Saturday, July 28, 2007
Editorial: Welcome back, Bishop
From the RoundTable blog
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Rita Bishop returns next week to Roanoke to take on the challenge of leading the city school system. Bishop's success in restoring morale, raising student achievement and keeping kids in school will be greatly influenced by the support the community lends her.
Already a sense of optimism attends Bishop's arrival. Many were saddened when she left a few years ago to effectuate a turnaround of the troubled Lancaster, Pa., school district. With a ready and willing supply of boosters, Bishop can't help but improve upon the successes that attended her tenure in Lancaster.
She will bring with her Curt Baker in the newly created position of deputy superintendent for operations. Her faith in Baker rests on his work as her chief financial officer in Lancaster and his ability to have turned a $3.4 million deficit into a surplus. Roanoke needs that magic as well.
On the instructional side, Bishop enticed Vella Wright to return as assistant superintendent for teaching and learning. Wright retired during the volatile leadership of Marvin Thompson that sent many administrators and teachers on a mass exodus.
Perhaps, though, one of the best signals that the Thompson style is banished for good is Bishop's request to restructure management so that each principal reports directly to her.
This should bring about a team approach as staff work together to face the challenges at each school.
