District Administration - May 2011 - (Page 24)

Conversations Valeria Silva Roots Firmly Planted in Saint Paul Having spent 25 years at Saint Paul (Minn.) Public Schools, Valeria Silva has seen more than just a few changes in her district. Since 1990, the number of English language learner students has more than tripled from 4,633 students to 15,772. In 1975—10 years before Silva arrived—the district had 100 students from Asia. Today there are 11,000. Silva has spent her entire career at SPPS, which now has 64 schools and 38,500 students, and became its superintendent in 2009. A native of Chile, she was a Broad Academy Fellow, graduating in 2009, and is an executive board member for the Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents. She feels her knowledge as an insider has helped her cope with many of the challenges the district is facing. At a time when urban school leaders quickly burn out and move on, Silva assures us that she’s not going anywhere. times of my life, and I’ve had the opportunity to understand what teachers feel. I was also familiar with the culture of the school system when I came in as superintendent. That can be a big learning curve for a superintendent. Sometimes it takes you over a year or two just to get there. What has kept you as an educator in Minnesota, specifically in the Saint Paul community? Silva: Saint Paul is a very culturally di- Q: there until I was 24. I came to the United States for three months just to learn English, originally. Then I met my husband, I moved back to Chile, and then we came back to Minnesota. It’s been over 25 years since we’ve been back. When did you come to the United States and specifically to Minnesota? Silva: I’m from Chile and lived Saint Paul (Minn.) Superintendent Valeria Silva (above) has been with the district for over 25 years, where she began as a school teacher in 1986. What goals did you set for the district when you began as superintendent? Silva: “Strong Schools, Strong Commu- Twenty-five years is a long time to have worked in one district. When did you begin at Saint Paul Public Schools, and how has your role changed? Silva: I began as a teacher in 1986, and then I became a coordinator of the Spanish immersion program and curriculum in 1989. By 1992, I had moved up to become an assistant principal. For a short time, between 1993-1995, I worked for the state department of education as a specialist for ELL standards and accommodations. When I went back to the district, I was the principal at Adams Spanish Immersion School, then director of ELL programs from 1998-2006, and most recently the chief academic officer until 2009. verse community. It feels like a small town, but at the same time, it’s still a large city. The other piece is our education system. I believe Minnesota has an excellent education system. This has become my new culture, my new family. I’m one of those people who like to set roots. Many superintendents, especially those in large urban districts such as SPPS, stay three or four years and then move elsewhere. But you’d prefer to stay rooted? hurt you to be an internal person. Because of my longevity in the district, I had the chance to have different roles in different 24 May 2011 Do you feel that working in one district for 25 years has made you a stronger, better leader? Silva: I think it could help you or it could Silva: I would like to work at Saint Paul until I retire. I believe that it’s an exciting time to be a superintendent in an urban setting, and a challenging time. You need to stay in a post for a while to really see reform happen. I think that is one of the issues we have with urban leaders—that they don’t often stay in a place long enough because of politics or better offers. I think reform could really help education if we could just settle for a little bit longer. nities” is Saint Paul Public Schools’ strategic plan. It is based on proven models and grounded in data. It has three goals: achievement, alignment and sustainability. The focus on achievement is supported by predictable academic supports at every school and a streamlined school choice system with distinct magnet programs. We see our principals as instructional leaders, and we hold all staff accountable with data. We have frequent assessments, and we have already had over 1,000 observations of senior high teachers and over 1,500 observations of middle school teachers this year—all using a common rubric for classroom practice. The alignment plan establishes six geographic areas that promote learning close to home, because our data shows that students do slightly better in their community schools than in magnet schools. District Administration

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of District Administration - May 2011

District Administration - May 2011
Contents
From the Editor
News Update
Conversations
Administrator Profile
District Profile
The Cradle-to-Career Solution
Turnaround Principals
Starving for Recess
Army Strong, Superintendent Savvy
Budgeting Based on Student Needs
Research Center
Books
Product Focus
Products
Superintendent's Insights
Crisis Response
Going Mobile
Professional Opinion

District Administration - May 2011