Superintendent's evaluation rubric deemed 'useless garbage'

Date: 4/4/2011

April 4, 2011

By Chris Maza

Reminder Assistant Editor

EAST LONGMEADOW — "Useless garbage" was the term most often used by School Committee member Joseph Cabrera at the March 28 meeting when describing the tool used by the committee to assess the performance of Superintendent Gordon Smith.

Despite criticism of the assessment being flawed, Smith received a score of 201.5, which is on the high side of proficient.

The assessment, which School Committee members had a week to fill out, graded Smith on six different criteria with a rating system of 1 to 9 with little to no room to offer supplementary comment.

Cabrera objected to the entire process, from the amount of time the committee had to fill out the evaluation to the grading system, and went so far as to try to make a motion to postpone Smith's assessment until a better procedure for assessment can be put into place. Cabrera also said he did not fill out the evaluation.

"I don't know how [Smith] can get a proper evaluation because this system is not fair or accurate," Cabrera said.

The assessment aims to give the superintendent an evaluation of his performance in the areas of policy and governance; planning and assessment; instructional leadership; organizational management; communications and community relations.

Cabrera pointed out flaws in the 1 through 9 scoring system, which offers no rubric in what each number means. A single word is listed below each grading number: nine for distinguished; eight denoting exceptional; seven for outstanding; six meaning very good; five for good; four denoting average; three meaning below average; two for poor; and one meaning satisfactory.

"You look it up in the dictionary and those three words [distinguished, exceptional and outstanding] all mean the same thing," Cabrera said.

He added that the evaluation asks the committee to judge Smith's day-to-day activities, which members of the committee do not always see on a regular basis. Therefore, he said, the community and parents who see his work in the schools more frequently should have input in the evaluation.

Cabrera also asserted that a week's time is not long enough to do a proper evaluation of the superintendent's work in his first year.

"I get frustrated when we get something like this, this late with no notice," Cabrera said. "We got this to fill out last week."

Chairman William Fonseca said the committee had a contractual obligation to evaluate the superintendent and deliver that evaluation in March. The March 28 meeting was the last of the month.

Vice-Chair Gregory Thompson told Cabrera that he agreed with him and had raised similar concerns in the past that had "fallen on deaf ears." However, he said the committee owed it to Smith to deliver his evaluation.

"As soon as we are done with it tonight, I will meet with you to rework this," Thompson told Cabrera. "But we have an obligation to Mr. Smith to make due with what we have this year."

Cabrera told Smith that as a "rookie superintendent," he had done an "excellent job" and said he would like to hear feedback from the town as to whether the committee should seek a contract extension. Smith currently has two more years on his current contract.

"I think it would be a great show of good will by the town and by the superintendent," Cabrera said.

School Committee member Angela Thorpe told Smith he was doing an "exceptional job" in his short time as superintendent and expects even better in the future.

"I expect you to improve in some areas simply because you haven't had a chance to get the experience because you have been putting out fires all over town," Thorpe said, adding that Smith is already garnering a positive reputation around the state.

School Committee Secretary Elizabeth Marsian-Boucher admitted that her assessment included some lower scores, but that was because she didn't feel there had been enough time for her to see Smith complete all of the duties associated with his job.

"I didn't know how to grade you because I think it's too soon," Marsian-Boucher said. "Overall, you have proven yourself worthy. I think you've seen yourself grow and you've utilized your administrative team well."

Thompson called his experience working with Smith "a pleasure" and said he felt the superintendent "has moved the district in a new direction."

Fonseca added that he has been encouraged by Smith's improved ability to communicate with the residents and staff, along with technological advances and the district's good financial status.

***

Smith reported at the meeting that the district received a letter from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) regarding the new Bullying Prevention and Intervention Plan.

Smith said the DESE conducted a review of the plan to make sure it included all requirements set forth by state mandate and graded each area with a "yes," "no" or "partial." A "yes" grade indicates that the requirement was fulfilled, while a "no" grade states the requirement was not addressed. A "partial" grade indicates the requirement was only partially addressed or it is unclear whether it was fully compliant.

The district's plan received "yes" grades across the board, which Smith said was an important step in implementing an effective plan. He added that the district is continuing to look at ways to add anti-bullying into the curriculum.