THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, December 13, 1995 TAG: 9512120105
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 10 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Cover Story
SOURCE: BY ALETA PAYNE AND JON GLASS, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: GREENVILLE, S.C. LENGTH: Long : 134 lines
TIM JENNEY ADMITS with a laugh that he and his wife haven't quite finished unpacking in their brand new house in a brand new subdivision where they've just started acquiring neighbors.
Given that the odds are one in three he'll be the next superintendent of the Virginia Beach Public Schools, some of those boxes might not be opened for a few more months yet.
Jenney and his wife, Becki, visited the Beach over the weekend for a whirlwind tour of the area and a chance to meet community leaders. Becki Jenney is a registered nurse. The couple has three children - two sons in college and a married daughter.
Jenney, a woodworking hobbyist, worked construction in the 1970s during his summers off from teaching. He even did some of the detailing on their new home, not anticipating the possibility of a move so soon.
``I wouldn't have predicted I'd be where I am now one and a half years ago,'' he admitted.
Jenney is poised to leave the job he has held since July 1994 for reasons few people tie to him. The school board he works for is described as ``mercurial,'' ``dysfunctional,'' and ``nuts.'' The board is bitterly divided and even members admit that Jenney is suffering from problems he did not cause.
Still, Jenney speaks with regret about all he would miss if he left the sprawling 56,000-student district.
``I'd miss the people,'' he said. ``(And) the potential.''
Since he arrived in Greenville, Jenney pledged to make at least one formal visit to each school in the district each year. With 84 schools and centers scattered over 800 square miles, that translates into a school every two or three days and a lot of time out of the office. That also translates into what Jenney considers to be one of his accomplishments in Greenville - reaching out to the people that the district serves.
``I think I've been very successful in building a community support base,'' he said. ``As I'm out there that gives me a chance to relate, to interact, to listen.''
He also counts among his achievements progress made toward several goals he and the Greenville board set when he arrived, and which are now coming to fruition.
Jenney was asked to develop achievement standards for students. A 40-person committee designed the skeleton for those standards and they're now being fleshed out.
Charged with evaluating organizational costs, Jenney flattened the administrative structure - including closing some satellite offices of district administrators, took on a thorny problem with the district's transportation system, and made staffing changes where he felt they were needed.
And, faced with concerns about Greenville's fading inner-city schools, which were declining in performance and enrollment, Jenney set up a half-dozen magnet schools that drew in 200 more students than school officials had hoped.
``It stopped the bleeding and, in some cases, really advanced the cause,'' he said.
Jenney's vision is not limited to Greenville, however. In a two-hour session on Saturday with members of a local citizen's advisory committee assisting in the superintendent's search, he said his ``primary focus'' if chosen for the job here would be ``serving as the catalyst to rally community support'' for education.
He spoke candidly about the Virginia Beach schools' financial crisis, a $12.1 million deficit for the last fiscal year and a potential deficit for this year, which has resulted in tighter spending measures. Jenney said the district had lost credibility with the public and would have to work hard to restore confidence.
``You have a terrible perception to overcome,'' Jenney said. ``The way you've done business is not the way you'll be able to continue.''
Asked how he'd attack the problem, Jenney noted the importance of ``a good marketing plan,'' working closely with the city, the business community, parents and others.
``It's a process of conveying to them how the culture has changed within the organization and that we have become fiscally responsible, and here's how,'' Jenney said. ``It will take longer than just a few short months to do that.''
Jenney said he would be open to discussion of merging school and city financial accounting systems. City Council has made consolidation a condition of paying off the deficit.
Members of the advisory committee, concerned about a revolving door that has seen five superintendents during the past eight years, wanted to know if Jenney would put down roots. Jenney has held four superintendent jobs in the past 12 years.
Jenney said he had moved quickly through a few small school districts to achieve his career goal of leading a large school district. Greenville is the largest school district in South Carolina. Virginia Beach's district is the second largest in Virginia.
``Here I am looking for an opportunity and a good fit, where we can be successful and work collaboratively,'' Jenney said. ``And maybe I can stay for a while.''
He closed the advisory committee meeting by saying: ``I recognize that you're looking for a silver bullet and for someone to come in and solve all your problems and to stay forever. I'm not sure that's reality. But I can say this: In my career I've left every school district in better shape than I found it, and I don't burn bridges.'' ILLUSTRATION: [Cover, Color photo]
IN SEARCH OF A SUPERINTENDENT
Tim Jenney
File photo by GREENVILLE NEWS
``I recognize that you're looking for a silver bullet and for
someone to come in and solve all your problems and to stay forever.
I'm not sure that's reality. But I can say this: In my career I've
left every school district in better shape than I found it. . . .''
TIMOTHY R. JENNEY
Age: 43
Family status: Married with three children
Hometown: Battle Creek, Mich.
Education: B.A. in education and Ph.D. in educational
administration from Michigan State University and M.A. in
educational administration from Western Michigan University
Current position: Superintendent of Greenville County (S.C.)
Schools.
Student population: 56,000
Number of schools: 84
Operating budget (1995-96): $300 million
Years served in Greenville: In second year
Previous experience: Superintendent, Union Public Schools, Tulsa,
Okla., 1990-94; Parchment (Mich.) School District, 1985-90; Leland
(Mich.) Public Schools, 1983-85. Has worked as an elementary and
junior high school teacher, a principal, director of special
education and an assistant superintendent.
KEYWORDS: PROFILE VIRGINIA BEACH SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT by CNB