839
buildings um and how we how do we how do

1091
00:52:16,240 --> 00:52:20,880
we utilize them? You spoke to it a

1092
00:52:17,839 --> 00:52:23,040
little bit um but there's also like

1093
00:52:20,880 --> 00:52:24,400
there's a lot of practicality to it, you

1094
00:52:23,040 --> 00:52:27,119
know. So, I'm just wondering kind of

1095
00:52:24,400 --> 00:52:30,160
like how you would jump in and and start

1096
00:52:27,119 --> 00:52:32,319
thinking about literal buildings, you

1097
00:52:30,160 --> 00:52:34,079
know?

1098
00:52:32,319 --> 00:52:35,520
That's a great question and I I'm not

1099
00:52:34,079 --> 00:52:37,440
sure if I'll be able to answer the

1100
00:52:35,520 --> 00:52:39,280
question because of not knowing more the

1101
00:52:37,440 --> 00:52:42,280
specifics.

1102
00:52:39,280 --> 00:52:42,280
Um,

1103
00:52:44,079 --> 00:52:46,480
» There's a good chance I didn't ask it

1104
00:52:45,520 --> 00:52:48,960
very well. So,

1105
00:52:46,480 --> 00:52:51,440
» No, no, no, no, no. I guess it's just is

1106
00:52:48,960 --> 00:52:54,079
it's a reflection more of my lack of

1107
00:52:51,440 --> 00:52:57,200
understand my lack of knowledge already

1108
00:52:54,079 --> 00:53:00,079
of the um details and nuances that you

1109
00:52:57,200 --> 00:53:04,280
might expecting the superintendent to

1110
00:53:00,079 --> 00:53:04,280
kind of know at this point. Um

1111
00:53:04,960 --> 00:53:07,760
» So

1112
00:53:06,079 --> 00:53:11,200
» My question may be

1113
00:53:07,760 --> 00:53:12,640
» How how are you going to get into it

1114
00:53:11,200 --> 00:53:14,160
because we won't expect you to know on

1115
00:53:12,640 --> 00:53:15,599
the first day but kind of like how are

1116
00:53:14,160 --> 00:53:19,359
you going to jump into this and try to

1117
00:53:15,599 --> 00:53:22,240
tackle it? Ah, okay.

1118
00:53:19,359 --> 00:53:25,680
Uh, in my experience, building

1119
00:53:22,240 --> 00:53:28,400
conversations have always been um a

1120
00:53:25,680 --> 00:53:32,240
multi-year, very long conversations. And

1121
00:53:28,400 --> 00:53:37,839
I think it's important for a um a public

1122
00:53:32,240 --> 00:53:40,160
school system to have an uh a vision of

1123
00:53:37,839 --> 00:53:42,160
not necessarily the decay of buildings

1124
00:53:40,160 --> 00:53:45,599
where but we start getting the warning

1125
00:53:42,160 --> 00:53:50,240
signs that the infrastructure is might

1126
00:53:45,599 --> 00:53:51,839
not be yielding a safe or uh educational

1127
00:53:50,240 --> 00:53:54,079
educationally

1128
00:53:51,839 --> 00:53:58,000
conducive environment.

1129
00:53:54,079 --> 00:53:59,920
and and I in my experience that at at

1130
00:53:58,000 --> 00:54:02,800
the first signs of those things that's

1131
00:53:59,920 --> 00:54:04,480
when we I guess our partner this time

1132
00:54:02,800 --> 00:54:08,960
will partner with the mayor to try to

1133
00:54:04,480 --> 00:54:11,760
understand what are the um the city's um

1134
00:54:08,960 --> 00:54:14,319
list of priorities and how where will

1135
00:54:11,760 --> 00:54:16,960
that stack up in their punchline of

1136
00:54:14,319 --> 00:54:19,280
projects and things that they have to to

1137
00:54:16,960 --> 00:54:22,400
um assess.

1138
00:54:19,280 --> 00:54:23,839
Um for example in my current community

1139
00:54:22,400 --> 00:54:27,280
there has been a lot of conversations

1140
00:54:23,839 --> 00:54:29,520
about AC because of given the extreme

1141
00:54:27,280 --> 00:54:32,640
weather that we have been experiencing

1142
00:54:29,520 --> 00:54:34,559
and which is based on science is not

1143
00:54:32,640 --> 00:54:38,720
it's not going to get any better anytime

1144
00:54:34,559 --> 00:54:42,160
soon. Um those conversations are also

1145
00:54:38,720 --> 00:54:44,319
multi-year conversations. So I think as

1146
00:54:42,160 --> 00:54:46,800
a superintendent the first thing one

1147
00:54:44,319 --> 00:54:50,000
should do is to visit the sites and

1148
00:54:46,800 --> 00:54:54,880
spend time in the sites.

1149
00:54:50,000 --> 00:54:57,520
um really get to um walk the building

1150
00:54:54,880 --> 00:55:01,440
from the principal perspective to

1151
00:54:57,520 --> 00:55:04,960
understand where those um

1152
00:55:01,440 --> 00:55:09,440
infrastructure niches are are already

1153
00:55:04,960 --> 00:55:13,440
showing signs of distress and then um be

1154
00:55:09,440 --> 00:55:14,960
able to start understanding the economic

1155
00:55:13,440 --> 00:55:16,480
and financial relationship between the

1156
00:55:14,960 --> 00:55:18,800
schools and the city to be able to

1157
00:55:16,480 --> 00:55:22,559
understand where will they fall in the

1158
00:55:18,800 --> 00:55:26,160
list of either repairs or replacement or

1159
00:55:22,559 --> 00:55:28,319
new project if needed. So I my short

1160
00:55:26,160 --> 00:55:30,319
answer to the question at this point I

1161
00:55:28,319 --> 00:55:32,160
will say the superintendent needs to

1162
00:55:30,319 --> 00:55:33,839
spend a lot of time visiting the sites

1163
00:55:32,160 --> 00:55:36,160
and really stand spending time with the

1164
00:55:33,839 --> 00:55:39,880
principles to understand what is

1165
00:55:36,160 --> 00:55:39,880
happening in those schools.

1166
00:55:41,839 --> 00:55:46,720
» Other follow-ups on that question? Uh I

1167
00:55:44,640 --> 00:55:49,760
just have a a quick one. So you you

1168
00:55:46,720 --> 00:55:51,599
talked about we talked about the future

1169
00:55:49,760 --> 00:55:54,480
perspective of capital facilities and

1170
00:55:51,599 --> 00:55:56,880
buildings, but so zooming out 10 years

1171
00:55:54,480 --> 00:55:58,240
down the road, um what does the district

1172
00:55:56,880 --> 00:56:00,240
look like from an achievement

1173
00:55:58,240 --> 00:56:01,520
perspective or a culture perspective to

1174
00:56:00,240 --> 00:56:05,839
your mind?

1175
00:56:01,520 --> 00:56:08,960
Yeah, I think 10 years from now, I would

1176
00:56:05,839 --> 00:56:11,440
like to see Salem

1177
00:56:08,960 --> 00:56:14,240
be a place where we have definitely

1178
00:56:11,440 --> 00:56:16,480
moved the needle regarding achievement

1179
00:56:14,240 --> 00:56:20,079
uh according to state benchmarks with

1180
00:56:16,480 --> 00:56:23,440
MCCAST proficiency and so forth. I will

1181
00:56:20,079 --> 00:56:27,359
I will vision a district that is

1182
00:56:23,440 --> 00:56:30,079
actually graduating students that have a

1183
00:56:27,359 --> 00:56:33,200
strong

1184
00:56:30,079 --> 00:56:35,359
threeprong approach. They have a solid

1185
00:56:33,200 --> 00:56:38,960
high school a regular high school

1186
00:56:35,359 --> 00:56:42,319
curriculum exposure. they have a a

1187
00:56:38,960 --> 00:56:45,920
vibrant exposure to vocational uh and

1188
00:56:42,319 --> 00:56:48,720
technical uh pathways and also uh

1189
00:56:45,920 --> 00:56:51,680
students that have been able if they so

1190
00:56:48,720 --> 00:56:53,599
wish to uh access early college

1191
00:56:51,680 --> 00:56:57,040
opportunities.

1192
00:56:53,599 --> 00:57:00,880
I would like to see a district like

1193
00:56:57,040 --> 00:57:04,079
Salem really embracing their assets

1194
00:57:00,880 --> 00:57:06,480
being multicultural and multilingual

1195
00:57:04,079 --> 00:57:09,920
in the sense of um equipping the

1196
00:57:06,480 --> 00:57:13,680
students to be ready globally and by

1197
00:57:09,920 --> 00:57:16,640
that I mean that every Salem student to

1198
00:57:13,680 --> 00:57:19,119
graduate being proficient in at least

1199
00:57:16,640 --> 00:57:22,160
two languages.

1200
00:57:19,119 --> 00:57:25,040
um we have a robust Spanish um program

1201
00:57:22,160 --> 00:57:27,280
and we have a a dual language program

1202
00:57:25,040 --> 00:57:29,760
and I think that there's uh a lot of

1203
00:57:27,280 --> 00:57:32,079
promise in those practices and I would

1204
00:57:29,760 --> 00:57:34,880
like to see how that could extend

1205
00:57:32,079 --> 00:57:36,960
vertically on both ways. I mean even I

1206
00:57:34,880 --> 00:57:39,040
would like to understand more about the

1207
00:57:36,960 --> 00:57:41,599
prek opportunities in dual language if

1208
00:57:39,040 --> 00:57:43,839
if we don't offer them yet and what how

1209
00:57:41,599 --> 00:57:46,880
would that look like if we sustain the

1210
00:57:43,839 --> 00:57:49,520
growth in secondary. I would like to see

1211
00:57:46,880 --> 00:57:54,480
a student that feels that sale prepare

1212
00:57:49,520 --> 00:57:58,400
them to be effective contributors in

1213
00:57:54,480 --> 00:58:00,720
anywhere around the globe because of in

1214
00:57:58,400 --> 00:58:03,280
sale they experience diversity. They

1215
00:58:00,720 --> 00:58:06,880
understand uh different stories that

1216
00:58:03,280 --> 00:58:09,680
this community holds and and that the

1217
00:58:06,880 --> 00:58:12,559
educational preparation have given them

1218
00:58:09,680 --> 00:58:15,559
the tools to be effective in in our

1219
00:58:12,559 --> 00:58:15,559
economy.

1220
00:58:19,760 --> 00:58:23,079
Member Miranda,

1221
00:58:23,920 --> 00:58:29,359
» Describe a time when feedback from

1222
00:58:26,319 --> 00:58:31,119
families, staff, or community members

1223
00:58:29,359 --> 00:58:33,599
caused you to rethink your initial

1224
00:58:31,119 --> 00:58:35,760
approach to an issue. How did you

1225
00:58:33,599 --> 00:58:37,359
communicate your decision? And what did

1226
00:58:35,760 --> 00:58:40,319
the experience teach you about

1227
00:58:37,359 --> 00:58:43,200
leadership?

1228
00:58:40,319 --> 00:58:46,000
Yeah, I think that um

1229
00:58:43,200 --> 00:58:50,720
I'm going to offer an example because I

1230
00:58:46,000 --> 00:58:54,000
think that trust um needs to be earned

1231
00:58:50,720 --> 00:58:56,240
or demonstrated, not just described. Um

1232
00:58:54,000 --> 00:58:58,480
when I started in my in one of my

1233
00:58:56,240 --> 00:59:01,200
previous um districts,

1234
00:58:58,480 --> 00:59:04,000
um the the world language program was

1235
00:59:01,200 --> 00:59:08,720
undergoing a uh changing at the middle

1236
00:59:04,000 --> 00:59:10,400
school level. Um there was actually has

1237
00:59:08,720 --> 00:59:13,920
there was a consolidation from three

1238
00:59:10,400 --> 00:59:16,160
languages to just one language. Um and

1239
00:59:13,920 --> 00:59:21,200
then I was kind of thrown into this uh

1240
00:59:16,160 --> 00:59:22,799
environment uh when I was hired. Um the

1241
00:59:21,200 --> 00:59:24,240
the language that was chosen for the

1242
00:59:22,799 --> 00:59:28,079
middle school was Spanish. So the

1243
00:59:24,240 --> 00:59:30,799
community was um kind of upset when they

1244
00:59:28,079 --> 00:59:32,960
saw me, a black Hispanic coming as a

1245
00:59:30,799 --> 00:59:34,400
world language department head. they um

1246
00:59:32,960 --> 00:59:37,280
in their minds they were connecting the

1247
00:59:34,400 --> 00:59:40,880
dots that okay they want to institute

1248
00:59:37,280 --> 00:59:43,839
only Spanish and they bring a Hispanic

1249
00:59:40,880 --> 00:59:48,319
um educator to kind of run the program.

1250
00:59:43,839 --> 00:59:52,000
Um the feedback was like so

1251
00:59:48,319 --> 00:59:55,040
um emotional and negative that we had to

1252
00:59:52,000 --> 00:59:57,760
offer a a a evening forum to the from

1253
00:59:55,040 --> 01:00:00,240
some of the families. um in that evening

1254
00:59:57,760 --> 01:00:04,720
forum um families was expressing a lot

1255
01:00:00,240 --> 01:00:08,559
of frustration. Um and something that I

1256
01:00:04,720 --> 01:00:11,440
did said to them is that I come to

1257
01:00:08,559 --> 01:00:14,880
education and to this administrative

1258
01:00:11,440 --> 01:00:17,200
roles as a public servant that I don't

1259
01:00:14,880 --> 01:00:19,760
come to this role thinking I'm I'm the

1260
01:00:17,200 --> 01:00:21,520
expert who's going to bring solutions

1261
01:00:19,760 --> 01:00:23,200
that the community have not even asked

1262
01:00:21,520 --> 01:00:26,720
for.

1263
01:00:23,200 --> 01:00:28,799
um in that public service stance. I I

1264
01:00:26,720 --> 01:00:31,599
asked them for some grace to allow me

1265
01:00:28,799 --> 01:00:33,920
time to sit with the dilemma with the

1266
01:00:31,599 --> 01:00:35,760
feedback I was hearing from them with

1267
01:00:33,920 --> 01:00:38,319
the consolation that has been done at

1268
01:00:35,760 --> 01:00:40,799
least for one year by the time of my

1269
01:00:38,319 --> 01:00:43,280
arrival for me to understand what are

1270
01:00:40,799 --> 01:00:46,160
the forces that led to that

1271
01:00:43,280 --> 01:00:48,559
consolidation and and what is the impact

1272
01:00:46,160 --> 01:00:52,480
that that is having on families and

1273
01:00:48,559 --> 01:00:54,960
students. Um after

1274
01:00:52,480 --> 01:00:57,839
leaving being honest to that and

1275
01:00:54,960 --> 01:01:00,160
upholding that promise uh we were able

1276
01:00:57,839 --> 01:01:03,200
to reinstate French into the middle

1277
01:01:00,160 --> 01:01:04,799
school program. Um so then the program

1278
01:01:03,200 --> 01:01:07,920
was designed to have two languages

1279
01:01:04,799 --> 01:01:09,839
instead of just one. We I was not able

1280
01:01:07,920 --> 01:01:12,880
to um bring back Latin in the way

1281
01:01:09,839 --> 01:01:15,119
families have uh hope.

1282
01:01:12,880 --> 01:01:18,400
uh in order to maintain that promise, I

1283
01:01:15,119 --> 01:01:20,799
I I I really uh tried to keep a vibrant

1284
01:01:18,400 --> 01:01:24,000
Latin program at the high school. Um

1285
01:01:20,799 --> 01:01:27,599
that was kind of like my

1286
01:01:24,000 --> 01:01:32,400
evidence of holding that promise. And um

1287
01:01:27,599 --> 01:01:36,160
and I just communicated to um families

1288
01:01:32,400 --> 01:01:39,760
that while I could not

1289
01:01:36,160 --> 01:01:45,359
deliver over all the the expectations

1290
01:01:39,760 --> 01:01:47,119
that I did stay open to be humble and

1291
01:01:45,359 --> 01:01:49,760
listen to the perspective and understand

1292
01:01:47,119 --> 01:01:52,559
their perspectives and try to remediate

1293
01:01:49,760 --> 01:01:55,760
that as much as possible. So I think

1294
01:01:52,559 --> 01:01:59,359
that um I think that's an example on

1295
01:01:55,760 --> 01:02:03,599
when um you know when negative feedback

1296
01:01:59,359 --> 01:02:06,000
comes one one's way is to write is to

1297
01:02:03,599 --> 01:02:09,440
really sit in that place of humility and

1298
01:02:06,000 --> 01:02:14,240
be able to open up the conversation.

1299
01:02:09,440 --> 01:02:17,200
uh to be able to um not have so much

1300
01:02:14,240 --> 01:02:20,079
pride into a specific outcome but be

1301
01:02:17,200 --> 01:02:22,400
able to be humble and be able to change

1302
01:02:20,079 --> 01:02:25,280
course if the information the new

1303
01:02:22,400 --> 01:02:28,079
information that it comes to one kind of

1304
01:02:25,280 --> 01:02:31,359
um informs that it was basically a bad

1305
01:02:28,079 --> 01:02:34,480
decision at the beginning. So that's my

1306
01:02:31,359 --> 01:02:38,599
example of how I I try to build trust in

1307
01:02:34,480 --> 01:02:38,599
in challenging situations.

1308
01:02:44,079 --> 01:02:49,680
follow-up questions.

1309
01:02:46,640 --> 01:02:54,000
Member Cornell.

1310
01:02:49,680 --> 01:02:56,480
» So, I appreciate that uh

1311
01:02:54,000 --> 01:02:59,280
um noting humility and and and being

1312
01:02:56,480 --> 01:03:01,760
able to to reflect before reacting. Uh

1313
01:02:59,280 --> 01:03:05,680
that's that's um important. I'm

1314
01:03:01,760 --> 01:03:08,880
wondering how will you establish regular

1315
01:03:05,680 --> 01:03:11,760
lines of communication with different

1316
01:03:08,880 --> 01:03:15,760
groups whether that's families um

1317
01:03:11,760 --> 01:03:18,400
educators community partners kids when

1318
01:03:15,760 --> 01:03:21,039
there's not a crisis. of the the

1319
01:03:18,400 --> 01:03:24,079
everyday communicating.

1320
01:03:21,039 --> 01:03:29,680
» Yeah. I think that communication similar

1321
01:03:24,079 --> 01:03:32,880
to equity is not a um

1322
01:03:29,680 --> 01:03:37,680
is is really a commitment to to

1323
01:03:32,880 --> 01:03:40,079
structures that will allow for um

1324
01:03:37,680 --> 01:03:44,240
genuine engagement and as you said not

1325
01:03:40,079 --> 01:03:46,160
to engage when a situation is a crisis.

1326
01:03:44,240 --> 01:03:47,839
Um something that I learned from the um

1327
01:03:46,160 --> 01:03:50,960
sale high school students is that

1328
01:03:47,839 --> 01:03:53,359
there's a superintendent council with

1329
01:03:50,960 --> 01:03:55,520
students and they were describing how

1330
01:03:53,359 --> 01:03:58,160
even they have elementary school

1331
01:03:55,520 --> 01:04:01,280
students and that really uh blew my mind

1332
01:03:58,160 --> 01:04:03,920
because of um having the the be able to

1333
01:04:01,280 --> 01:04:05,280
visualize not just the typical reaching

1334
01:04:03,920 --> 01:04:08,160
out to high school students because

1335
01:04:05,280 --> 01:04:09,680
they're older mature or maybe to an

1336
01:04:08,160 --> 01:04:12,000
extent the middle school students but I

1337
01:04:09,680 --> 01:04:13,760
Salem is intentional in trying to even

1338
01:04:12,000 --> 01:04:15,440
include when it's developmentally

1339
01:04:13,760 --> 01:04:18,240
approach appropriate, you know, students

1340
01:04:15,440 --> 01:04:20,079
perspective on on conversations. As I

1341
01:04:18,240 --> 01:04:21,680
mentioned in one of my previous um

1342
01:04:20,079 --> 01:04:24,079
answers

1343
01:04:21,680 --> 01:04:26,960
um visiting with the community, visiting

1344
01:04:24,079 --> 01:04:29,440
not always waiting for the community to

1345
01:04:26,960 --> 01:04:31,119
come to the schools who actually

1346
01:04:29,440 --> 01:04:34,880
understanding where are the regular

1347
01:04:31,119 --> 01:04:37,359
points of u meetings, where are the um

1348
01:04:34,880 --> 01:04:40,720
regular spaces and ways that that people

1349
01:04:37,359 --> 01:04:44,559
communicate uh regularly and to not be a

1350
01:04:40,720 --> 01:04:46,960
stranger to try to to come to

1351
01:04:44,559 --> 01:04:49,440
I I I had a meeting with a group of um

1352
01:04:46,960 --> 01:04:51,839
families recently in which I told them

1353
01:04:49,440 --> 01:04:53,359
that I was valuing frequent

1354
01:04:51,839 --> 01:04:56,240
communication and not crisis

1355
01:04:53,359 --> 01:04:58,960
communication by sharing with the

1356
01:04:56,240 --> 01:05:01,920
community even if they're just nuggets

1357
01:04:58,960 --> 01:05:04,480
doesn't have to be a big news doesn't

1358
01:05:01,920 --> 01:05:08,559
have to be a resolve issue but like

1359
01:05:04,480 --> 01:05:12,240
welcoming um you know really welcoming

1360
01:05:08,559 --> 01:05:14,400
community partners as partners not as

1361
01:05:12,240 --> 01:05:19,200
guests you know when it's a school event

1362
01:05:14,400 --> 01:05:23,039
or something like that. So, um I think

1363
01:05:19,200 --> 01:05:25,680
that is really looking at what we have

1364
01:05:23,039 --> 01:05:28,319
as regular practices and making sure

1365
01:05:25,680 --> 01:05:31,520
that those those regular practices of

1366
01:05:28,319 --> 01:05:35,680
meeting with different uh constituencies

1367
01:05:31,520 --> 01:05:37,599
um have covered the ones especially the

1368
01:05:35,680 --> 01:05:40,640
ones of the communities I mentioned that

1369
01:05:37,599 --> 01:05:42,720
are more vulnerable and less visible. Um

1370
01:05:40,640 --> 01:05:46,240
in addition to that I I feel it's

1371
01:05:42,720 --> 01:05:49,119
important to have a portfolio of um

1372
01:05:46,240 --> 01:05:51,520
media not just always expect the evening

1373
01:05:49,119 --> 01:05:54,319
in person meeting but also to be able to

1374
01:05:51,520 --> 01:05:58,240
acknowledge and recognize that some

1375
01:05:54,319 --> 01:06:01,839
working families some um families that

1376
01:05:58,240 --> 01:06:04,079
are that is hard almost impossible for

1377
01:06:01,839 --> 01:06:07,440
them to come in per to come in person to

1378
01:06:04,079 --> 01:06:11,280
a evening event that they may need uh

1379
01:06:07,440 --> 01:06:14,400
communication that is still um virtual

1380
01:06:11,280 --> 01:06:16,640
uh that is still uh via email, not

1381
01:06:14,400 --> 01:06:20,319
bombard people with bulletins and

1382
01:06:16,640 --> 01:06:23,200
newsletters, but uh really find ways to

1383
01:06:20,319 --> 01:06:26,160
just share little nuggets so they are

1384
01:06:23,200 --> 01:06:28,319
hearing often and frequently and don't

1385
01:06:26,160 --> 01:06:30,319
have to wait for the big earth

1386
01:06:28,319 --> 01:06:33,319
shattering news um to hear from the

1387
01:06:30,319 --> 01:06:33,319
superintendent.

1388
01:06:35,760 --> 01:06:41,200
» Member Miranda,

1389
01:06:38,319 --> 01:06:44,559
» Thank you. Um, I sincerely appreciate

1390
01:06:41,200 --> 01:06:46,960
your interest in our district. Um, what

1391
01:06:44,559 --> 01:06:49,920
you've shared about your philosophy

1392
01:06:46,960 --> 01:06:53,359
around centering dignity when it comes

1393
01:06:49,920 --> 01:06:55,920
to um, in the educational experience,

1394
01:06:53,359 --> 01:06:59,359
not just with students, but also with

1395
01:06:55,920 --> 01:07:01,760
um, staff and also some of the

1396
01:06:59,359 --> 01:07:04,480
non-traditional educational experiences

1397
01:07:01,760 --> 01:07:08,240
that uh, you would bring to the table as

1398
01:07:04,480 --> 01:07:11,039
a leader. Um and and with that I I would

1399
01:07:08,240 --> 01:07:12,960
like to ask can you share the ways uh

1400
01:07:11,039 --> 01:07:15,680
having not held a superintendent

1401
01:07:12,960 --> 01:07:19,200
position before um or an assistant

1402
01:07:15,680 --> 01:07:21,359
superintendent position um please share

1403
01:07:19,200 --> 01:07:23,920
the ways that you believe that you're

1404
01:07:21,359 --> 01:07:27,680
ready for this role.

1405
01:07:23,920 --> 01:07:30,880
» Yeah. Thank you for the question. Um,

1406
01:07:27,680 --> 01:07:33,760
I guess I will start with um with

1407
01:07:30,880 --> 01:07:36,799
something that my family

1408
01:07:33,760 --> 01:07:40,240
um they kind of raised me in the in this

1409
01:07:36,799 --> 01:07:44,520
concept. Um I'm going to say in Spanish

1410
01:07:40,240 --> 01:07:44,520
first I'm going to translate it. But

1411
01:07:45,039 --> 01:07:49,440
mucho

1412
01:07:46,640 --> 01:07:52,319
uh one that is faithful in the small

1413
01:07:49,440 --> 01:07:54,319
things is also faithful in the larger

1414
01:07:52,319 --> 01:07:58,640
things.

1415
01:07:54,319 --> 01:08:01,520
um while because of role constraints I

1416
01:07:58,640 --> 01:08:04,000
have not have the opportunity to um be

1417
01:08:01,520 --> 01:08:06,480
invited to have the role of assistant

1418
01:08:04,000 --> 01:08:09,520
superintendent or superintendent

1419
01:08:06,480 --> 01:08:12,240
previously. I I think I I have a track

1420
01:08:09,520 --> 01:08:15,839
record that has shown what my values

1421
01:08:12,240 --> 01:08:18,159
are, my uh approach to leadership that

1422
01:08:15,839 --> 01:08:20,799
is based on relationships.

1423
01:08:18,159 --> 01:08:24,400
Um I had for the last four or five years

1424
01:08:20,799 --> 01:08:27,359
I have been part of the um at the senior

1425
01:08:24,400 --> 01:08:29,520
team level and I have in g because of my

1426
01:08:27,359 --> 01:08:33,520
role I have worked closely with the

1427
01:08:29,520 --> 01:08:36,000
superintendent in um in challenging

1428
01:08:33,520 --> 01:08:38,400
decisions because every time there's an

1429
01:08:36,000 --> 01:08:40,400
issue that has to do with DEI it tends

1430
01:08:38,400 --> 01:08:42,799
to be challenging

1431
01:08:40,400 --> 01:08:44,560
um those

1432
01:08:42,799 --> 01:08:48,000
exposures and opportunities are giving

1433
01:08:44,560 --> 01:08:51,199
me a deeper understanding of how a

1434
01:08:48,000 --> 01:08:53,839
district works. Currently, uh my current

1435
01:08:51,199 --> 01:08:57,040
district, while on the surface might

1436
01:08:53,839 --> 01:09:00,480
seem the opposite or not align with what

1437
01:08:57,040 --> 01:09:03,920
Salem is, is similar in size, is similar

1438
01:09:00,480 --> 01:09:05,440
in the student population and is similar

1439
01:09:03,920 --> 01:09:07,759
in comparable as in the number of

1440
01:09:05,440 --> 01:09:10,000
schools and that has also has given me a

1441
01:09:07,759 --> 01:09:12,880
sense of how to navigate the different

1442
01:09:10,000 --> 01:09:17,600
levels in a district um from the

1443
01:09:12,880 --> 01:09:21,359
superintendent lens. So um I don't

1444
01:09:17,600 --> 01:09:25,600
personally honestly I feel that I am the

1445
01:09:21,359 --> 01:09:27,920
right um candidate for this position not

1446
01:09:25,600 --> 01:09:31,359
because I I have all the answers because

1447
01:09:27,920 --> 01:09:34,400
of previous experiences but because uh I

1448
01:09:31,359 --> 01:09:37,440
can convey because of my track record

1449
01:09:34,400 --> 01:09:40,719
that I uh I I am someone who will

1450
01:09:37,440 --> 01:09:42,719
actually will sit with the problems will

1451
01:09:40,719 --> 01:09:45,359
listen carefully and we're very

1452
01:09:42,719 --> 01:09:50,960
thoughtful about finding solutions that

1453
01:09:45,359 --> 01:09:53,199
are responsive. So, it is in a way

1454
01:09:50,960 --> 01:09:56,480
um what I'm

1455
01:09:53,199 --> 01:10:00,960
what I'm hoping a district will value is

1456
01:09:56,480 --> 01:10:03,360
the um the how the superintendent will

1457
01:10:00,960 --> 01:10:06,320
present. How will the superintendent

1458
01:10:03,360 --> 01:10:10,159
show up? How will that will that person

1459
01:10:06,320 --> 01:10:13,920
be faithful to our families when no one

1460
01:10:10,159 --> 01:10:16,800
is seen? when the budget is tight and

1461
01:10:13,920 --> 01:10:20,880
when decisions have to be made. So I

1462
01:10:16,800 --> 01:10:23,040
think that what I may not bring all the

1463
01:10:20,880 --> 01:10:26,400
bells and whistles of someone or people

1464
01:10:23,040 --> 01:10:28,960
that have held positions very closer

1465
01:10:26,400 --> 01:10:31,040
quote unquote to the superintendency. I

1466
01:10:28,960 --> 01:10:34,560
think my live experiences as a

1467
01:10:31,040 --> 01:10:36,480
professional and the uh commitments and

1468
01:10:34,560 --> 01:10:41,120
values that I have used in all the

1469
01:10:36,480 --> 01:10:44,000
different levels of my career um could

1470
01:10:41,120 --> 01:10:46,640
be solid evidence that could hopefully

1471
01:10:44,000 --> 01:10:49,360
Salem could could believe in and could

1472
01:10:46,640 --> 01:10:51,600
trust that I will be faithful to those

1473
01:10:49,360 --> 01:10:53,360
commitments if I'm invited to come to

1474
01:10:51,600 --> 01:10:56,600
Salem.

1475
01:10:53,360 --> 01:10:56,600
» Thank you.

1476
01:10:57,600 --> 01:11:02,400
Any further follow-ups?

1477
01:11:00,400 --> 01:11:04,080
Member Hoffman,

1478
01:11:02,400 --> 01:11:07,040
» I just have a quick followup because we

1479
01:11:04,080 --> 01:11:11,440
were talking about DEI and inclusion.

1480
01:11:07,040 --> 01:11:14,239
And my question is um how how will you

1481
01:11:11,440 --> 01:11:15,600
show up to help the LGBTQ community uh

1482
01:11:14,239 --> 01:11:18,880
especially in these trying times with

1483
01:11:15,600 --> 01:11:20,880
the trans ban in um sports which doesn't

1484
01:11:18,880 --> 01:11:23,440
really affect Massachusetts but I know

1485
01:11:20,880 --> 01:11:25,679
there's lots of concerns with families

1486
01:11:23,440 --> 01:11:27,280
and how will you make how will you help

1487
01:11:25,679 --> 01:11:30,560
those families feel comfortable coming

1488
01:11:27,280 --> 01:11:34,000
and talking to you?

1489
01:11:30,560 --> 01:11:37,760
» Yeah, that's a great question. Um the

1490
01:11:34,000 --> 01:11:41,840
way that we have um shaped the work is

1491
01:11:37,760 --> 01:11:44,159
to make sure that

1492
01:11:41,840 --> 01:11:46,640
students see themselves in the

1493
01:11:44,159 --> 01:11:50,800
curriculum and instruction. But to your

1494
01:11:46,640 --> 01:11:52,880
question about how families will feel uh

1495
01:11:50,800 --> 01:11:54,719
comfortable approaching

1496
01:11:52,880 --> 01:11:56,400
me as a DIA director, as a

1497
01:11:54,719 --> 01:11:59,760
superintendent,

1498
01:11:56,400 --> 01:12:05,600
I think is is is um is based on the

1499
01:11:59,760 --> 01:12:09,280
actions and um and based on showing care

1500
01:12:05,600 --> 01:12:12,400
for the um the experiences, not

1501
01:12:09,280 --> 01:12:15,760
necessarily because of coming from an

1502
01:12:12,400 --> 01:12:19,280
intellectual lens like I understand

1503
01:12:15,760 --> 01:12:23,040
but coming from a commitment that um

1504
01:12:19,280 --> 01:12:24,719
that I I am there and I will be there um

1505
01:12:23,040 --> 01:12:26,320
when challenging times comes. For

1506
01:12:24,719 --> 01:12:32,159
example,

1507
01:12:26,320 --> 01:12:34,320
um we I have shown courage regarding the

1508
01:12:32,159 --> 01:12:39,679
the curriculum and inclusion of

1509
01:12:34,320 --> 01:12:41,760
representation and and also um by

1510
01:12:39,679 --> 01:12:46,640
connecting with other stakeholders in in

1511
01:12:41,760 --> 01:12:49,040
the in the town where I reside. um by

1512
01:12:46,640 --> 01:12:52,239
making sure

1513
01:12:49,040 --> 01:12:54,640
like for example at the high school um

1514
01:12:52,239 --> 01:12:57,199
where I work there's um there's a

1515
01:12:54,640 --> 01:12:59,520
display of

1516
01:12:57,199 --> 01:13:02,000
flags of different countries and also

1517
01:12:59,520 --> 01:13:04,000
there's a BLM flag and also a pride

1518
01:13:02,000 --> 01:13:08,320
pride flag

1519
01:13:04,000 --> 01:13:10,400
um in working or attending um the school

1520
01:13:08,320 --> 01:13:13,679
council meetings for example the the

1521
01:13:10,400 --> 01:13:15,520
school council in my current community

1522
01:13:13,679 --> 01:13:19,920
um recommended

1523
01:13:15,520 --> 01:13:22,239
that um those value principle flags were

1524
01:13:19,920 --> 01:13:25,920
not at the same level as the national

1525
01:13:22,239 --> 01:13:28,800
flags. As a DI director, I show my

1526
01:13:25,920 --> 01:13:30,719
support in those kind of recommendations

1527
01:13:28,800 --> 01:13:34,159
and also in advising the superintendent

1528
01:13:30,719 --> 01:13:37,199
of how to implement those things. So I

1529
01:13:34,159 --> 01:13:42,159
will maybe answer that question that I'm

1530
01:13:37,199 --> 01:13:44,239
not sure if I just by

1531
01:13:42,159 --> 01:13:47,120
just by being people will feel

1532
01:13:44,239 --> 01:13:50,480
comfortable. Um I don't want to fall

1533
01:13:47,120 --> 01:13:51,920
into that uh cliche of quoting people I

1534
01:13:50,480 --> 01:13:56,560
have friends and families you know

1535
01:13:51,920 --> 01:14:01,280
that's like so not appropriate but I I

1536
01:13:56,560 --> 01:14:04,560
hope that uh my actions are showing that

1537
01:14:01,280 --> 01:14:07,280
um that I truly believe in those values

1538
01:14:04,560 --> 01:14:10,480
and I truly believe that our students

1539
01:14:07,280 --> 01:14:13,040
should feel safe and seen in in our in

1540
01:14:10,480 --> 01:14:14,560
all our spaces. And the and the third

1541
01:14:13,040 --> 01:14:16,960
level

1542
01:14:14,560 --> 01:14:20,560
might be a little more

1543
01:14:16,960 --> 01:14:22,800
micro talking about the smaller things.

1544
01:14:20,560 --> 01:14:25,440
Um we have a system of reporting when

1545
01:14:22,800 --> 01:14:28,719
incidents happen and a lot of incidents

1546
01:14:25,440 --> 01:14:32,400
sadly but is the reality happens among

1547
01:14:28,719 --> 01:14:35,679
students and and I will say that because

1548
01:14:32,400 --> 01:14:38,560
I'm the the recipient of those u reports

1549
01:14:35,679 --> 01:14:42,560
either from students or educators

1550
01:14:38,560 --> 01:14:45,120
after race you know gender identity um

1551
01:14:42,560 --> 01:14:47,600
sexual orientation are the ones that are

1552
01:14:45,120 --> 01:14:51,520
second and third in the number of

1553
01:14:47,600 --> 01:14:53,199
incidents. I think that um

1554
01:14:51,520 --> 01:14:54,960
while my work tends to be a little more

1555
01:14:53,199 --> 01:14:57,360
behind the scenes, but people that know

1556
01:14:54,960 --> 01:14:59,600
the work will know that we when those

1557
01:14:57,360 --> 01:15:01,120
situations happen, we try to respond

1558
01:14:59,600 --> 01:15:03,199
timely

1559
01:15:01,120 --> 01:15:06,640
um and in a visible way so that the

1560
01:15:03,199 --> 01:15:09,600
students that were the target feel that

1561
01:15:06,640 --> 01:15:12,800
um that they are respected and valued.

1562
01:15:09,600 --> 01:15:15,600
And that is the work that I my role kind

1563
01:15:12,800 --> 01:15:17,920
of like asked me to kind of put in place

1564
01:15:15,600 --> 01:15:21,440
um for the for the welfare and support

1565
01:15:17,920 --> 01:15:24,440
of the LGBTQ plus um families and

1566
01:15:21,440 --> 01:15:24,440
students.

1567
01:15:27,360 --> 01:15:30,480
» Any final followup questions? Yeah,

1568
01:15:28,880 --> 01:15:35,280
member Cornell.

1569
01:15:30,480 --> 01:15:37,360
» I have a a question that that um

1570
01:15:35,280 --> 01:15:39,679
follows up on Veronica's question, which

1571
01:15:37,360 --> 01:15:41,520
is this. You know, as a new

1572
01:15:39,679 --> 01:15:43,120
superintendent, you'll have a new

1573
01:15:41,520 --> 01:15:45,600
experience of having to build

1574
01:15:43,120 --> 01:15:49,760
relationships with the school committee.

1575
01:15:45,600 --> 01:15:51,760
And so um I'm wondering how you'll go

1576
01:15:49,760 --> 01:15:55,520
about developing relationship with us as

1577
01:15:51,760 --> 01:15:57,120
a body and also individually um what

1578
01:15:55,520 --> 01:15:59,520
that you know what your approach will

1579
01:15:57,120 --> 01:16:01,920
be.

1580
01:15:59,520 --> 01:16:05,280
» Yeah it's a great question. Um, I don't

1581
01:16:01,920 --> 01:16:08,640
know if it's a local uh configuration,

1582
01:16:05,280 --> 01:16:10,400
but um,

1583
01:16:08,640 --> 01:16:12,239
in my experience, I tend to see the

1584
01:16:10,400 --> 01:16:14,239
superintendent interacting more with the

1585
01:16:12,239 --> 01:16:18,400
chair and the co-chair of the school

1586
01:16:14,239 --> 01:16:21,920
committee. Um, I think, you know, I have

1587
01:16:18,400 --> 01:16:25,280
been able to build the relationships and

1588
01:16:21,920 --> 01:16:27,600
I feel that even as a superintendent,

1589
01:16:25,280 --> 01:16:31,280
relationships are built by doing things

1590
01:16:27,600 --> 01:16:34,640
together. And I think that it's not the

1591
01:16:31,280 --> 01:16:36,159
social, you know, pleasantry exchanges,

1592
01:16:34,640 --> 01:16:38,800
but it's actually the moment of doing

1593
01:16:36,159 --> 01:16:43,679
the work is actually what brings strong

1594
01:16:38,800 --> 01:16:47,840
connections. Um, I, as a superintendent,

1595
01:16:43,679 --> 01:16:49,760
it's important to participate in school

1596
01:16:47,840 --> 01:16:53,440
committee subcommittees. For example, we

1597
01:16:49,760 --> 01:16:54,960
have one for policy and we meet with two

1598
01:16:53,440 --> 01:16:56,640
um

1599
01:16:54,960 --> 01:17:00,000
school committee members who are not the

1600
01:16:56,640 --> 01:17:03,600
chair or the um vice chair. So those

1601
01:17:00,000 --> 01:17:05,360
working groups are are opportunities for

1602
01:17:03,600 --> 01:17:07,040
a superintendent to kind of build that

1603
01:17:05,360 --> 01:17:09,280
relationship with individual school

1604
01:17:07,040 --> 01:17:12,239
committee members. Well, I think we'll

1605
01:17:09,280 --> 01:17:14,880
circle back that is really uh because of

1606
01:17:12,239 --> 01:17:17,360
the open meeting laws, we cannot do too

1607
01:17:14,880 --> 01:17:20,080
many things as a group, but it really

1608
01:17:17,360 --> 01:17:22,400
come from finding opportunities to work

1609
01:17:20,080 --> 01:17:24,719
with each uh school committee member

1610
01:17:22,400 --> 01:17:28,640
individually as a school committee

1611
01:17:24,719 --> 01:17:30,640
member or as a president in whatever

1612
01:17:28,640 --> 01:17:32,400
work or advocacy

1613
01:17:30,640 --> 01:17:34,080
um

1614
01:17:32,400 --> 01:17:37,120
duties or participation that they have

1615
01:17:34,080 --> 01:17:38,719
in the community also. So I think uh I

1616
01:17:37,120 --> 01:17:40,400
will close by saying just by doing

1617
01:17:38,719 --> 01:17:43,640
things together that's how relationships

1618
01:17:40,400 --> 01:17:43,640
are built.

1619
01:17:48,080 --> 01:17:51,040
» Okay.

1620
01:17:49,440 --> 01:17:52,640
» All right. Dr. Allen, a closing

1621
01:17:51,040 --> 01:17:54,320
statement if you'd like.

1622
01:17:52,640 --> 01:17:56,080
» Uh first of all, I want to thank you

1623
01:17:54,320 --> 01:17:58,159
all. I want to thank the school

1624
01:17:56,080 --> 01:18:02,000
committee for the opportunity for me to

1625
01:17:58,159 --> 01:18:05,120
uh spend uh now you know a full day and

1626
01:18:02,000 --> 01:18:08,880
then now uh this evening with um here

1627
01:18:05,120 --> 01:18:10,719
with Salem. Um

1628
01:18:08,880 --> 01:18:16,239
I came to this evening wanted to

1629
01:18:10,719 --> 01:18:20,000
highlight two things. Um it was one the

1630
01:18:16,239 --> 01:18:22,400
um that I feel that Salem is not you

1631
01:18:20,000 --> 01:18:25,360
know trying to restart something. I

1632
01:18:22,400 --> 01:18:27,360
don't feel that Salem is needs or is

1633
01:18:25,360 --> 01:18:30,719
looking for someone to create something

1634
01:18:27,360 --> 01:18:33,679
new per se. I personally believe that

1635
01:18:30,719 --> 01:18:35,280
that Salem will benefit from having

1636
01:18:33,679 --> 01:18:39,840
someone that actually will sustain the

1637
01:18:35,280 --> 01:18:42,560
work, will shepher the work and be um be

1638
01:18:39,840 --> 01:18:45,120
a humble partner and listener with uh

1639
01:18:42,560 --> 01:18:48,560
the initiatives that we already have to

1640
01:18:45,120 --> 01:18:50,080
have underway. And the um second thing I

1641
01:18:48,560 --> 01:18:53,440
wanted to like highlight for this

1642
01:18:50,080 --> 01:18:57,520
evening and coming back in the closing

1643
01:18:53,440 --> 01:19:00,239
is about the concept of valuing the

1644
01:18:57,520 --> 01:19:03,760
richness of this community

1645
01:19:00,239 --> 01:19:05,600
that um I'm really excited about

1646
01:19:03,760 --> 01:19:07,679
participating in a district that really

1647
01:19:05,600 --> 01:19:09,760
values that and try to incluse that

1648
01:19:07,679 --> 01:19:11,440
intentionally in the curriculum and in

1649
01:19:09,760 --> 01:19:15,920
the educational experiences of their

1650
01:19:11,440 --> 01:19:16,960
students because of um you know locally

1651
01:19:15,920 --> 01:19:19,440
rooted

1652
01:19:16,960 --> 01:19:21,920
which is your curriculum and your spaces

1653
01:19:19,440 --> 01:19:24,000
are kind of showing that and also

1654
01:19:21,920 --> 01:19:26,640
globally ready which I this is kind of

1655
01:19:24,000 --> 01:19:29,360
like the more in visioning part that

1656
01:19:26,640 --> 01:19:32,480
would like to sell today that I think

1657
01:19:29,360 --> 01:19:35,360
there's a lot of potential for Salem to

1658
01:19:32,480 --> 01:19:38,719
u see itself as a place where students

1659
01:19:35,360 --> 01:19:42,320
are developing that global competency

1660
01:19:38,719 --> 01:19:44,480
um I circling back to what I'm saying I

1661
01:19:42,320 --> 01:19:48,080
think that my my live experiences as a

1662
01:19:44,480 --> 01:19:50,560
immigrant myself as someone that had to

1663
01:19:48,080 --> 01:19:53,440
navigate the public school systems,

1664
01:19:50,560 --> 01:19:55,760
someone that I feel if I were to be

1665
01:19:53,440 --> 01:19:57,520
invited to be a superintendent to be I

1666
01:19:55,760 --> 01:20:00,000
would be honored to be in a district

1667
01:19:57,520 --> 01:20:04,960
that has taken the courage to name their

1668
01:20:00,000 --> 01:20:07,920
new school uh after um Sarah Perk uh

1669
01:20:04,960 --> 01:20:09,120
Parker Ramon um knowing the history and

1670
01:20:07,920 --> 01:20:11,760
the influence that has in

1671
01:20:09,120 --> 01:20:13,360
African-American history of the of the

1672
01:20:11,760 --> 01:20:17,120
area

1673
01:20:13,360 --> 01:20:20,159
and I think that um those elements but

1674
01:20:17,120 --> 01:20:22,800
and understanding um my leadership style

1675
01:20:20,159 --> 01:20:25,679
and the values that I will bring to the

1676
01:20:22,800 --> 01:20:32,400
um district. Um and most importantly

1677
01:20:25,679 --> 01:20:34,640
that I will be a guardian and um and uh

1678
01:20:32,400 --> 01:20:37,679
someone that will strengthen our equity

1679
01:20:34,640 --> 01:20:40,719
commitment but I mean the superendency

1680
01:20:37,679 --> 01:20:42,320
as well. Um

1681
01:20:40,719 --> 01:20:44,800
I

1682
01:20:42,320 --> 01:20:47,520
I feel really fortunate to be here in

1683
01:20:44,800 --> 01:20:50,640
front of you at this moment. I I

1684
01:20:47,520 --> 01:20:53,600
appreciate the moments like in the uh

1685
01:20:50,640 --> 01:20:55,600
community forum when um one of the

1686
01:20:53,600 --> 01:20:58,000
community members actually stood up to

1687
01:20:55,600 --> 01:21:01,440
the microphone, asked a question in

1688
01:20:58,000 --> 01:21:05,120
Spanish in a public forum. I I want to

1689
01:21:01,440 --> 01:21:08,880
be in a I I I want to be in a place

1690
01:21:05,120 --> 01:21:12,159
where that is not uh an exception. It's

1691
01:21:08,880 --> 01:21:14,560
actually the rule and Salem so far in my

1692
01:21:12,159 --> 01:21:19,199
experience has shown evidence that you

1693
01:21:14,560 --> 01:21:20,560
are that type of district. Um

1694
01:21:19,199 --> 01:21:23,920
so thank you very much for the

1695
01:21:20,560 --> 01:21:28,159
opportunity and I I would like to um to

1696
01:21:23,920 --> 01:21:30,960
thank you all for um for for the

1697
01:21:28,159 --> 01:21:33,679
friendship and the um hospitality that

1698
01:21:30,960 --> 01:21:37,440
you have offered me and I and I would

1699
01:21:33,679 --> 01:21:39,360
like to um wish you the best and I hope

1700
01:21:37,440 --> 01:21:42,480
hopefully I will be part of that that

1701
01:21:39,360 --> 01:21:45,640
journey moving forward. Thank you.

1702
01:21:42,480 --> 01:21:45,640
» Thank you.

1703
01:21:46,400 --> 01:21:50,159
That concludes the interview. Thank you,

1704
01:21:48,320 --> 01:21:53,040
Dr. Allen, for joining us this evening.

1705
01:21:50,159 --> 01:21:54,400
Is there a motion?

1706
01:21:53,040 --> 01:21:55,280
» Motion to adjurnn.

1707
01:21:54,400 --> 01:21:57,600
» Second.

1708
01:21:55,280 --> 01:22:00,080
» Motion. Well, Shirley's not here. She

1709
01:21:57,600 --> 01:22:02,159
can get it from the recording. Uh, under

1710
01:22:00,080 --> 01:22:06,360
discussion, seeing none. All in favor?

1711
01:22:02,159 --> 01:22:06,360
Any opposed? We're adjourned.