THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, May 31, 1996 TAG: 9605310483
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ALETA PAYNE, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: 100 lines
The school division's fourth reorganization in five years will keep some longtime administrators in the top leadership while increasing the number of people who report directly to the superintendent.
``I think it's done what I wanted it to do, which is not to create major disruption,'' said Superintendent Timothy R. Jenney. ``I appreciate the board's confidence in allowing me to create a management structure that will give us the best opportunity to be successful.''
The division stands to save about $250,000 in salaries because the overall number of administrative positions have been cut, Jenney said.
Some within the central office, however, are critical of the changes, including the shifting of some secretaries and the decision to have 10 administrators report directly to Jenney.
Among the changes:
The division's top leadership will be reconfigured into departments headed by eight assistant superintendents and two associate superintendents, all of whom will report to Jenney. Some of the departments already existed; others were previously headed by directors or people with other titles. New to the lineup is an office of accountability, which will focus on making sure the division reaches goals set by the board. Five of those jobs are open.
In previous administrations, rarely did more than six people report directly to the superintendent.
The office that handles media and community relations will have a new head. Jenney has decided to replace Anne Meek as that office's top administrator. The new head will be an assistant superintendent who has marketing or technical training and will not necessarily be an educator.
The deputy superintendent and chief financial officer's jobs will be eliminated. The deputy's post has been vacant for a year, and the finance position is being filled on an interim basis until the end of June.
The staff of secretaries that served the superintendent, deputy superintendent and board will shrink from four to two.
Three longtime district employees will remain in the central office leadership. Donald A. Peccia, associate superintendent for administrative services for the last year, will become associate superintendent for budget, finance and technology. K. Edwin Brown, an executive assistant to the superintendent, will become assistant superintendent for accountability. And John S. Kalocay, chief operations officer, will become assistant superintendent for administrative support services.
New superintendents usually make some management changes. Jenney, who came on board in February, had announced the first phase of his reorganization earlier this spring, including the hiring of two administrators who had worked for him previously - Michael A. O'Hara as associate superintendent for curriculum and instruction and Joan C. Mason as one of two assistant superintendents for elementary education.
Jenney said he has tried to create a ``flatter organization with checks and balances'' by having the top staffers answer to him rather than to a hierarchy that funnels information to him.
He also said that by shifting some responsibilities and offices within the departments, this plan should eliminate ``functions falling through the cracks.''
Jenney said he considers the new plan a simpler, common-sense approach to running the district created ``with fairly minor disruption.''
For some central office employees, however, who have endured repeated reorganizations as well as a tumultuous year, the changes are being viewed with skepticism and hostility. All discussed the reorganization on the condition their names not be used.
``How can 10 assistants report to one superintendent?'' asked one staffer.
``That is ridiculous . . . that's too many people reporting to the superintendent.''
``People are a little bit shell-shocked,'' said another. ``It's more like (confusion) than even fear. We've been through so much.''
Some have criticized the secrecy with which the reorganization was handled in an office where very little remains secret for very long. They question why only some jobs were advertised as open. Others say they see no clear reason for some of the changes, including the replacement of Meek, who will now hold a staff position in the office she once led. Meek declined to comment.
Jenney said the organization will not be unwieldy with the right people in the right positions. He said decisions were made based on his professional experience in consultation with a small number of people who have long-term experience with the Beach schools.
``It was not done in a vacuum,'' he said. ``It was done with the right people to accomplish what I believe to be the right results.''
Jenney said he posts openings only when the position is truly available to anyone. In cases where he knows of someone who will fit the job, he proceeds to put that person in the post.
And he said the reasons for the changes will become clear ``when supervisors are in place to manage their individual departments.''
Kalocay, who will take on additional responsibilities as an assistant superintendent, said he believes the plan is ``very workable.'' By establishing a direct line of communication with the superintendent, ``it entrusts everybody and it empowers all of us,'' he said.
Still, one central office employee said people remain ``apprehensive'' about the changes and their impact on the division.
``I have mixed feeling about it,'' the employee said. ``It's rough on morale and it's rough on people. But as superintendent, he needs his own team.''
The reorganization takes effect July 1. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
It's not unusual for new school leaders to rearrange things a bit.
Timothy R. Jenney started work in February.
KEYWORDS: VIRGINIA BEACH SCHOOL BOARD by CNB