A weekend interview with ...

... interim Pinellas superintendent Julie Janssen. A 28-year veteran of the district, Janssen, 59, has worked as a math teacher, school principal and deputy superintendent. Now she'll take the reins of control, at least temporarily, as Clayton Wilcox leaves in June. Janssen spoke with reporter Jeff Solochek via e-mail about the district's future and her own.

Why did you want to become interim superintendent?

When I accepted the role as deputy superintendent two years ago, I knew there would be times when I would fill in for the superintendent in his absence. As deputy, I already am integrally involved in all levels of decision making. When Dr. Wilcox announced he was leaving, offering to step up as interim was the right thing to do to maintain consistency in the district.

The district is headed for some tough times, not the least of which being the budget cuts.  Talk about the difficulties of taking over the top job now.

Managing a district in times of extremely limited education funding is challenging and difficult in a many respects. Based on the state's financial projections there doesn't appear to be any relief in the near future. It's difficult to identify areas to trim costs when we already have made substantial cuts in the range of $32-million over the past two years. Facing an additional $37-million next year means there's a good possibility that some positions could be eliminated and employees reassigned. Our district has faced these challenges before and we'll work through them together. I'm confident our finance team will assist us in looking at all possible solutions before submitting a balanced budget for board approval.

The district's employee unions have suggested a morale crisis exists. How do you intend to improve employee relations?

Whenever people are faced with something that impacts them financially or a change in leadership there's a level of insecurity that can affect morale. As interim superintendent, I will continue to reassure them that we value and respect their input and that we are listening to their concerns.

Many parents have complained about the district's new student assignment policy.  How do you see the new rules working, and how do you keep families happy within them?

Prior to the board approving a new student assignment plan, parents and community members had the opportunity to give input at a number of community meetings. A task force that met for almost two years spent time requesting input and analyzing parent surveys before making recommendations to the school board. The new plan reflects what parents told us - it assigns children closer to home and preserves "choice" options through magnet, fundamental and career academy programs.

From our perspective, the new plan that primarily affects entry-level grades has been well received. Any time a district transitions to a new student assignment plan and boundary lines are redrawn there will be some families who don't agree with the boundary lines as drawn. Overall, we've seen an increase in families returning from private schools who feel the new plan meets the needs of their children.

What good things are going on in Pinellas schools? How can you expand upon these?

We have a number of initiatives that create exciting learning opportunities for students and ultimately will boost student achievement. Literacy programs on the elementary level and AVID, a program that encourages students to take more rigorous course work in middle and high schools, are helping move students forward academically. We continue to show upward trends on state academic performance assessments. Through collaboration with the Pinellas Education Foundation and local businesses we're launching Centers of Excellence in all high schools by 2010 to expand our successful career technical programs. Our two Pinellas Technical Education Centers have been redesigned. Local funding enhancements through referendum dollars have allowed us to make strides the areas of reading, art, music and technology. Students are learning in state-of-the art classrooms all across the district. Our teachers, administrators, support staff members and students continue to win national and state awards.

Our leadership team will stay the course and continue to seek innovative teaching strategies that make learning relevant for our kids and prepares them for the future – whether they enter the workplace or go on to continue their education. We'll continue to evaluate our programs and focus on those initiatives that result in learning gains for students.

Where do you see the Pinellas School District headed during your time as interim superintendent? What will be your key initiatives?

With the impending budget cuts, we will look for opportunities to reinvent ourselves and ways to do business more efficiently. We'll continue to be educationally and fiscally responsible to provide a great education to the children of this county. Strengthening business and community partnerships will enable us to provide innovative programs for students. I also look forward to continuing the dialogue with parent and community groups who have signaled to us their willingness to help our students achieve academic success.

Do you expect to seek the job permanently?  Why or why not?

Right now as interim superintendent my focus is maintaining the momentum in the district and, together with the leadership team, to guide us through the next several months. I have said from the beginning that I would accept the interim position under whatever terms the school board approves. Now that the board has set definite parameters for the application process, I'll take those into consideration before making a decision.

Comments

[me]

A good move would be to have the top level administrators do what the teachers are doing..... more and more with less and less.

Do away with some of the fat in the organizational chart, double up and work the whole day with a 30 minute lunch on the premises. Go out in the district and substitute like it was said that you would.

If the schools can do without one AP, the district can do without some of the associate supers, assistant supers, supervisors, administrative assistants, teachers on assignment.

Let office staff at the ad building clean up after themselves. The schools are operating with less custodians......ad building..do the same! Let the staff bring in the air freshner, soap dispensers like in the schools.

Tighten the belt everywhere, not just the teachers.

[me]

A good move would be to have the top level administrators do what the teachers are doing..... more and more with less and less.

Do away with some of the fat in the organizational chart, double up and work the whole day with a 30 minute lunch on the premises. Go out in the district and substitute like it was said that you would.

If the schools can do without one AP, the district can do without some of the associate supers, assistant supers, supervisors, administrative assistants, teachers on assignment.

Let office staff at the ad building clean up after themselves. The schools are operating with less custodians......ad building..do the same! Let the staff bring in the air freshner, soap dispensers like in the schools.

Tighten the belt everywhere, not just the teachers.

[Kathleen]

Brace yourself, Dr. Jansen. Same stuff...different target.

Oh, by the way, good luck.

[Shel]

Hey--I'm a teacher. I'd like a $12,000.00 raise and THEN I'll take a 2% pay cut. That way, I can afford to drive to work. If it's good enough for the interim super, then it's good enough for me!
"Targeted selection" AKA "good ol' boy/girl-is great!! Oh, and I want to have some job slots available to me to put my friends into. Thank you.

[Shel]

Oh, and Kathleen--Where do you work?

[A teacher]

The morale problem has existed for years. It is NOTt--repeat-- NOT --just a result of the current problems. Wilcox's answer to it was "You make your own morale". How sweet. Maybe a trip to the theatre on Broadway would cheer me up.
I think it would be wise for the top of the massive PCS org chart to wake up and realize just how unfathomably weary of the same old same old its employees are. Julie Janssen, you have a chance to make a real difference here and do some right things. I hope you will. Good luck. We need some real leadership.

Hey Shel, it's $54,000, not $12,000.

[me]

All teachers need their raises before the 2% is deducted. They don't have an expense account for mileage and lease costs.

What you probably need to do, Julie, is to take off your high heels and roll up your sleeves and dig in to the organizational chart. Get rid of the double dippers and the people who sort the stacks of papers and send emails about training.

Forget training for teachers. Instead of CPI training on their time, most will be looking for a 2nd job to pay at the pumps, unless the buses are going to pick up the teachers.

[LB]

I AM riding my bike to work, now. I DO work a 2nd job. Is the way teachers have been treated worth it? The referendum money took the place of PCS' money, just like the lottery. Morale couldn't be worse, yet those at the top only care about THEIR money. Is that "The Pinellas Way"?

[Shel]

I know it's $54,000 for HER. My percentage raise would be different since I don't already make $131,000. But, OK! I'll take 54,000!

She will be a great superintendent -- she already knows how to respond to a question without answering it at all.

[Ron]

Why does the superintendents office as a cost center need $21,700,000.00 to operate? Part of the pay cut could come from the data processing budget that is about 50% of the cost center cash need. Everything else is high but in balance. Where is that $10 million really going. (pg 46 - Annual Budget Pinellas County School Board - appropriations summary by cost center.)

[Sandra]

I heard when Julie was at Countryside High she brought someone into the school one day to give massages....to the office folks, not to any of the teachers.
If that's true, (and how could we find out?) then that would seem to indicate that she's already got a pattern of looking out for admin over teachers and therefore no one should expect her to make cuts to those multiple layers of admin.

[sandra]

Here's a thought for Julie.....if you want to boost employee morale, make this vow to your teachers and support staff: "I will not accept an increase in my personal pay as long as any teacher or support staffer is facing a pay cut or increased insurance rates."

Teacher moral is low because the current adminstration does not care about teachers or students, just the bottom line. It's easy for administration to say to teachers work more, less planning and more students, they are not in the trenches.

[Concerned reader]

To: Shel and Sandra

We all make choices. What position do you have in the school system. Dr. Janssen if I have read correctlyly has worked her way up from a teacher, Assistant Principal, Principal, and so on. If you are stuck in a low paid position, go back to school,teach longer, or just get out......

Whenever people are faced with self-serving people who tout themselves as leaders, morale generally declines. It is not the economy, it is not insecurity in changing leadership. It is poor quality, uninspiring leadership that will guide Pinellas down a path that destroys any remaining morale.

[Shel]

I have a Masters Degree--a REAL one. The questions you are asking me are truly none of your business and your "get out" comment is just plain stupid. What's your job? Telling people what to do with their lives? You "get out" of what your life's work is and then we'll talk.

[Shel]

And many of our top PAID admins. have not exactly "worked" their way up.

[huh?]

Dear Concerned Reader -
What are you concerned about?
Are you concerned that administrators be well-paid? That they have expense accounts? That they are treated as professionals?
Are you concerned that children in our community get an excellent education? Are you considering what it takes - and WHO it takes to do this?
Have you looked closely at the PCSB budget? Checked out some of the line items? Thought about who is benefiting? Wondered if it's the kids?
Please don't ask caring teachers (whose qualifications and education you can't possibly know) to 'get out.'
As a parent, I'm thankful that so many choose to STAY IN given the conditions and thanklessness of the job, particularly in this state - and definitely in this county.

[sandra]

Dear Concerned Reader,
"Getting out" gets more tempting every day. I choose to stay in because I know I make a difference with a lot of kids. Lately, that comes at an ever-increasing personal expense. You're mistaken if you think all administrators were successful in the classroom.....and mistaken again if you think all good teachers ultimately look to "move up" into administration. I don't understand the "teach longer" part of your response. I've been doing this for 20 years. You are right - we do all make choices. Dedicated teachers and support staff choose to work with children for a variety of reason. Money is seldom the draw. Administrators at the district level consume too large of a portion of the district's budget. There are a lot of "management" salaries that could be better used to properly fund the classroom and provide salaries that are in line with national averages for our teachers and support staff.

[Diane]

This is a REPLY to a comment made by Sandra (May 18, 2008 at 4:04PM)- The ‘massages’ your refer to were a PERSONAL HOLIDAY Gift from Dr. Janssen to her Assistant Principals and PAID FOR OUT OF HER OWN POCKET! How do I know? I was Countryside’s Bookkeeper.
Dr. Janssen has always put her students and teachers first.
Your comment indicates that you confuse gossip for fact!

Apparently nothing new has happened this week in Pinellas education.

That is a very thoughtful gift!

Were the APs given this gift during the school day?

[Diane]

This is a reply to "|" May 23, 2008 at 6:56 PM - After the work day.