Robert Collins

Thursday, Jan. 12, 2006 | 10:06 a.m.

1. The biggest issue is being able to recruit and retain teachers and staff in this district. You can't run a school district without principals and teachers. I can get the best educational program you want, but if you can't retain these individuals, you can't do it.

2. We have a lot of large entities that are extremely successful. It's really not an issue of size because size brings economy. I think a regionalized system that has authority, power and is engaged with the public is the best way to address that.

3. No child left behind is a flawed law. It creates unrealistic expectations. We need to hold principals and teachers and students and the superintendent strictly accountable for the achievement of students. But we also need to do it in a way that is realistic.

4. If we are going to build a sense of team and community in a school district, we want to set a focus of where we want to go the next five years or 10 years.

5. I would spend some serious time engaging the communities and constituencies in this school district. If there was any edict, it would be to ensure that my principals do that in an organized manner.

6. This is about instruction, instruction, instruction. All too often we get sidetracked with everything else other than what happens in a classroom between a teacher and a student. I am going to be focusing like a laser beam on the classroom and the quality of the educational programs.