Goodloe-Johnson Not Wasting TIme Filling Posts

This article appeared in a recent issue of the Charleston Post-Courier. The principal at one of the top magnet schools in Charleston has applied and been okayed as the new Director of Instruction at SPS. From the article:

"Tolley's job in Seattle will be similar to that of an associate superintendent's position here. He will oversee the district's high schools and lead their reform efforts. Taking the job had nothing to do with any dissatisfaction in Charleston, he said, but rather the job appealed to him because it was an opportunity to influence the education of a larger number of students. It's also an opportunity to advance his career, he said."

Also:

"He became the principal of Academic Magnet about three years ago and has worked to strengthen its curriculum and preparation of students for Advanced Placement courses.

In his time there, the school's enrollment has grown, and students often take more than the required four Advanced Placement classes. The school has been ranked No. 10 nationally for two consecutive years by Newsweek magazine, which uses a formula that measures how many students tackle and complete challenging curriculums."

Also from the article:

"Goodloe-Johnson also has contacted the district's chief of finance and administrative services, Don Kennedy, and asked him to consider a similar position in Seattle. Kennedy said he's asked for more information about the job, but their preliminary discussions aren't near the point of negotiating a contract."

Boy, grass doesn't grow under her feet. Mr. Tolley sounds good. My initial reaction is a mixture of "is she trying to surround herself with only people she knows (and who will follow her without reservation)?" or " is she trying to shake up the culture at the Stanford Center (long overdue in my mind)? Time will tell.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Melissa said: "...is she trying to surround herself with only people she knows (and who will follow her without reservation)?" or " is she trying to shake up the culture at the Stanford Center (long overdue in my mind)?"

Am guessing (and hoping) it's that she has proven performers and she knows who she needs with her in the foxhole (or on the bus, or whatever the latest euphemism is)

I hope she's as action-oriented as the move on Marshall principal Drake seems to indicate. Can we dare to hope?
Charlie Mas said…
As much as I have a bias towards action, is raiding her former employer for personnel really better than conducting a broader search for talent?

The CACIEE report suggested making wider searches for senior staff people.
Anonymous said…
What Goodloe is doing is fairly common. She has someone she trusts, that she has worked with before, that she is confident can get the job done. Nothing wrong with bringing someone on with a proven track record. She probably saved the district some $$$$ too in conducting a search, interviewing, and wasting a lot of peoples time.

We have seen what some of the thorough searches have produced, and it's not all good.

Go Goodloe!!!!
Anonymous said…
Charlie-

It is rather ignorant of you to think that hiring someone who led one of the top ten high schools in the nation is "raiding" rather than taking advantage of the talent pool that Dr. G-J may have influence over because of her past job. More power to her!!!
Charlie Mas said…
Here is the recommendation from page 12 of the CACIEE report:

"Establishing an executive search process aimed at recruiting outstanding talent to the District (including principals), which, among other activities, would consider retaining executive search firms for senior level
positions;
"
Anonymous said…
"which, among other activities, would consider retaining executive search firms for senior level positions"

I guess recruiting talent from a pool that Gooloe has already worked with could be considered "among other activities"

Also of note the work CONSIDER retainint exectutive search firm. Doesn't say it must happen, just a consideration.

I think Goodloe-J is right on target, and if I were in her shoes, I would do the exact same thing. She is moving quickly, which is opposite of the tiring "Seattle Process" that we are all used to. It is going to ruffle some feathers but hopefully she doesn't get sucked into Seattle's whining. She seems like the type that will hold tight and stand strong.

She rocks!
Anonymous said…
I am so thankful to bid farewell to "The Seattle Process". It is about time someone rolls up their sleeves, and digs in. She is acting with lightning speed, and I am behind her 100%. I am anxious to see the progress. It has been a long time coming. See ya, Mr. Drake! Welcome Mr Tolley with your proven track record, and top 10 schools in the nation.

Just what the doctor ordered!
Anonymous said…
"I hope she's as action-oriented as the move on Marshall principal Drake seems to indicate. Can we dare to hope?"


"She probably saved the district some $$$$ too in conducting a search, interviewing, and wasting a lot of peoples time.

We have seen what some of the thorough searches have produced, and it's not all good.

Go Goodloe!!!!"


"I think Goodloe-J is right on target, and if I were in her shoes, I would do the exact same thing. She is moving quickly, which is opposite of the tiring "Seattle Process" that we are all used to. It is going to ruffle some feathers but hopefully she doesn't get sucked into Seattle's whining. She seems like the type that will hold tight and stand strong.

She rocks!"


"I am so thankful to bid farewell to "The Seattle Process". It is about time someone rolls up their sleeves, and digs in. She is acting with lightning speed, and I am behind her 100%."


I hope the warm feelings about her leadership persist when she makes a decision that upsets y'all and then she doesn't back down from it because your complaints are just "Seattle whining" and her plan is the right thing to do.

She doesn't rock for me until she actually makes a decision on a controversial subject. Then we'll see.
Anonymous said…
to cynical about parents: removing the principal of Marshall isn't a controversial subject?
Anonymous said…
Well, I haven't heard anybody speak in his defense. Sounds like it was more of a no-brainer to remove a poor principal who had been protected by either the union or by knowing the right people. I don't actually anything about that case, but it every commenter on here seems to regard it as an overdue change.

I think that how Dr. GJ handles the new student assignment plan will give us a really good idea on how good a leader she is. No matter how that plays out, there will be folks who are unhappy with the results. How she makes decisions in a polarized environment and how she deals with the people left unhappy will tell us a lot.
Anonymous said…
The Student Assignment Plan is ultimately a School Board, not Sup decision.

And, if you read the PI, there was a factor of people unhappy with the removal of Mr. Drake.
Anonymous said…
"The Student Assignment Plan is ultimately a School Board, not Sup decision."

The Superintendent should provide (hopefully substantive) input and recommendations into the plan. Yes, it is ultimately the school board who has to approve it, but Dr. G-J's leadership skills should be on full display when the details of the plan are being worked out.
Anonymous said…
"I hope the warm feelings about her leadership persist when she makes a decision that upsets y'all"

Every decision is going to upset somebody or some group. I'm sure that I will not like all of the decisions that she makes, however, I understand that for progress to happen, tough decisions have to be made, and not everyone will be pleased.

I am just so happy that we finally have a leader with a back bone. It's about time!! Hopefully she doesn't cave to the negativity, board room scenes, and pouting that Seattle is sure to fling at her.
Anonymous said…
As a district employee in the "know", Dr. GJ is making decisions based on what her "circle" tells her and she is not really getting to know folks before axing them. She only listens to people she should have "not" listened to. When she finally sees that she is being led down a dark alley, she will learn that she should have changed the people at her right hand and left hand sides first.

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