Clayton County Schools Going Back to the Basics and Getting Down to Business

Altimese meets with Clayton County Schools Interim Superintendent, Dr. Gloria Duncan

I don't know about you, but I feel better about Clayton County Schools now that Dr. Gloria Duncan has been appointed Interim Superintendent of Schools. 

Dr. Duncan has been in the county for over 30 years so she knows what the issues are.  In fact, she most recently served as Principal for Riverdale High School.   

I was privileged to meet with Dr. Duncan today for the very first time, myself and four other Realtors.  After sitting down with her and discussing the serious issues at hand, I was immediately impressed and felt a calming in my spirit that she was the right person for the job.

During Dr. Duncan's first four weeks on the job, already she has met with every teacher in the county.  I like the way she puts it, "I've taken the shackles off the teachers and have empowered them to teach," said Duncan.  Her vision is that teachers will teach "according to a student's learning style and needs - not by scripts."

In our meeting, Dr. Duncan discussed several plans for the system.  The plans that are most vivid in my mind are:

• Realigning the system's efforts and making sure that teachers are teaching students what will be tested, in accordance to the Georgia Performance Standards.
• Giving student assessments every three months and monitoring if expectations are being met for that period of time; if not, provide immediate remediation.
• Putting in place a research department to go through last year's test scores to find the areas where the teacher's focus should be.
• Consulting with local school systems that have been successful with Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP), such as Rockdale County, and finding the keys to their success.
• Putting training programs in place for principals and assistant principals; and identifying teachers who need help in classroom management and making sure that they get the coaching that they need.  Administrative training is also planned guiding administrators through the day-to-day activities of a school.
• Moving the bad apples out of the schools and transferring them to the Alternative Program; adding more teachers, psychologists and counselors to meet those students needs. Also, looking for additional space for students to go when they have been suspended from school, instead of having those students roam the streets.
• Improving the communications gap from school to the media and community; making sure that the positives are being communicated and improvements are being made. 
• Addressing the overcrowding of our schools by identifying those students who live outside of the county, but attending our schools using false addresses.
• Seeking assistance from Clayton County Police to monitor our communities in the mornings and afternoons when children are coming and leaving school.

I am thankful to have received the information that I received today.  I was enlightened by the discussion with Dr. Duncan and my fellow agents as we came to the realization that a school system has to be run like a corporation.  Dr. Duncan is the Chief Operating Officer; the school board is the Board of Directors; the teachers and staff members are the employees; the customer is the student.  Difficult decisions must be made.  But, at the end of the day the entire operation and all focus should be centered around the customer - The Student.

I feel better now and I'm looking forward to an improved school system.  As Dr. Duncan says proudly the new Clayton County Schools motto:  "Moving On, Moving Up and Reaching Goals."

photo:  left to right-  Dr. Gloria Duncan, Superintendent of Clayton County Schools with Altimese Dees, Associate Broker for RE/MAX Advantage - Jonesboro