Vol. 4, No. 1 Spring 2011 Lane moves to head of PROMISES TO KEEP class PAGE 8 Superintendent aims to advance LIMBERING UP District PAGE 9 BY MEAGHAN CASEY Four years to the day after she was appointed deputy superintendent of Pittsburgh Public Schools, Dr. Linda Lane was named the District’s new superintendent, effective Jan. 1. “I am humbled by the opportunity to serve the District and the city, both of which I have come to love,” said Dr. Lane. “Few get the opportunities that I have had to serve, learn and grow in a District on the move on behalf of TEACHERS THANKED students. We are PAGES 10-11 going to continue the work of our Empowering Effective Teachers DR. LANE Plan, deepen our STUDENTS HAVE BIG DREAMS FOR SUMMER, PAGES 12-13 work in underperforming schools and A trip to the PPG Aquarium at Pittsburgh Zoo was on the activities list during last year's Summer Dreamers Academy. expedite our work to eliminate racial achievement disparities.” Dr. Lane is the first African- American woman to be named permanent superintendent of the Shortfall doesn’t change District mission Pittsburgh Public Schools, and that’s a first she never imagined when she At the Board of Education’s April 4 meeting, several years to increase student achievement and hiring freezes and a review of all began her career as a first-grade the message shared with Board members was and hold the line on spending, we are at a point expenditures in terms of necessity. teacher in Iowa City Public Schools in sobering: The District will not be able to pay its where more dramatic changes must be made in In March Dr. Lane submitted a revised the early 1970s. bills by September 2012 unless immediate very short order,” said Superintendent Dr. Linda Capital Projects plan to the Board which She taught elementary school in changes are made. Lane. “We must get ourselves into structural reduced the total for facilities projects from both Iowa City and Des Moines, Iowa The projected operating deficit for 2012 balance.” $60.3 to $14.9 million. The new plan also from 1971-82. She also served as Des stands at $68 million. Without drastic measures, Dr. Lane already has taken steps to reduce reduces the District’s 2012 debt service by $3.6 Moines’ chief operating officer and the District will exhaust its emergency cash expenses, beginning with a 10 percent reduction million. executive director of human resources reserves, also called the fund balance, before the in administrative budgets which will save $3.5 “In this difficult fiscal climate, it makes before being named deputy end of 2012. That would mean no money for million this year and $7 million for 2012. The absolutely no sense for the District to borrow superintendent in 2003. salaries, utilities, textbooks for students, and reorganization of the executive team means a and spend $60 million on capital projects” said In 2003, she graduated from the more. savings of more than $140,000 annually. Dr. Lane. “For the time being, we’re only “While much has been done over the past Additional spending restrictions include travel See LANE Page 2 See BUDGET Page 16 2 —The Pittsburgh Educator Spring 2011 Excellence for All District’s vision is clear: Excellence for All On Dec. 6, 2010, I On Jan. 4, 2011, I presented goals and high schools in 2010, and this first year has executive team that provides the same level was sworn in as priorities to guide our ongoing efforts. Goal been a learning experience for everyone— of service to our students with fewer Superintendent of the No. 1 is to maintain our focus on teachers as well as students—as they have personnel and at less expense to taxpayers. Pittsburgh Public implementing the District’s Empowering refined the core design to be a better fit for We have eliminated five vacant executive Schools. I am honored Effective Teachers plan. At the heart of this each unique learning environment. The positions from the budget, and I have asked and humbled by the plan is a bold vision that sees our teachers as teams will continue to “monitor and adjust” key executive staff to take on increased or opportunity to make a effective leaders who will “do whatever it as they follow their students’ progress different workloads. In addition to these cost difference in the lives takes to foster a culture of striving, resilience through ninth and tenth grades. You’ll read savings, I have directed all central office of our students and and college-readiness…” more about the Promise-Readiness Corps on departments to reduce their budgets by 10%. families. And I am Goal No. 2 is to make high school my page 7. Most recently, we reviewed plans for major DR. LINDA LANE determined to ensure priority for this school year. Historically, Another important aspect of the renovation projects and eliminated or that our entire organization becomes more only 15 percent of our students — that’s 3 of Empowering Effective Teachers plan is the significantly reduced spending on 16 of our focused than ever on improving academic 20 — finish college or become workforce work of Teaching and Learning Environment 43 projects. This resulted in a 75 percent achievement at all levels. certified. That is unacceptable. It is the goal Liaisons. If we expect teachers to be reduction in spending on capital projects for We have a clear vision in this District. It is of the Empowering Effective Teachers plan effective leaders, and we want children to 2011. Excellence for All. We cannot expect that to ultimately raise that number to 80 percent have the best possible opportunity for We will continue to seek out innovative every student will march across the stage on —which is 16 of 20. And that is a number success, then we must provide the best solutions that will benefit our children and commencement day with a complete picture more in keeping with our desire to change the possible conditions for learning. The our District, and we will continue to build on of the future neatly drawn. We must insist life prospects of every child. Liaisons are using the results of the Teaching the strong foundation set by our aggressive that each one have at least a rough sketch that One powerful aspect of the Empowering and Learning Conditions Survey completed reform efforts of the past five years. can adapt to the changes and challenges that Effective Teachers plan is the partnership earlier this year to make a difference in their I invite you to become active partners with are inevitable as they mature and work to with the Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers schools. You can read about this important us as we seek to ensure that every child has achieve their full potential. that has driven this work from the very work on page 6. the best possible educational opportunities so And that is the end goal—to prepare each beginning. This is a time of transition in the District. I that each one is Promise-Ready and eligible of the young people we serve to pursue their This collaboration continues to fuel the have dedicated my early efforts to ensuring for a scholarship from The Pittsburgh dreams and aspirations and to work to reach growth of such unique efforts as the Promise- that our focus remains on the most important Promise®. them. We want to instill in them a lifelong Readiness Corps. These teams of educators job at hand—equipping our teachers and staff Through our combined efforts, we can passion for learning. We want each one to be offer entering high school students more with the tools they need to open our students’ ensure a brighter future for our children, their Promise-Ready — to build the skills and personalized and intensive experiences so minds while shaping their lives. I also know families and our city. interests that will lead to completion of a that they arrive in grade 11 Promise-Ready that this is a time of limited resources and we post-secondary degree or workforce and on course to graduate. The Promise- must continue to reduce costs. certification after high school. Readiness Corps launched in eight of our In March I unveiled a reorganization of my Dr. Linda Lane is Superintendent of Schools. Dr. Lane moves to head of class as new superintendent Pittsburgh Public Schools Board of Directors LANE: From Page 1 ensure that our teachers and principals Sherry Hazuda have the support needed to continue to President Broad Superintendents Academy, a improve the academic achievement of Sharene Shealey rigorous 10-month training program our students.” First Vice President that equipped her with the tools for On Dec. 29, Dr. Lane released her Thomas Sumpter leading a large urban school district. transition plan for the first 100 days – Second Vice President Dr. Dara Ware Allen Among the others in her Broad Jan. 3 to April 14. In addition to the Mark Brentley Sr. “class” was Mark Roosevelt, who priorities set by the Board, Dr. Lane Theresa Colaizzi became Pittsburgh’s superintendent in has been dedicated to building a Jean Fink 2005. She left Des Moines in 2006 stronger Board-superintendent William Isler for Pittsburgh, and the rest, as they relationship, hosting “town hall” Floyd McCrea say, is history. meetings for community input, PUBLISHED BY: reaching out to principals and Pittsburgh Public Schools teachers through school visits and Dr. Linda Lane, Superintendent “I’M EXCITED TO meetings, making changes to the administrative organizational SUBMIT STORY IDEAS TO: BE WORKING structure, and situating the District Lynne Turnquist for coming financial challenges.