At first glance, Dance seems like a highly competent candidate: he has been a teacher, an assistant principal, a principal, and (most recently) the chief of middle schools for the Houston Independent School District (The Sun). His last job earned him a great deal of authority due to the vast size of the Houston Independent School District, yet many worry that he is not ready for this new role. Dance will be 31 years old when he takes office, making him the youngest BCPS superintendent in 50 years, according to Bowie. Each of the positions he has held in the past have lasted for about two years, including his role as teacher. Many parents are worried that he is simply trying to climb the career ladder, and that he will be gone from this role in another two.
At this point, he is certainly saying all of the right things. He has been continually claiming that he wants to be "transparent", "open", and surrounded with "divergent" points of view. I cannot help but wonder, however, how ready he is for this position having only taught for two years. Many of us will soon be "2-year vets", but I certainly do not think I am now ready to be an assistant principal, much less a handful of years removed from being a superintendent. I am also unsure of how 'in-touch' he will be with the issues of educators if he has only spent a limited amount of time in the classroom. Ultimately, though, I am excited that BCPS picked a fresh new face for the new head of schools, someone who is hopefully devoid of cronies waiting for kickbacks as well as antiquated views on education. I guess we'll just have to wait and see how this hire turns out; this dance is only just beginning.
2 comments:
McLean,
I was so glad to see your post. I just had a conversation with an administrator at my school about this new hire today. In this person's view, she finds it difficult to believe that someone who has taught for less than 5 years is ready or prepared to take on a responsibility as large as running a school district. In many ways, I agree with your point about the new superintendent's intents. It does appear that he is saying all of the right things and if carried out, has great potential as the leader of BCPS.
When thinking about the point his teaching experience and leadership experience, it would appear that perhaps it is possible to be successful despite only a few years in the classroom. That being said, I am also concerned that this role as superintendent is not the ultimate goal for him. I am a firm believer in the idea that change takes time, and that during that time, there must be a consistent leader. I look forward to watching the new superintendent's promises and goals come to fruition in Baltimore County Public Schools. If he exits before then, it doesn't appear that many people will be surprised.
WOW! When I think back on my K-12 experience, I always associate age with school rank. I remember having young teachers, but administrators (particularly my principals) were always at least middle-aged. Superintendents were even older.
We have definitely moved from an era when age and experience parallels rank. In today’s age it seems as though the field of education seeks innovation. We love trends and are always looking to see if some new idea will help to reform our schools. This is evident in Baltimore County’s superintendent choice. He is saying the right things. Of course he says he will be transparent and accessible. Who wouldn’t say these things?
My issue is, Dance has not stayed in any position for more than two years. Does he become bored easily? Is he truly concerned with the success of a district if he does not spend a substantial amount of time to infect change? Will he stay in Baltimore County for more than two years or will he be satisfied with strides that he’s made in that time and move on? Who knows…only time will tell!
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