Trammell looks back on his year as chairman
By Marshall Trammell Jr. BERMUDA DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD REPRESENTATIVE

Trammell

In January 2006, my colleagues elected me school board chair. Our task was obvious: manage a growing student enrollment, engage the community on critical issues, and meet the community's expectation for the best educational experience in the safest learning environment possible - all with a finite amount of resources.

In life, however, the unexpected often happens. Governor Tim Kaine appointed Dr. Billy Cannaday, our superintendent of six years, as state superintendent of public instruction in April. A school board's most important duty is the selection of a superintendent. With input from staff and the community, the board began to identify qualified candidates. With 60 schools, nearly 58,000 students and 7,400 employees, our new chief executive officer had to have exceptional administrative and management skills. Given the charge to prepare students for success in the 21st century, our next superintendent also had to be a visionary instructional leader. Our selection, Dr. Marcus Newsome, clearly possesses the qualities and experiences necessary to build on past successes and move us toward excellence in education.

The board and the school division suffered another major loss in June with the passing of Dale District representative Beth Davis. Her grace and wisdom have been sorely missed. Her legacy remains, however, with the construction of the Elizabeth B. Davis Middle School in the Bermuda District.

This facility is one of four new schools being built to address growing student enrollment. Contracts were awarded for two new elementary schools - one adjacent to the Elizabeth B. Davis Middle School and the other in the Matoaca District off Hull Street Road. A second middle school is under construction off Centerpointe Parkway in the Matoaca District as well. These new schools, plus the opening of Cosby High School last fall, will provide significant relief from overcrowding. However, the board remains challenged to address capacity issues, replace and renovate aging facilities, and fund all of the above. These are continuing challenges, ones we'll address again this year.

To fulfill our mission and vision statements, the board engaged the community on many key topics: the budget, selection of the next superintendent, and the skills our students need to succeed in a global society. The board also appointed parents, whose children and neighborhoods potentially would be impacted by redistricting, to a committee charged with proposing attendance zone changes for new schools. A new parent notification system approved by the board also allows us to inform parents about important school-related opportunities. Our engagement efforts have received many positive comments, and I commend the board for its innovative leadership. With a commitment to open and responsive government, we continue to look for new ways to communicate effectively with parents and taxpayers.

Through retreats and work sessions, the board worked with our staff and the community to strategically plan for the future of our children. The result is what Dr. Newsome and the board now refer to as the "Design for Excellence."

In addition to our vision and mission, we now have adopted core beliefs, goals, key measures and the framework for a six-year plan to ensure academic excellence for all. In 2007, we will work to identify strategic actions to make this plan a reality.

On behalf of Dr. Newsome and my fellow board members - our new chair, Tom Doland of the Matoaca District; our vice-chair, Dianne Pettitt of Clover Hill; Dr. Jim Schroeder of Midlothian; and David Wyman of Dale - I want to express our appreciation for the many ways you demonstrated your support of our students, staff and schools in 2006. We wish you happiness and good heath this new year.