Like many educators, Jean Burns Slater jumped into a tough job
during tough times.
When she became superintendent of the San Benito High School
District in February, impending mid-year budget cuts threatened
schools across the state.
In this question-and-answer interview, Slater talks about issues
confronting San Benito High School, staying connected to the
students and her impression of San Benito County and its
residents.
Like many educators, Jean Burns Slater jumped into a tough job during tough times.
When she became superintendent of the San Benito High School District in February, impending mid-year budget cuts threatened schools across the state.
In this question-and-answer interview, Slater talks about issues confronting San Benito High School, staying connected to the students and her impression of San Benito County and its residents.
Free Lance: What does back to school mean to you?
Jean Burns Slater: Back to school, to me, means a new start – a chance to have a new identity, a chance to come in with some new knowledge, a chance to show some enthusiasm and also a chance to be familiar with the past.
For new teachers, it’s trepidation as well. For new administration, it’s the actual culmination of all the things you’ve been working on and trying to get together. You’ve got everything organized, so it’s a chance to see what works and what didn’t work, and also realize what you forgot.
FL: What has been your experience with San Benito County so far?
JBS: I’ve had some really mixed experiences in terms of that. Let’s talk about community. I really believe the family and the community are young, vivacious, they love their children. They are long-standing in the community. This community absorbs the family.
In San Benito County, people still live here (they don’t have to move away). The families are clearly connected. Students are proud of the parents, the parents are proud of the students. That’s the first thing, a big sense of community. Lots of pride.
This community also doesn’t realize the potential that’s here. I don’t think we recognize the potential of students and we need to recognize and tap into the interest and willingness of the people in the community to support us.
Things are changing. We have a new police chief that’s coming from out of town. We have new superintendents that are coming from out of town. We have a vivaciousness that sometimes can be a problem. Too much change can be a problem. We have lots of change in leadership roles (in the county, city and school district). … We have to be able to tap into and honor past experiences.
FL: What has been your experience with San Benito High School?
JBS: With the high school itself, people were ready for change. People were skeptical and worried because anytime you have change – and it wasn’t just me, it was the board, too – everybody was trying to figure out where the board’s coming from, where the superintendent’s coming from … figuring out, how do we all work together? We have to keep some stability so that people know and feel comfortable with what’s going on within the community.
FL: What are the biggest issues in education right now?
JBS: For me, the national and federal mandates that are coming down to school districts that even circumvent the state – mandates that are coming through with accountability factors without the revenues and resources to support them. I think accountability is OK, but I’m not sure I can follow your accountability system if you don’t give me the tools to follow the accountability system.
(Also), customization at public schools. We get the funding for the massive education, we don’t get the funding for the specialty items, but families are expecting the specialty items. And I don’t blame them, we are an individualistic country. I really don’t want the rich schools to be able to customize and the poor schools not. That’s a huge concern for me. I want to customize, but I need some support to customize.
Another piece is school accountability. I think it’s good, it’s wise, it’s smart and we need to test what we’re teaching, but I don’t think we’re geared up for it yet.
Now, as we’re holding ourselves accountable, we haven’t quite raised the level of our responsibility toward that, and we still blame – ‘they come to us unprepared, parents aren’t involved, parents don’t care.’ We haven’t got to the fact that we have to restructure our programs.
FL: What are some of the biggest issues for San Benito High School?
JBS: I think a big issue is the high school exit exam. I want all our students to graduate. We do have some students who haven’t passed, so we have to gear up and do that. Another big issue is developing a welcoming, supportive school climate. And that’s been part of my message this year. Another (issue) is technology. We’re really interested in having more technology in the classroom so the teachers are more comfortable with using the technology in the classroom … to incorporate visuals (into their lectures).
FL: How do you stay connected with the students?
JBS: This job is on campus. Every administrative job I’ve had, I’ve been fortunate enough to have it right on a school’s campus. I would never suggest the district office not be on campus. I looked at Gilroy Unified – I could not do that (have the office off campus). I have to be connected. If I can’t laugh and talk with kids, it’d be disastrous for me. I’m going to freshmen orientation on Friday, I’m going to welcome everyone.
When I first got here, I visited classrooms. I go to as many activities as I can. I go to (Associated Student Body) meetings in the mornings at 7 o’clock. I walk around campus. I don’t feel detached from young people. I don’t want to be.
FL: What are some of the things that San Benito High School does well?
JBS: I think that, for students that fit into what we offer, they are very comfortable, satisfied (with their education). We have some very enthusiastic teachers.
Overall, I see excellent teaching in the classrooms. I’ve seen some higher-thinking skills. I’ve seen some excellent professional development to support teachers. We’re producing a very high level of instruction. But, we have to look back at some of these students that don’t fit within the mold and see what we can do to customize.
We are also very careful about our fiscal management. People are very aware of money, who pays for it. We pay attention to details.
We need to work on measuring our success better. We don’t measure our success well. We don’t really know yet enough of what we do.
FL: What are some of the things San Benito High School has to improve on?
JBS: Connection with families and the community. Letting people know we are interested, we are welcoming. I want to measure our success better. The technology, I want to get in the classroom more. Some of that (improving achievement and success) is just alignment. We need to align, sometimes it’s just a matter of aligning things. (For example), we teach U.S. History in 10th grade. When is it tested? 11th grade.
FL: Is 2,700 students too big for one high school campus?
JBS: I believe that 2,700 students allows us to offer classes we couldn’t offer. In the other school districts I worked in, we could never offer Latin. We (SBHS) offer four years of Latin because we have enough of a population base to draw on some specialty classes.
In terms of providing opportunities for students, we have a whole lot of things out there that other schools can’t do. If we got into over 3,000, I want to break into small academies. We can cluster students into groups so they’re not walking all over campus, so they’re not interacting with six different audiences.
If we were a full grown 3,200, I would see a second high school – that would be pushing it. We have 70 acres over on Best Road. We’re prepared and we’re poised for that, but we really have to wait to see how the city and the county construction develops.
FL: What are your feelings on the state’s budget problems?
JBS: I think that it’s unfair for the state to say that ‘we passed a budget with an $8 billion deficit,’ and it’s not just because we (SBHS) have to balance our budget, I think you have to keep it (the budget) balanced. You can’t live off the future.
FL: How have the budget problems impacted San Benito High School and the services the school delivers?
JBS: This district was prepared for the mid-year cuts (from the 2002-03 school year) that never materialized. They (the SBHS administration) put in hiring freezes. We looked at those freezes and asked departments if they could do without. I think it’s developed an efficiency of operations. We’re more efficient.
