2015 February PASO Magazine

By Bob Chute, Part 2 of 3
I had the pleasure of interviewing
our new Superintendent of
Schools Chris Williams in early
December and Part 1 of that interview
appeared in the January
Paso Robles Magazine.
Williams started his new post
at the beginning of the school year
in September after working as an
Assistant Superintendent, Human
Resources for the Central Unified
School District in Fresno for the
last 8+ years.
I waited to meet with him until
early December to give him a
chance to settle in a bit to his new
post…to review what lies before
him, described by some as inheriting
a troubled district, striving
to pull out of quite a mess, hemorrhaging
actually.
I taped the exchange and transcribed
it…enough to fill over six
pages of this magazine. I pondered
significant editing but decided to
leave it intact and let you, the residents
and parents of this school district
- those that have survived the
problems we’ve had in this district
over the last several years - get an
up close understanding of our new
Superintendent, Chris Williams.
PRM: It’s coming through
loud and clear to me what
people have been telling me
about you - that they like your
relationship driven, no mediocrity
management style. It
sounds like you’re relishing
coming here with basically a
clean slate to fix it, but, at the
same time, hard to overcome
your predecessor, Kathy Mc-
Namara, with the 97% vote
of no confidence in February
of last year. Not to bad mouth
her but it gives you a unique
opportunity.
WILLIAMS: Sure, but I
think the word goes hand in
hand with me, challenges equals
opportunity. I think there’s been
some great foundational things
that have been built in this district
over many years that have
been sustained because of great
people in the classrooms and
great employees. But I also
An interview with Superintendent Chris Williams
New Directions in the Paso Robles School District
realize there are things that we
are at a level that we definitely
have a greater opportunity to
impact student
learning
and impact
the culture of
this organization.
Plans
don’t change
districts, people
change
districts. People
impact
culture, culture
is based
on our belief
and trust of doing what you say
and not leaving it out there.
I had promised our cross
country team when I presented
them at the board that if they
made the state cross country
meet that I’d be there. Going to
see our girls cross country team
and our boys cross country for
the first time - both qualified
for the state meet - but driving
from Paso at 5 a.m. to get there
to watch these kids - it’s a value
added to these kids that have
worked so hard to get where
they’re at.
I think that those areas of understanding
that these parents
commit to these kids and these
kids commit to a process that is
going to build their character…
the hard work, the discipline,
the commitment, that we have
to have to value that and understand
that. Our coaches did
such a fabulous job. Those are
pieces to me that are so important
- they are the intangibles
that add value to these kids and
the organization and are so important
for change yet also to
honor the great things that have
been in the past.
The past five years being
challenging, I get, it’s created
a great opportunity for us. But
the conviction that is so strong,
that burns in my heart every
day, is that I think of the
decisions that have been made
based on whatever the scenarios
have been. What has that
taken away from our kids the
last four year period of time? In
cabinet on Monday we sat here
for a long period
of time
which I don’t
usually do,
but we went
around and
said, “What
is our conviction
in
this organization
and what
is our belief
in this organization?”
Because every decision
we make, if we choose to
make the easy decision,
rather than the right decision,
and it costs us $25,000
or $100,000, how does that
impact student learning and
student success?
I know when we begin to create
our VAPA (Visual and Performing
Arts) program for K-5
next year, that one of those decisions
would have allowed us to
have a complete VAPA program
for K-5 elementary kids. I know
that, to be able to sustain that,
we’ve got to make our decisions
based on our purpose and belief
in this organization.
Again, from the past to the
future, it’s a great opportunity,
a lot of areas to build on, and
reality - the passion and commitment
about student learning
is what we have to be about.
PRM: I think you’ve pretty
much answered this question,
but how did your eight year
position as Assistant Superintendent,
Human Resources
with the Central Unified
School District in Fresno prepare
you for Paso Robles…did
they have some of the same financial
constraints, or is this all
new for you?
WILLIAMS: We had some
similar situations when I started
in Central as a vice principal
and assistant principle. We had
about 8000 kids, kind of rural,
little city area but we began to
grow and expand. By the time
I made it to the district office
we looked at the structures and
systems on how we can align
with what our community needs
were, and although we had
challenges when we went
through two severe years of
layoffs in ’07-’08 and ’08-’09,
I learned a lot about the components
of making the tough
decision and the right decision
aligned to the organizational
values and beliefs. It helped me,
really, to develop an internal fortitude
to make tough decisions,
if you will, in alignment to what
we’re here for…we’re an educational
institution. We have to
promote the education to get
these kids better prepared, we
have to look at every classroom
and every student.
So the experience I had going
through those challenges, by
the time we were done with
layoffs, we were still able to sustain
and grow our music program,
we were able to implement
a full elementary VAPA
program, an elementary dance
program, expand our library
services during the summer,
create an elementary athletic
program that is still up and
running successfully. When you
look at the basis of what your
community is about and what
their needs are, is how you really
align your purpose. My belief
will never change about students,
but the culture will guide
you in what we need to focus on
as we go through.
PRM: Do you envision any
curriculum changes for this
school year...for the next school
year implementing Common
Core Standards?
WILLIAMS: We began our
implementation of Common
Core already and we’re really
focused on instructional delivery
and instructional practices.
I think the change or refocus is
keeping the three key elements
of instruction in place.
Please see WILLIAMS page 26
24 Paso Robles Magazine, February 2015