WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. By John F. Bailey July 1, 2009: Dr. Christopher Clouet officially began his new role as White Plains Superintendent of Schools today, though he has been meeting and conducting interviews for five days already. Dr. Clouet, who comes to White Plains from his previous position as Superintendent of the New London (Connecticut) schools, spent the last five days conducting some meetings at Education House, interviewing candidates, and setting up his office, in which he looked quite at home already Wednesday morning.
Enter Clouet: Dr. Christopher Clouet, new Superintendent of Schools in White Plains this morning, his first official day on watch.
Clouet told WPCNR he has set up in weeks previously, an “Entry Tour,” to meet community organizations, city government officials of both present and possible incoming administrations (there are two candidates running for Mayor thus far), in addition to institutions like the library, the Youth Bureau and others, to be current with concerns, expectations, and issues facing the school district as it relates to the community. He said he was well aware the city was assessment challenged (due to declining assessments of commercial, and recently residential properties), and the change coming in the ”Post-Mall era" and would be discussing it with “officials you would expect, both outgoing, and incoming.”
Asked his primary goal as he starts his job, Dr. Clouet said the primary goal was to assure the district was preparing all its students as best as it can for their lives ahead to be productive to take on roles in society. Clouet told the CitizeNetReporter, that the public will be pleasantly surprised by the latest Middle School Math scores that are well above the state average. (Middle School student performance was targeted by Dr. Margaret Dwyer last year and has shown marked improvement.)
Clouet will debut publicly at the first Board of Education meeting in July.
