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Howard County Schools
With John O'Rourke, superintendent
Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2001; 1 p.m. EDT
John O'Rourke recently finished his first year as superintendent of Howard County Public Schools, which serve 44,000 students. In that year, one of his initiatives was to identify every third-grader below grade level in reading, mathematics or both. (Read the article.)
For related coverage, check out the Post series "Growing Years," based on a year spent in a Howard County middle school.
In 1997, O'Rourke was named New York State and National Superintendent of the Year.
The transcript follows.
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Arlington, Va.:
How do you feel about back to school fashion for girls being too revealing a la Britney Spears and not appropriate for school?
John O'Rourke: We have a dress code and fundamentally it speaks to student attire being respectful of our classrooms being places where students learn. While it is not overly restrictive we certainly expect that no student attire will be distracting in itself nor be distracting to the learning process. The code is implemented by each building principal.
Washington, D.C.:
How is your plan of identifying by name those students who are below grade levels in reading and mathematics working out?
John O'Rourke: As a beginning it is going quite well. I do have the names of all our former third grade students who are performing below grade level in reading and/or mathematics. Identifying their names is only the beginning. I also asked for the instructional plans that were in place for each one of those students. It is those plans that represent the really meaningful step that we have taken. It is just a beginning. We continue to analyze the information looking for patterns of performance and working on ways in which we can improve for the future.
Ellicott City:
What is the biggest challenge you'll face this year?
John O'Rourke: We are working to engage our entire community in dealing with what is always our biggest challenge this year and every other -- that is focusing on what happens between a teacher and a student. We are in the process of educating 45,000 students, one child at a time. This year in particular we are working to deal with the national teacher shortage. We are doing everything possible to attract the very best and to make sure that those teachers are encouraged and supported in every way. The implementation of new learning standards heightens our accountability in the most public of ways. With all of that, enhancing that magic moment between a teacher and a child will always be our biggest challenge.
Columbia:
When are class sizes going to get smaller?
John O'Rourke: We have taken steps to reduce class size. At the primary level, grades 1 and 2, we staff at an average of 19 students per teacher. In other grade levels and other settings we make maximum use of staff and schedules to effectively reduce instructional groupings. This is very much a facilities issue.
For every reduction of class size we face a like increase in the number of needed teachers and classrooms. Currently across the system we have some 100 "portable" classrooms. Reducing class size has an impact on facilities, staffing, and budget.
Potomac, Md.:
Have Howard County schools instituted any new safety measures to protect students and teachers against violence?
John O'Rourke: WE ARE IMPLEMENTING PLANS DEVELOPED THROUGH AN EXTENSIVE TRAINING PROGRAM IN WHICH OUR ADMINISTRATORS WORKED WITH COUNTY OFFICIALS, THE POLICE DEPT. AND FIRE DEPT. WE HAVE DEVELOPED A DISTRICT WIDE CRISIS RESPONSE PLAN WITH VARIATIONS FOR EACH ONE OF OUR BUILDING SITES. WITHIIN THE NEXT 2 WEEKS WE WILL BE WORKING WITH OUR ADMINISTRATORS TO IMPLEMENT A RESPONSE PROGRAM DESIGNED TO DEAL WITH SPECIFIC BEHAVIORS. WE NEED TO REMEMBER THAT SAFETY AND VIOLENCE ARE NOT SOLELY SCHOOL ISSUES. A SAFE AND SECURE SCHOOL NEEDS TO BE PART OF A SAFE AND SECURE COMMUNITY.
Hyattsville, Md.:
How can school violence be avoided?
John O'Rourke: WE ARE IMPLEMENTING PLANS DEVELOPED THROUGH AN EXTENSIVE TRAINING PROGRAM IN WHICH OUR ADMINISTRATORS WORKED WITH COUNTY OFFICIALS, THE POLICE DEPT. AND FIRE DEPT. WE HAVE DEVELOPED A DISTRICT WIDE CRISIS RESPONSE PLAN WITH VARIATIONS FOR EACH ONE OF OUR BUILDING SITES. WITHIIN THE NEXT 2 WEEKS WE WILL BE WORKING WITH OUR ADMINISTRATORS TO IMPLEMENT A RESPONSE PROGRAM DESIGNED TO DEAL WITH SPECIFIC BEHAVIORS. WE NEED TO REMEMBER THAT SAFETY AND VIOLENCE ARE NOT SOLELY SCHOOL ISSUES. A SAFE AND SECURE SCHOOL NEEDS TO BE PART OF A SAFE AND SECURE COMMUNITY.
Mt. Rainier, Md.:
Are homework levels higher now than they used to be?
John O'Rourke: AS EXPECTATIONS FOR SCHOOLS INCREASE IT IS PROBABLY NATURAL TO EXPECT THAT HOMEWORK WILL INCREASE. HOWEVER, WE HAVE SPECIFIC GUIDELINE FOR HOMEOWKR DESIGNED TO PROVIDE A FRAMEWORK WITHIN WHICH ANY WORK DONE OUT OF THE CLASSROOM IS SEEN AS AN ADJUNCT TO THE CLASSROOM INSTRUCTIONAL PROCESS. WHILE THESE GUIDELINE MAY BE IMPLEMENTED IN DIFFERENT WAYS THEY ARE MEANT TO ENSURE THAT HOMEWORK IS NOT JUST BUSY WORK, NOR IS IT MEANT TO REPLACE SOUND INSTRUCTIIONAL PRACTICES
Washington, D.C.:
Have you scheduled outreach meetings to discuss changes in school boundaries for next year and how do you factor resident/parent input into these decisions?
John O'Rourke: WE HAVE SCHEDULED OUTREACH MEETINGS ON REDISTRICTING. THE SCHEDULE IS AVAILABLE ON THE DISTRICT'S WEB SITE: WWW.HOWARD.K12.MD.US. LOOK UNDER WHAT'S NEW. WE ALSO HAVE A COMMITTEE WORKING REPRESENTING PARENTS OF EACH OF OUR AFFECTED SCHOOLS. THIS COMITTEE IS WORKING WITH DISTRICT STAFF TO ENSURE RESIDENT AND PARENTAL INPUT.
Potomac, Md.:
Should SAT scores be as important as they are ?
John O'Rourke: THERE NEEDS TO BE A BALANCE. FOR SOME SAT SCORES MEAN EVERYTHING. FOR OTHERS THEY MEAN NOTHING AT ALL. AS PART OF AN OVERALL COMPILATION OF STUDENT PERFORMANCE INDICATORS THEY CAN BE HELPFUL IN PREDICTING INITIAL SUCCESS IN COLLEGE. THEY ARE ONLY ONE INDICATOR, HOWEVER. IT IS ABSURB TO THINK THAT A STUDENT CAN BE ADEQUATELY EVALUATED ON THE BASIS OF A SINGLE SAT SCORE. IN FACT, NO ONE INDICATOR OF STUDENT PERFORMANCE SHOULD BE SEEN IN THAT LIGHT. WE BELIEVE STUDENTS AND THEIR POTENTIAL ARE FAR MORE COMPLICATED THAN CAN BE EASILY REPRESENTED BY TEST SCORES ALONE.
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