CSD Administration Stands Behind Decision To Return Roaden to Principal Role
Decatur Metro | January 26, 2011For any and all living under a rock last week, the announcement that Decatur schools’ current Communications Director Bruce Roaden would get back behind the principal’s desk at the new 5th Avenue Academy this fall set off a rather testy conversation here on DM and also lit up my Inbox with the voices of more than one CSD employee upset with the way the decision had been made and communicated.
Assistant Superintendent Thomas Van Soelen replied to my follow-up inquiry, stating in so many words that the administration stood behind the decision, noting the rarity of such “appointment hires” over the course of Superindendant Phyllis Edwards tenure, along with the looming budget gap – thanks in part to an additional K-3 school – in the coming fiscal year…
Hiring practices are at the discretion of the superintendent. Bottom line. Dr. Edwards’ history in Decatur has not been one of appointments, I can only remember a few in my 5+ years. I experienced multiple interviews for my own position (then Assistant Superintendent for Instruction and Accountability) in December 2004.
Dr. Edwards is anticipating more cuts to the budget, and just as we would do for any teachers that we would anticipate cutting, we would want to place those employees in other jobs for which they are suited. Mr. Roaden is an experienced principal and his skills are needed for a smooth transition to a brand-new building.
That being said, will the Director of Community Relations position be cut? Perhaps.
Bruce Roaden was and will be again a great principal! I am glad he is back in the schools. Bruce is exactly who we need to kick off the new school!
As they should stand by their decision.
IMHO, fine decision and fine reasoning. Same fine decision could have been made using the standard interview and selection process instead of an appointment hire but that is a comment on process, not on the decision. It is CSD’s perogative to choose the appointment process and the community’s perogative to comment on the process.
I ran through the thirteen principal selections of which I’m aware in the 8 CSD schools since Dr. Edwards arrived and there’s been quite a few appointment hires. However, there was also the initial reconfiguration and a few principals that only stayed a year or two so the setting for principal selection varied a lot over time. I have heard that there was a time that some parents were quite concerned about a possible appointment hire at Renfroe and they advocated for a wider recruitment and selection process. I believe that that wider selection process resulted in the recruitment and hiring of Mr. Roaden but I could have the history wrong.
I think it’s interesting that more often than not on this site, parents take the unspoken side of teachers and individual school administrators against decisions of the central administration. But here’s a case where that faction has split to a certain extent and the vocal parents here don’t agree with the vocal teachers/administrators who have issues with how this decision was made and communicated.
And no one is talking about THAT.
Hey, YOU just talked about it.
I daresay that if the selection had been someone the “vocal parents” felt was unqualified, the dialogue on this subject would be very different.
That’s a good point.
It’s hard to comment because we don’t know the point of view of the internal folks because they are contacting you directly, not posting. So we don’t know if they are more concerned about the process, as some posters are too even if we like the outcome, or about who was selected. Maybe it’s better that we don’t know. Since it’s a fait accompli, we parents might as well be optimistic!
You’re right, that’s part of the issue. I’m really just surprised by extreme difference in opinions, and wondering “why?”.
Well, I just hope Mr. Roaden remembers that the 4/5 Academy kids are not middle schoolers and should not be treated as such. I thought he was a great principal with the exception of the fact that Renfroe is run like a juvie center sometimes. I think the kids who are behaving should have more freedom. A few bad apples should not spoil privileges for kids who have earned them.
I’m concerned that some of the freedoms that our younger kids have will be thrown by the wayside – things like recess, cultural arts programs and getting to sit with friends at lunch. Also worried about things like the 5th grade Tybee trip disappearing b/c it will be considered too much trouble.
I’m also very concerned that there are no plans for installation of playground equipment at the 5th Avenue School at this point.
Before Mr. Roaden came to Renfroe, discipline at the school was abysmal. Students were unruly and disrespectful. Now, you go to Renfroe, and the halls are quiet. The lunchroom is fairly quiet with students eating. I do not think being able to sit next your friends at lunch should be a higher priority than having a relatively calm, orderly lunchroom.
I saw that school before and after Mr. Roaden, and there’s NO contest about which is better.
I did see it before and after… and I have been there most of the day.
I thought the playground issue was settled already. Didn’t it go to the 4/5 SLT and it was agreed that there would be a playground and equipment? So Fifth Avenue will get a playground with no equipment? Why no equipment? If that’s the case, I think the Glennwood PTO should revamp its budget immediately to get some. (Am I remembering correctly that the playground equipment for the newly-renovated Glennwood K-5 back before the 2004 reconfig was paid for by the then Glennwood PTO?) I’m not sure that 9-11 year olds need short slides and jungle gyms, but swings are a classic for all ages and some climbing walls and watchyamacallit things to hang on to by your arms seem in order. Skip the spin-around thing. That’s fun but dangerous at all ages.
Middle Schools are run differently than Elementary schools because it is pedagogically correct to do so. Trips like Tybee are not “too much trouble” they are very expensive. The major trip for middle schoolers is to go to Birmingham to the Civil Rights Museum. RMS is not run like a juvenile detention center. Please go to the school and spend an entire day. I encourage you to be responsible for a class of middle school children. I think it will help your perspective. I know spending a day with my middle school child and his classmates, eating lunch etc. gave me a whole new attitude.
The real question no one is asking, “why did we tolerate spending the money on a position like:Director of Communications? Really, this school system is very small and we do not need such a bogus position. We should pray that that waste of money does not continue.
We do need good principals. Guys, if the position Mr. Roaden was really that important, he would still have it.
Yes, it is sometimes detention center like – not always… but sometimes. Yes, I have a middle schooler who moves on this year and have dealt with packs of them many times. I have spent a day at the middle school. I thought it was stifling in some ways (not all ways).
What I am saying is that bad eggs can be dealt with (perhaps) without having to punish the majority of kids who can handle a privilege or two. In fact, privileges can encourage good behavior. Maybe b/c of NCLB everyone is scared to deal with behavior problems on a more individual basis.
I think Roaden is a terrific principal… not dissing him at all. He did an amazing job turning around Renfroe. I just think things are a little too closed down over there and I hope that it doesn’t bleed over to Glenwood b/c a middle school approach would be very inappropriate with 9 and 10 year olds.
A Director of Communications is in no way, shape or form a waste of money.
At the Fortune 100 company where I work, it is standard practice to move a qualified employee into an open position when the position they currently hold is going to be cut. We refer to the practice as “slotting” and trust me, it must be legally defensible since I believe we have the most risk-averse HR team known on the planet.
So, if the Director of Communications position is potentially on the chopping block, I can see why Dr. Edwards would prefer to “slot” in a high-performer with a known track record to the 4/5 Academy position rather than hire someone who hasn’t been a principal before and then have to lay off someone who has been a star.
While an interview process is normally preferrable, losing a great employee is not worth it.
That may be the back story–that the Director of Communications position is potentially on the chopping block. Agree that it is preferrable to “slot” than to lose a great employee.
I can’t believe anyone spent time complaning about how Mr. Roaden got his job. He has a great reputation as principal! I am THRILLED my child is going to be at the 4/5 with him next year!
Every qualified school employee should have a chance at a tax-funded position. Bruce is great, but there are many excellent persons at our schools. The lack of opportunity is unfair and it really makes me wonder why.
QueenB I’m also in the corporate world where “slotting” is sometimes used. However whenever positions aren’t posted the employees always perceive the position as being “given away” and un-fair. These usually are higher level positions and its seen as growth limiting to employees who are ready for a next step when there are few of those higher level posiitons to choose from. Usually there are politics involved that can’t be discussed so the employees are all left speculating and feeling that mangement isn’t fair. What this does is build dis-trust.
So yes, Dr. Edwards has a right to appoint and may have appointed the best candidate but CSD should think about the full impact of the process they use and whether the end result created more supsicion, distrust and discontent among the parent population and staff.