THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, November 2, 1994 TAG: 9411020467
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ELIZABETH THIEL, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHESAPEAKE LENGTH: Long : 134 lines
Superintendent C. Fred Bateman is a frustrated writer.
He has ideas to co-write a children's book and a self-help book for parents of special education students. He dreams of co-writing a book for school administrators-in-training.
Trouble is, he never has the time. A 156-page book called ``Empowering Your Child'' published in 1990 took him four years of weekends, late nights and early days to finish.
``It's not the kind of thing that a superintendent of a large school division can do,'' he said. ``My time is consumed.''
So when Old Dominion University recently offered him a chance at a part-time professorship created especially for him, he talked it over with his wife, Joan, and seized it. He also wanted more time to spend with his family.
Bateman announced Monday night that he would retire after nearly 15 years with Chesapeake schools. His retirement is effective July 31.
He will join the faculty of Old Dominion as a distinguished educator in residence, a new position that will allow him to teach two classes, write to his heart's content and advise the university's education department about how best to train school administrators.
Some of the details of Bateman's new job, such as salary, have not been hammered out, said Jo Ann Gora, Old Dominion's provost and vice president for academic affairs.
``We are really delighted that Dr.
Bateman wants to join the faculty of Old Dominion University,'' Gora said. ``He is a recognized educator and scholar. He has some very exciting ideas for the role of the university in training principals'' and other administrators.
``It's going to give me a chance to do some things that I really want to do,'' Bateman said.
The timing wasn't what he had planned. Bateman, 54, hoped to stay in Chesapeake for a few more years before retiring and taking up teaching on a college campus.
But Old Dominion's education department had recently lost a couple of professors to retirement and was looking for some help.
``This really wasn't in my timetable,'' he said. ``Everything just happened more quickly than I had expected.''
The announcement surprised most school employees and School Board members.
At the helm in Chesapeake since 1980, Bateman has far outlasted superintendents in other South Hampton Roads cities. He has earned a reputation for deliberate, non-controversial decision-making.
That could be interpreted as an unwillingness to take risks or to make bold choices.
Most who work with Bateman, however, say he encourages risk-taking, as long as it is based on research and careful planning.
``He has maintained stability in the district,'' said William E. Russell, assistant superintendent for instruction. ``And while he is not one who goes in for high risks, that is true, I would strongly disagree that he is not an innovator.
``There are innovations for innovations' sake. He is well-read, and he knows the research. He's not the kind who has these innovations that don't have solid research to show that they can be successful.''
Bateman is credited with pushing the school system into new territory with school construction, hiring, technology and programs for students at risk of failing or dropping out.
When he took over as superintendent nearly 15 years ago, only two of the city's communities had modern high schools, Western Branch and Indian River. Only about 12 of 34 schools were air-conditioned.
He put in place an aggressive plan to upgrade buildings and handle student growth that resulted in new high schools and air conditioning for almost all city schools.
``We're still behind the eight-ball,'' he said. ``We've got 300-some portables sitting out there. So we've got to get even more aggressive in the next few years.''
Hiring and promoting women and minorities were other priorities. He appointed the first black high school principal in the mid-1980s, and the first woman assistant superintendent in 1990. Under his watchful eye, the number of black principals overall has grown from five in 1980 to 14 now. There were three female principals in 1980. Now there are 19. ``That's closer to being in line with the makeup of our city,'' he said.
He got an idea for recruiting good teachers by watching college recruiters go after young athletes.
He sent representatives to colleges in Virginia and North Carolina, identifying the top 1 percent or 2 percent of teachers in training. The teachers are invited every year to spend two or three days in Chesapeake, all expenses paid. They're wined and dined like top corporate executives. At the end, they're handed a contract.
``We make them feel like kings and queens,'' he said. ``We want these people.''
The program, called the Career Commitment Program, has drawn 25 to 40 top teachers to the city for each of the past 11 years.
``That's how you improve education,'' he said. ``You get the best teachers.''
For years, Bateman has been practicing an educational technique other school leaders are just now discovering called site-based management, an effort to decentralize public school administration and put more decision-making into the hands of principals and teachers.
He learned the hard way as a middle-school principal in a heavily bureaucratized Richmond city school system that autonomy is important for principals to perform well.
``The thing that impresses me about Dr. Bateman is that he gives his employees that latitude to really come up with successful programs to help students,'' said Sam Leary, a staff assistant in instruction in Chesapeake schools. ``He puts his trust in his employees.''
Under his leadership, programs for disadvantaged children have blossomed, fostering a small decrease in the already low dropout rate from 4.5 percent in 1980 to 3.25 percent last year.
Programs for gifted students also were expanded, with the opening during the 1980s of the Lab School for the Academically Talented, an enrichment program fifth- and sixth-graders attend one day a week.
``He's done a great deal for this school system and this community, and I'm sorry that he's leaving,'' said Deputy Superintendent W. Randolph Nichols, who has worked with Bateman since Bateman joined the school system as an assistant superintendent for finance in 1976.
The question now for the School Board is how to find a candidate to fill Bateman's considerable shoes.
Some now wonder whether Chesapeake will go the way of other fast-growing area cities, such as Virginia Beach, which has had five superintendents while Bateman has led Chesapeake.
Bateman said he would not endorse anyone to take his spot.
``I endorse only a philosophy. We've had a lot of success building in a slow, methodical way.'' ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
BILL TIERNAN/Staff
C. Fred Bateman: He'll teach, write and advise ODU's education
department about how best to train school administrators.
Graphic
CHESAPEAKE'S SUPERINTENDENTS
[For complete graphic, please see microfilm]
by CNB