Holliday brings some impressive accomplishments to the job, including heading what I am told is the first school system to ever win a Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. These awards recognize companies, organizations, businesses and other entities that have shown long-term improvement in quality and productivity.
To earn that award – and many other accolades – Holliday closed achievement gaps and spurred marked improvement in graduation rates (something badly needed in Kentucky!) and other student achievement measures.
I talked about Holliday with a newspaper staffer who serves the Iredell-Statesville school district area in North Carolina about a week ago. About the only complaints against Holliday seem to be from some teachers who claim Holliday made them work harder. This newspaper man will be sorry to see him leave.
To earn that award – and many other accolades – Holliday closed achievement gaps and spurred marked improvement in graduation rates (something badly needed in Kentucky!) and other student achievement measures.
I talked about Holliday with a newspaper staffer who serves the Iredell-Statesville school district area in North Carolina about a week ago. About the only complaints against Holliday seem to be from some teachers who claim Holliday made them work harder. This newspaper man will be sorry to see him leave.
Unfortunately the name of the newspaper was not given, but I think I know which one it was. Here is a link to the entire post.
This speaks volumes!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting this. This so-called "newspaper man" just insulted all of the hardworking teachers at ISS. How typical.
ReplyDeleteI liked to know how Dr. Holliday taught every child in ISS by himself.
ReplyDeleteIt seems that most of the "hate" on this blog is coming from the pro-baldridge or pro-Holliday folks. It also seems to have gotten worse since the announcement of Dr. Holliday's new position.
ReplyDeleteBravo! I have been watching this blog since its inception. It has definately gotten more heated since the Kentucky position was announced. Perhaps someone needs to go start a pro-baldridge blog.
ReplyDeleteSo has this newspaper purchased Baldrige? Isn't it time they make those reporters work hard, become a "Top Ten" newspaper and win the Baldrige Award? They should hire a Reporter Facilitator Coordinator and form a group of Reporter Facilitators to supervise the extra meetings and the extra paperwork needed to apply for the award.
ReplyDeleteI say a nice old fashioned protest outside this newspaper office would make good news and maybe help inspire the BOE in the right direction of the next steps to take. It would also continue to awaken the community which this newspaper failed to serve. It served one person and his goal. And we know who that WAS!
ReplyDelete"It seems that most of the "hate" on this blog is coming from the pro-baldridge or pro-Holliday folks"
ReplyDeleteTo me, the funniest thing of all is the fact that so much of what Holliday has done for this district has NOTHING to do with "Baldridge". Professional Learning Communities, Instructional Facilitators, Common Formative Assessments, High Yield Instructional Strategies, Pre and Post Assessments, Vertical Alignment, Visual and Performing Arts, etc. All of these things are items that help students perform and that eduational leaders all over the US endorse. The only real "baldridge" I know of is the issue bin, plus/deltas (both easy things), and the PDSA (which I can agree to being a bit much at times).
From the front lines: When ISS was nominated for the Baldridge award, judges had to visit schools to see if the employees lived by the Baldridge rule. A series of meetings was held at the school to prepare (cram) for the judges. Employees were told by the IF that the judges would be asking very tough questions but they were not allowed in the classrooms so if you didn't want to get "cornered" and asked the questions, then you better stay out of the halls during the visit. A special group was told to hold a meeting during the visit and many of the members were hand picked to attend that meeting. coincidently, the judges were able to somehow find that group to question. At first we thought why would anyone hold that meeting with the judges there until we noticed the added personnel at the meeting. That is how you truly manipulate the "data".
ReplyDeleteFrom the front lines: We did not have meetings to cramf or the visit, we were all asked if we wanted to talk to the judges, we were all told that we could respectfully decline if we were asked to speak to a judge. We were all told to just be honest and share your feelings and beliefs. Sorry you had such a bad experience at your school.
ReplyDeleteWow, you must have had a different experience. We certainly did have meetings regarding the judges visit. After the IF had everyone terrified that they might "get caught" by a judge and what would happend if they didn't answer correctly, of course the meeting ended with "you can certainly feel free to answer their questions and I am sure you will do great". That is manipulation at its best, getting people to do what you want them to do out of fear and making them think they had a choice.
ReplyDeleteFrom the Business Dictionary:
ReplyDeletemanipulation
Definition 1
General: Artful, expert, or skilled handling of an implement or situation.
Definition 2
Law: Creating a false or misleading appearance to deceive.
Sounds like your meeting above to me.
Yeh I guess it all comes down to the way it was presented. I actually met with the judges two years ago (the first time ISS applied for the award) and it was really more like a casual conversation than anything else. I do know that I heard of other schools being told a lot of different things prior to the site visit.
ReplyDeleteTo the owner of this statement: "The only real "baldridge" I know of is the issue bin, plus/deltas (both easy things), and the PDSA (which I can agree to being a bit much at times)." Why did it take seven long and grueling years to devlop the mold of Baldrige in our system if it were so eas? Why did it take the hiring of Brenda Clarke and countless of others if it were so easy? And wht did it take many countless dollars that have been hidden or buried from fund to fund to work toward all of this if it were so easy?
ReplyDeleteDuring the 7 years a lot of non-baldridge items were put in motion in ISS (as mentioned above). I don't think Brenda Clarke or any of the other hires were solely for "baldridge" and I don't think countless dollars have been buried or hidden, so that makes this question a bit hard to answer. I guess you will continue to have your opinion as I will mine.
ReplyDeleteThat is correct 7-19, 3:09. And I honestly believe many people are of the same opinion. It is obvious there is and has been tremendous controversy regarding Holliday and Baldrige. It is sad that there has been much hidden from the public regarding these two topics. Information has mostly been contained in the hearts and minds of ISS employees, parents, even students, for a short while the SR&L blog, and now this blog forum. Containment, can that be a political policy regarding seclusion or advancement of a philosophy or ideology? Can you agree that much has been contained and hidden from the public during the last seven years? Of course the information that has generally been provided to the public has been carefully managed by the ISS leadership. Do you or can you agree to the above?
ReplyDeleteHere is what I can probably agree with you on:
ReplyDelete1) Dr. Holliday does not come off as a people person to many, he tells you what to do more than explaining the reasons why it needs to be done. This rubs many the wrong way.
2) Teachers do not like change, in their hearts they feel as though they know how to reach every child and make them successful.
3) One of the things that draws a certian type of person into education is the freedom to instruct as you please. So these personality types typically resist a standard program of things to do.
4) The word "baldridge" got such a bad name years ago that many people weren't willing to give anything a try that they thought might be "baldridge"
5) The systems success is not because of baldridge, in my opinion it is because processes were put in place to make sure that we were teaching was is supposed to be taught, and we were providing timely assistance to kids that need it.
Dr. Holliday does not come off as a people person ... and etc. It is true he is not a people person and that he tells (dictates) you what to do. He is the supervisor and must lead the troops. Problem I have is the manner in which it was done. I have worked for many good leaders and one thing they all had in common was that they were people persons. Good leaders know how to motivate employees which inspire them to excel and follow. In order to motivate employees one must take interest in those employees in order to find what is important to them. That is the problem with CO and the old "my way or the highway". Problem is there are very few good managers/leaders left. Hopefully the BOE will look for those qualities in the next super.
ReplyDeleteMorale is at an all time low and this can not be disputed whether or not you agree with Holliday or Baldridge. Bottem line: Happy teachers = effective teachers = happy students = effective learning. So ironic that is seems that easy yet is apparently so difficult. The problem with Baldridge is all the cost and the seemingly sleezy way people were brought in as consultants paid exhorbatent fees, trips were taken and monies spent all while teachers continued to have salaries frozen or cut. If you think teachers don't resent administrative fluff being paid hundreds of thousands of dollars then you aren't thinking.
ReplyDeleteThe PDSAs took away time from really teaching and the PLCs took away important time that could have been used for instruction. Our
ReplyDeletestudents are not as educated as they should be. Ask a high school student about places in the world and very few of them have any idea where you would find it. Geography is important to 21st Century skills but it has been neglected. Their technology skills are there but to be a well-rounded person, our students lack alot. Our students need our time and our skills. Mission statements and goals are great but after awhile, when we are overusing something, our students grow weary and tired of it. My teachers taught many things from the heart and that was more important than any bulletin board stuck up on their walls. Students do not see such and do not care. Talk about change, we have changed every year with Baldridge. Teachers have changed but the IFs are the ones who cannot change. It is their way or no way. Our issues were not what we were supposed to ask. The PDSAs had to be done a certain way or it was wrong, and they changed that criteria every year. Our students had to be manipulated the way it should be. The students input or the teachers input was not exactly the way it should be. Teachers have not been empowered, nor do we do our SIT our way. It should have been done by the Central office because when it came back after hours of meeting and fixing it, it was not the way it was supposed to be. It had to their way, not our way. After 30 years in a classroom , don't ever tell me teachers don't change. I have seen it all and believe me, we change continuously with whatever program comes along. Many programs have been a waste of time. Many strategies have come and gone. Those teachers that cannot adapt are no longer in a classroom. They could not handle change and they left.
The first thing any leader who wishes to be effective must do is establish trust and an environment of mutual respect-- (Ask any teacher, this must be done in the classroom, over and over again with each passing year).
ReplyDeleteThis was not done over the past seven years by the soon-to-be previous administration. Fear is not a long-term motivator. You get the bare minimum using fear. You will never get someone's best in a "My Way or the Highway" atmosphere.
Watch us fly if the BoE does their job well in the search for our next superintendent. If they do not, Iredell County's children will continue to get the short end of the stick.
My child was one of the first students exposed to the Baldridge method. Up until then my child loved school. He was excited to get up in the morning and learn about the world around him. He learned everything, Reading, Math, Science, and Social Studies. Unfortunately, and I don't blame Holliday or Baldridge entirely for this, we have gotten away from teaching children. We think we are, but we are teaching them to pass EOG's at the end of the year. Teacher's (and I am one, so I see this from both the student and teacher's viewpoint) no longer have the freedom to teach our students in creative and interesting ways. My child now hates school and he is not the only one. You talk to many students now days and school is no longer fun. It is cramming information down their throat testing every 41/2 weeks and doing the process over again until the end of the year. They are not really learning and this process does not create life long learners which is the goal of every teacher. Yes, we need an educational "revival" in Statesville, but then Mr. Kleane, we need to take it statewide and we need to take it nation wide. America wants to create students who are on the forefront of the world educational system and we are not doing so. It is time parents fight back and force our leaders (local, state and nation wide) to really teach our children. We laugh when we as adults don't know the answers to Smarter Than a Fifth Grader. I don't think it's funny when many students in our current system can't answer the questions.
ReplyDeleteIt is sad when you watch kinders and first graders come to school the first week and cry over taking a test, and then feel like failures because they had not been prepared for a test. The first two weeks should be spent getting to know our students and getting for them to know us. This can make or break the new school year. We have plenty of time to access when our students are happy and want to learn. Rules, mission statements ,and goals can all be discussed during this time. Students are sick of testing all the time. New strategies could be used during instruction or co-operative learning times, but there is so little time between each CFA or PA, that teachers and students are indeed stressed. Mental health is a great part of 21st Century Skills. We are neglecting this part of life. No wonder students are turning to drugs ,etc. Stress,stress, stress! When will it stop and our students can go to school with a purpose other than testing so they can really learn about 21st skills? I don't test every day or every two or three weeks in my business but I do have the skills to compete in the real world. So please teach our students and quit testing so much. A test for a grade is much different than a test for a data bank.
ReplyDeletePS As a teacher I have to work two jobs so I get a taste of both worlds.
I would be interested to know how many physicians in town have witnessed the ill effects of stress that ISS teachers have endured
ReplyDeletein recent years due to all the extra paperwork, meetings, etc. required to make us a nationally recognized school system.
Funny you should ask. I believe it's Dr. Davis, (I could be wrong about his name) anyways, he has a chiropactic care business in Mooresville, and every year at the beginning of the school year he goes around to the schools and puts in a plug for chiropractic care and how massages help with stress relief. He is making some good money off teachers in our system, and that's just one. Many teachers have significant health issues from stress. That would be some interesting DATA to collect.
ReplyDeleteBack to before the judges came, we were all given a list of facts to study about Baldrige at a teacher's meeting by our IF. We were told we should know what it means. Everyone, including our cafeteria workers and our custodians, had to know all about Baldrige. We lived in fear that they might ask something that we had not studied for. This was a great beginning of the last school year. If you were asked any questions, you were to call the Central office and report what you were asked. Why? Who knows? I guess to prepare the next school on the list. This happened at a majority of our schools , not a few. We all preferred not to be picked. Talk about a waste of time that had not one thing to do with educating students.
ReplyDeleteWhat a tragic waste of time the Baldrige charade has been. It is the students who have lost out in the biggest way. Time that teachers should been using for planning better, more thorough instruction was not. In schools where students have all they need and more...scores will always be good. It is the schools where the socio-economically disadvantaged children attend that cannot afford to waste ANY instruction time--- because each and every second is needed to give these students the fairest possible shot at success.
ReplyDeleteSo much wasted time on things that did not help these students at all...
Most school systems have 2 Instructional Facilitators for their whole system not 32. They let teachers know about current changes in the NC curriculum department, and what Raleigh and the DPI are doing about education in NC. Those systems did not have an Instructional Facilitator for each and every school that did walk-throughs, pushed Baldrige agendas , or taught manipulation of students to get the correct way to do PDSAs, etc. or treated teachers as if they had no idea how to teach. Our teachers knew more about curriculum changes than our IF. The IF had way more power than the principal.
ReplyDeleteThe IF ran the school that I'm familiar with, as well. I think the principal was intimidated by the fact that the IF had the superintendent's wife's ear, and was in fear of job loss, or reassignment, just as many teachers were/are.
ReplyDeleteWhat a mess!
Interesting info about what other systems are doing. How much money could I-SS have saved if someone (BoE) had been watching our piggy bank more closely?
Money sure is easy to spend when it isn't your hard-earned own!
To July 21 5:06, I too experienced the same scenario and in fact posted about the experience here on this blog. It was followed by someone who said that was not at all what happened. Thanks for posting and also adding the part about making us call if we were asked questions. I forgot about that when I posted. It was just another reason people feared the possibility of being questioned. As I stated in my comment, our school staged a bogus meeting knowing the judges would "find" them so that they were covered. That't the problem with the whole system, apparently someone thought it was ok to fake most of what was expected but it was unspoken. I too agree with the blogger that stated the principal was intimidated by the IF. The IF stated many times that they were the direct link to Holliday and clan. I also witnessed the IF have "power" over a teacher,s assessment via input to the principal. It was very sad and must change. I am just thankful for this site and the opportunity for so many to "purge".
ReplyDeleteThe PDSA is a fake, and nothing more. You can put up anything and have the correct date and data. How does anyone know who does it correctly or not? They don't. Your students can be manipulated for review of the plan, do, study and act. They know what it is about, but do they really learn from it? One day someone is going to find out how foolish this is.
ReplyDelete