CHRIS ARDIS: What our next superintendent needs to understand

By the end of this month, we will likely know the identity of McAllen's new superintendent. I hope teachers, support staff, administrators, parents and students will have an opportunity to meet with the new superintendent to address the great and the horrible in our district.

There are many great things happening in our district, including Memorial High School's selection as a finalist for College Board's annual Inspiration Board, given to schools with outstanding college preparation programs and that have formed strong partnerships between school personnel, parents and the community. We have seen the academic and athletic advancement of many of our district's scholars and athlet es. Our elementary teachers and administrators continue to give up their Saturday mornings to help students prepare for the TAKS and to develop their academic skills, and our middle school teachers use one of their planning periods every day to collaborate on curriculum and to find ways to help their students succeed. One of the things I love most about MISD is the strong bond between teachers throughout the district.

I don't think it will take long for the new superintendent to see how committed district employees are and to recognize that our students are intelligent and talented. He or she will see how many school bus drivers have been with the districts for years, forming strong bonds with our students, and how many cafeteria workers arise well before dawn to prepare the meals for our students and to serve them with a smile. The superintendent will quickly learn about the secretaries who keep the schools running and the counselors who wear an infinite number of hats throughout the year.

There are a number of pressing issues the superintendent will need to address immediately. I hope the new superintendent will borrow an idea from some of our local elected officials who host Town Hall meetings. How about some productive School Hall meetings where school district personnel can come together and share what we feel are the most pressing areas to be addressed? Ground rules will need to be established so they don't turn into gripe sessions with no solutions. There need to be separate meetings for elementary, middle and high schools and for support staff throughout the district. Parents and students should also be invited to a School Hall meeting. Once the information is gathered, the new superintendent can prioritize and get to work to address the most urgent concerns. I will gladly provide a head start:

1. The need for a rigorous K-12 curriculum that is knowledge-focused rather than TAKS-focused.

2. A good hard look at the current school day for our students. Do we really want to provide our students with what has been referred to as an education that is a mile wide and only an inch deep?

3. A much stronger discipline policy district-wide with consistent and enforceable consequences.

4. A focused effort to dramatically reduce the number of students cutting classes, skipping school, being retained and dropping out.

5. The dissolution of our MAST intervention specialists, who have worked tirelessly with our students dealing with issues like drug and alcohol abuse, suicidal tendencies and loss of a parent. It has taken years for them to develop those bonds. Do we really want to break them?

See you at the School Hall meetings.