2004 CONVOCATION ADDRESS

by Scott DiMauro

Good morning!  Good morning!  It is so good to see so many old friends again, and
it is especially exciting to meet so many new colleagues. Welcome to a new
school year!
 

As you know, we have much to be proud of this year. Our district has once again
received an “Excellent” state report card rating, meeting all state standards
for the fourth consecutive year and meeting federal “Adequate Yearly Progress”
benchmarks as well. The people of this community—defying trends we’ve seen in
other districts and around the state—issued a vote of confidence by approving a
new levy last spring on the first try. With more diverse populations of
students and resources that are continually being stretched to the limit, we are
doing exceedingly well in helping our students succeed.
 

It would be tempting to pat ourselves on the back and content ourselves with the
knowledge that we work in one of Ohio’s premier school districts. But you know
and I know that we can’t do that.
 

Fifty years after the landmark Brown vs. Board of Education decision declared
separate but equal education unconstitutional, we continue to live in a society
in which inequalities abound. Yes, we’re doing well in Worthington, but our
public education system extends beyond the boundaries of our own community.
Fifty years after Brown, we can’t stand for a system of “haves” and “have-nots”
between states, between school districts, or between buildings. All children,
regardless of race, creed, or economic class, deserve great public schools.
What does it take to ensure that our schools are great? First, we have to be
mindful of the need and the means to teach all children well. That can’t always
be measured by standardized test scores, but we as educational professionals
know when our students are performing to the best of their ability and when
they’re not. Passing state proficiency standards is good, but those test scores
don’t tell us if our kids are receiving the kind of well-rounded education that
helps them reach their full potential. Making sure this happens with every
student must be our mission.
 

That’s a lofty goal, but it’s not an impossible dream. What’s needed to make
the goal of a great public school for every child a reality?
 

First, we teachers need to open our doors and find new ways to collaborate.
There is no factor affecting student success that is more significant than the
quality of classroom instruction we provide. We can learn so much from each
other if we take the time to talk to each other about the needs of our students
and plan together to meet their needs. We need to observe each other in action
and seek and provide feedback. Quality mentoring shouldn’t be a privilege just
for those new to the profession—we all need to mentor one another.
That model of collaboration is at the heart of what quality professional
development should be all about. How many of us cringe when we hear those
words—professional development—because we’ve had too many experiences of sitting
through workshops on topics that have no apparent relevance to what we do in
school? (You don’t have to answer that.) We need to take charge of
professional development to ensure that it’s meaningful, tied directly to the
needs of our students, embedded in our jobs, and collaborative.
 

What else do we need? Certainly, we need a community that values our mission
and provides the resources needed to teach all children well. We need visionary
administrative leaders who respect and listen to the people on the “front lines”
when making decisions that affect our work. We need parents who send their
children to school ready to learn and provide home support that reinforces the
teaching and learning that occurs at school. It’s up to us to keep the lines of
communication open with parents and community members so we’re all on the same
page.
 

But that’s not enough. We also need public policy makers who understand that a
world class system of public education is essential for a strong economy and a
healthy democracy.
 

Our greater public school community is facing some enormous challenges. Local
property tax bases are eroding. Unfunded state and federal mandates are
growing. Health care costs are skyrocketing. Local school levies are being
placed on the ballot—and failing—in record numbers. Hundreds of thousands of
students are leaving traditional public schools for low-performing, for-profit
and electronic charter schools, taking with them precious state and local
dollars.
 

The good news is that we have the power to overcome these challenges. We just
need to stick together.
 

You’ve probably heard the adage, made famous by the late House Speaker Tip
O’Neill, that “all politics is local.” It’s equally true that “all of education
is political.” As distasteful as it may be for some of us, if we’re going to
make the goal of great public schools for every child a reality, we have to come
to grips with our need for political action. We can either sit back and watch
others make decisions for us, or we can be part of the solution and create our
own political realities.
 

We know first-hand what effective political action can do on a local level.
Remember how we defied the odds and worked together to pass a levy in this
district on the first try last March? Imagine what could happen if we all stood
together and voted for candidates based on who actually supports public
education. Perhaps we would have seen a solution to the state’s school funding
problem by now. Perhaps we would have testing that is designed to help students
and aid instruction more than to label schools and assign blame to educators.
Perhaps we’d have full federal funding for special education. Perhaps we’d see
the need for fewer local levies. Perhaps our vision of great public schools for
every child would become reality in every state and in every community.
 

Whether we’re electing people to the White House or the Statehouse, we need to
think carefully about how our candidate of choice is going to affect the future
of our schools, our profession, and—most importantly—the students we serve.
Former President Dwight Eisenhower said that “Politics outght to be the
part-time profession of every citizen who would protect the rights and
privileges of free people.” In order to protect children and public education,
it’s time for all of us to take on that part-time profession. At a minimum,
that means being educated on the issues that affect our schools and voting.
 

As individuals within the system, we each hold tremendous power to make a
profound difference in the life of each student who comes into our schools.
Just think about how much power we can have if we all work together, in and out
of the classroom, with a common mission to make every public school great for
every child.
 

Thanks to each of you for all you for our kids. Have an excellent year!