WPCNR All News Final. By John F. Bailey April 18, 2002 11:00 PM EDT: Two members of the citizens interview committee, Administrators President Hugh McKiernan and teachers union leader, Jerry Gorski, had the opportunity to interview Tim Connors and his companion “finalist” last weekend for the White Plains Superintendent of Schools position.
They each expressed great enthusiasm to WPCNR about Mr. Connors philosophy, personality, and ability to lead White Plains schools.
McKiernan, Dean of Principals in White Plains, the Principal of Mamaroneck Avenue School, and President of the Administrators and pervisors Association was impressed with both finalist candidates.
Dean of Administrators Gives Vote of Confidence
“The Search Committee did a good job in identifying candidates who would fit the profile for our district,” McKiernan told CNR. “As you know, the search firm took the time to speak with different constituencies to contribute to the profile. And, the finalists whom we saw were very aligned to that profile. I felt that either of the finalists would be a fine selection. The Board chose Mr. Connors, and I think he’s the kind of person that we can look forward to working closely with in White Plains.”
A Fast Start
Mckiernan spoke at length on the “Connors style” on display in the interview: “I think the administrators will be pleased with the work history, the work ethic and the collegiality, he seems to want to establish immediately. We’ll be meeting with him next week, and that’s a good start. We’re hopeful that the district will continue to show the improvement it did under Dr. Yanofsky, and we’ll continue to do that under Tim Connors.”
McKiernan impressed with his approach to goals, “close working relationship.”
Mr. McKiernan, based on his time with Connors, observed that Connors believed in individual school plans: “I would assume he’ll work closely with the schools and help us
to develop school plans to meet achievement levels, look at resources to see how we can better use current resources or identify other resources. I think the key will be a close working relationship with the schools. He indicated he had visited a school each day while at Danbury. I think that’s an extremely important part of a strong, instructional leadership, that he be present on the front lines so to speak. So, we’re hopeful.”
Superintendent-tested tough.
Asked to comment on how Connors impressed him, McKiernan described him as pleasant with a sense of humor, yet demonstrating, “his commitment to kids is very evident in how he speaks. I think, that he’s been a school superintendent for nineteen years has familiarized him with many of the challenges modern day urban superintendents face.”
“Building Specific” Achievement Plans.No stranger to attacking the Achievement Gap and Test Scores.
Connors’ approach in Danbury to raising achievement is very individual according to McKiernan:
“He’s indicated to us that he’s worked in assemblage with each of the schools to develop a school plan that is building specific. Not every building is typical. That is the approach he takes, I believe that the approach was that rather than a simple, district-wide solution., he would look at each individual school at the beginning to see if he could develop a plan that would bridge the minority student achievement gap.”
I think that’s the way he will go. I think that’s the perfect approach. There’s no one right solution to every level of education. I think it’s exactly the way we should be going. White Plains is not as large as Danbury. I think the fact he wants a close working relationship with teachers parents are all good indications.”
Citizens Committee Could Go Either Way.
“The Committee members who spoke (to the Board of Education in the debriefing,” Kiernan reports, “felt Mr. Connors was a fine choice.”
Teachers Union Head on Same Page.
Jerry Gorski, interviewed by WPCNR Wednesday gave our first impressions about Mr. Connors.
Gorski told us, “He (Connors) was the one I favored of the two finalists. White Plains is very fortunate, getting top caliber people to apply (for Superintendent).”
The leader of the White Plains Teachers Association reports Connors said that he wanted “to focus on what it is they’re trying to do in the classroom, and overall direction.”
Man with vision.
Gorski said Connors impressed him as a man with vision: “If you don’t have vision, you flounder. He (Connors) is strong on not what the student is, but what they could become. He is well-known in his district (Danbury). He is visible. He intends to continue that in White Plains.
Gorski also confirmed that Connors tends to concentrate on the individual student, and views test scores as a tool to share with teachers to point the direction a child’s program should take.
The “Citizens Interview Committee,” Gorski said had a debriefing with the Board of Education after interviewing each of the finalists for three and a half hours on Friday, April 10 and Saturday, April 11. He said some persons spoke their opinions to the board and some did not. He reported no vote was taken. He also said one of the finalists was a woman.
