Transcript Interview with Dr. Aldo Sicoli

Interview with Dr. Aldo Sicoli
Superintendent
of
Robbinsdale Area Schools
Dr. Sicoli’s Resume
• AP - Henry Sibley HS
• Principal - Lincoln East
HS, Lincoln, NE
• Principal - Valley View
MS
• Principal - Edina HS
• Asst. Superintendent Burnsville-Eagan-Savage
• Superintendent –
Robbinsdale since 2009
From Robbinsdale’s website
The superintendent is:
• Chief executive officer of the school district
• Responsible for the management of the schools
• Responsible for the conduct and quality of the district’s
educational programs and support systems
• The superintendent is also responsible for recommending
policies to the board
• When adopted by the board, implement, interpret and
execute them.
• The position provides leadership and counsel to the school
board in the development of the district’s mission and goals
• Provides professional support and advice to the school
board on all matters considered by the board.
3-5 Tasks That Consume Most Time
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•
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•
•
“Depends on what’s happening at the time”
Regular Meetings
Special Meetings
Time with the School Board
PR with both internal (staff) and external (city and
state, etc.) stakeholders
Regular Meetings
• “I could be in meetings 14 hours a day.”
• Weekly meetings (e.g. with Cabinet)
• Monthly meetings (e.g. AMSD, Government
Advisory Council, Interschool Council)
• Attends at least one staff meeting in each
building each year.
• Attends at least one PTO meeting in each building
each year.
• He maintains his own calendar.
• Summer tends to slow down some.
Special Meetings
Example #1:
– 10-14 months of budget meetings about contracts
to outsource transportation. District could save $6
million if we contract out, but issue is about
people in the community.
Example #2:
– Met with Representative Ellison and 3 other metro
superintendents at Ellison’s request.
Examples of
Time with School Board
• Example: Worked on policy of diversity within
the new STEAM school.
• On communicating the policy to parents: “If
they hadn’t done that, it would have looked
bad to the public.”
• Much of his time is spent with individual
board members informing and
communicating.
3-5 Challenges
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•
•
•
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Funding
Politics
Ethics
Public Perception of Education Reform
Demonization of teachers and the need for
change
• Can never communicate enough!
Funding
• “Funding, and that’s not going to change.”
Politics
• “People are willing to make decisions that
aren’t good for kids, it’s who is screaming the
loudest in the community.”
– Referring to reforms that people get behind that
are not a good reform.
Ethics
• “Occasionally, people will ask you to do
something unethical.”
Public Perception of Reform
• “People are getting behind reforms that aren’t
research based.”
Demonization of Teachers and the
need for change
• “We as a system need to be willing to change.
There are people who are willing to dismantle
public education. Education needs to be more
personalized than it is now, and we need to
lower the cost of education.”
– Public education needs to be willing to change.
Administrative Structure
Cabinet Structure in place with 6 cabinet members:
• Executive Director of Teaching and Learning: Gayle Walkowiak
• Executive Director of Education Services: Lori Simon
• Executive Director of Business Services: Jeff Priess
• Executive Director of Human Resources: Stephanie Crosby
• Executive Director of Technology: Dennis Beekman
• Executive Director of Community Education: Al Ickler
Board of Education
Judy Lund
Executive
Assistant to
Superintendent
Aldo Sicoli
Superintendent
Jeff Priess
Stephanie
Crosby
Executive
Director of
Human
Resources
Carol Adams
Human
Resources
Program
Director
Executive
Director of
Business
Services
Business
Services
Program
Directors
___________
_
Pam
Montague
Payroll
Al Ickler
Dennis Beekman
Executive
Director of
Technology
Jon Norrbom
Controller
___________
_
Jim Gerber
Lori Simon
Executive
Director of
Teaching and
Learning
Executive
Director of
Educational
Services
Cheryl Videen
Technology
Program
Directors
___________
_
Assessment
Program
Director
Elementary and
Secondary Principals
Ellen Woit
Special Education
Program Director
Al Beck
Information
Systems
Jane
Prestebak
Media
Services &
Instructional
Technology
DeAnna
Sanderson
Executive
Director of
Community
Education
Tia Clasen
Marketing and
Communication
s Program
Director
Program
Director for The
Redesign
Collaborative
Community
Education
Program
Directors
Elaine Boyd
Adventure Club
Melodie Hanson
Theresa Zingery
Amber Spaniol
Marla Johnson
Purchasing
Gayle Walkowiak
Health Services
Program Director
Kenneth Turner
Integration and Equity
Program Director
Rick Roberge
Publications
Program
Director
Adult Academic
Linda Kemper
Comm. Schools
& Partnerships
Monica Potter
ECFE
Sandra
Bengtson
Youth and Adult
Enrichment
Comments on Policies and
Relationship with the School Board
• Robbinsdale has done a better job of keeping
policies up to date than any place he’s ever been.
• Using a Policy Board governance policy, two
policies are updated at a time.
• Very dedicated board members that like to be
very involved. Board has cut back, said to Aldo
that they were too involved.
• “Gotta give them the information so they can
make good decisions…It’s tough when you have
seven bosses.”
Other Meeting Agendas
• HS & MS principals have an informal agenda
– Whoever facilitates the group sets the agenda
• Elementary principal meetings have a formal
agenda
• Aldo sets the cabinet meeting agendas
Process for Developing a School
Board Meeting Agenda
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Superintendent and board members have an agenda setting meeting.
No more than 2 board member participate or it becomes an open
meeting.
Agenda meeting is set 11 days prior to board meeting.
Agenda draft reviewed throughout the week prior to board meeting.
Final agenda created Friday (before Monday meeting).
Action plans are in place to ensure goals and objectives are on target
when drafting agenda.
If something comes up after final agenda, might go under “other items”.
Monitor calendar throughout for any changes that may occur.
Concluding Thoughts
• Best part of his job: “When I can get into the classrooms.”
• What he’s most proud of:
– “A lot of people doing a lot of good work.”
• Action plans and strategic planning – developing a logical sequence
for why we do what we do. Having a unified district vision.
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How good a sense do we have of how we’re implementing things?
Do we have consistency?
Do we have an evaluation plan?
How do we know what’s working and what isn’t?
What do we need to change? Keep? Get rid of?
We really should have more of an evaluation plan. We talk a good
game, but we don’t implement the way we should. If we don’t
implement, it means nothing. If we’re working in silos, we’re not
effective.”
• WISH LIST: More funding for professional development