Bolgen Vargas will step down as superintendent of the
Rochester school district at the end of December, well before his contract
expires in June 2016. (Related column: “Impossible job claims another superintendent.”)
He will be replaced by Daniel Lowengard, retired superintendent
of the Syracuse City School District. Lowengard will serve as interim
superintendent of Rochester schools until a permanent superintendent is hired,
hopefully by the end of the school year, says Rochester school board president
Van White. Lowengard will not be eligible for the permanent job, White says.
White says that all seven board members are in agreement
concerning Vargas’s departure and the terms. The board will buy out the
remaining six months of Vargas’s contract and Vargas has agreed to be available
to support Lowengard in the transition. Vargas’s annual salary is $195,000.
(A statement from Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren on Vargas’s departure follows this story.)
Vargas says that went to the board in September to talk about
renewing his contract. But when board members indicated that his contract would
likely not be extended, Vargas says that he decided to leave.
“It’s a mutual decision,” Vargas says. “It’s no secret to
anyone here that we’ve had our disagreements and it’s in the best interest of
the district.”
Problems between Vargas and the school board have been
brewing for at least a couple of years, going back to when Vargas hired former
deputy mayor Patricia Malgieri — a well-known critic of the district — as his
chief of staff early in his tenure. And his relationship with White has also
been tense over the years, their differences at times spilling out into public
view.
But both men say that one of the most serious problems has
been an ongoing disagreement over the roles and responsibilities of the board
and that of the superintendent. Earlier this year, Vargas took the unusual step
of threatening legal action against the board over a dispute concerning who and
what types of positions should be allowed in the superintendent’s employee
group, the cabinet-level management tier.
Vargas continues to argue that the board changed the terms of
his contract and overstepped its authority.
“Reasonable people can make the case either way,” Vargas
says. “It is clear that we don’t shy away publicly or privately around that
difference.”
White says that the disagreements led to significant
differences about day to day operations of the district.
The board’s actions are a result of the school board finally
adhering to state education law, White says, after years of lax supervision of
the SEG. It’s part of a “paradigm shift,” he says, in how the board will
supervise superintendents going forward.
White cites the board’s direct involvement in engaging the
University of Rochester as the educational partner to turn around East High
School as an example of this shift. And he says that the board is currently
pursuing a partner for an elementary school.
Vargas never followed through with litigation against the
board, but the threat clearly damaged his relationship with board members.
Though he says he has no regrets about his decision, he also says that he would
have preferred to stay with the district longer and that he has no immediate
plans.
Vargas was hired in 2011 as the interim
superintendent following former superintendent Jean-Claude Brizard’s departure.
Vargas was made permanent superintendent almost a year later in a 6-1 vote,
with White opposed.
At the time, many school district officials and community
leaders said that Vargas was a good choice because of his roots in Rochester.
Vargas was a guidance counselor in the Greece school district, and he has been
both a Rochester school board member and its president.
Vargas seemed to immediately benefit from a comfortable
working relationship with Adam Urbanski, president of the Rochester Teachers
Association, mending the bitter feud between teachers and central office that
developed under Brizard. Some teachers said they were impressed with Vargas’s
counseling background because it is similar to classroom teaching experience.
And board members initially seemed relieved, too, because
Vargas said he had no interest in seeing governance of the district shift to
mayoral control. Vargas struck up a solid working relationship with then mayor
Tom Richards, a refreshing change from the tense history between the district
and City Hall.
Vargas immediately laid out an aggressive strategy to reverse
decades of academic decline at the school district by focusing on fundamentals
such as improving the district’s attendance and having students read
proficiently by the third grade.
He argued for offering the same academic and extracurricular
amenities that suburban schools offer: sports, fully functioning libraries,
arts, music, and drama instruction. And he emphasized early childhood education
and universal prekindergarten for all 4-year-olds in the city.
Vargas lengthened the amount of instruction time that
students in the district’s lowest performing schools receive, borrowing a
strategy for academic improvement frequently touted by higher-performing
charter schools.
“The work we’ve done in Rochester speaks for itself,” Vargas
says.
But some teachers appear to have changed their view of Vargas
and his administration. In a recent interview, Urbanski said that while Vargas
has worked collaboratively with teachers on many fronts, that
lately they have disagreed on several issues.
“I give him a lot of credit for increasing a lot of resources
for schools, music, art, and physical education,” he said. “But I have to tell
you that lately teachers have become very frustrated with what they consider to
be central office’s neglect of schools.”
Urbanski cited school safety and
discipline concerns, recent changes in how special education is managed, and
confusion over additional working hours.
Few people expected Vargas’s contract to be renewed, he said.
Statement from Mayor Lovely A. Warren on the Change in School District Leadership:
The future of our city depends on the educational success of our children.
Although as Mayor I do not have a say in this matter, I do believe it would have been more appropriate to announce that the superintendent was leaving at the end of his term and allow him to serve until a permanent replacement is hired, since it appears he will be staying on as an employee until the end of the school year.
A midyear shift could be detrimental to the very children that the school district needs to foster and protect.
I know the number one reason why middle class families leave the city of Rochester is because of the challenges in our educational system. Too many of our schools are in need of academic improvement, and we must have a path forward that is both clearly defined and in the best interest of our children.
As our community comes together to address the poverty crisis in our city, we cannot afford to let personality conflicts harm the educational needs of our children or their families.
This article appears in Oct 28 – Nov 3, 2015.
I believe RCSD needs a super who is more articulate and motivating, with brilliant ideas. What about Dr. Bill Cala or Dr. Steve Uebbing (from UR and the new East HIgh)?
I like Dr. Vargas, but I don’t see him as motivating and articulate enough to move RCSD to the max. I wish him luck…
I think we need a super-intendent with super intentions!
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http://www.SavingSchools.org
As far as Vargas not being a motivator, remember he had many years of experience with the RCSD , as a prior board member and he is well aware of the dysfunction that exists in the district. Any unsuspecting super -charged newcomer, like Brizard, can come in all hyped up until reality sets in. and then it all hits the fan.
Vargas was a good choice at the time with a counseling background, to try to juggle all the opposing forces; in the district; and be a leader to boot.
If Vargas is not up to this almost impossible task, then keep him until you scrutinize a new superintendent and find one that’s better. But please, no more of the merry-go-round of rotating superintendents; we already went on that disastrous route.
Déjà vu all over again! The hyper dysfunctional and meddling School Board torpedoes progress and continuity once again. The Board is in the pocket of the Administrators and Supervisors Union that drains resources from the front lines of educating kids. Van White’s press conference performance attempt to suggest Jean Claude Brizzard left Rochester for a promotion in Chicago was laughable. The man himself identified the relationship with a meddling board as the fundamental problem. As a City resident, I am disgusted with this revolving door that betrays city residents and their kids. The schools need a CEO that can function with the independence to carry out the job.
Crap! When will we get some continuity?? Politics are killing our schools.
Mark “B”
I would encourage you to come to one of our Board meetings or contact me by email (van.white@thelegalbrief.com) so that we could discuss your concerns person to person without the anonimity that posting encourages. If we met what I would say to you is that the facts simply do not support your allegation that: (I) we have a “revolving door” and (II) it is the “meddling” BOE that is pushing superintedents out that door. In this regard, I’d like to make a couple of observations. First, our Superintendents stay longer than most urban Superintendents – eg both Janey and Rivera stayed for 6+ years. (It would not be fair to include William Cala as he was brought on as an interim.) This is double the time period for most urban superintedents. Second, prior to Dr. Vargas, our last two permanent superintedents left not because the Board “pushed them out the door” but because they received offers of other employment that would be hard for any committed public servant to refuse. It is undisputed that Manny Rivera left for a prestigious and influential post with former NY Govenor Spitzer and Jean Claude Brizzard left to work in one of the largest school districts in our nation – a district in which he would (I) hold the same post which the current Secretary of Education (Arne Duncan) held and (II) work for a new Chicago mayor who was (as The White House Chief of Staff) at the right hand to the President of the United States. While I was among several Board members who wanted Mr. Brizard to stay, under the circumstances, who could blame him for leaving. Sure Jean Claude had challenges with some
members of the Board and with others in our community but given the challenges in urban America what urban superintendent does not have such challenges? In short, who would dispute that (without regard to those challenges in Rochester) that Chicago Public Schools represented an opportunity of a life time for Mr. Brizard. Accordingly, this “narrative” that we hear that the Board of Education is pushing these superintedents out the door is simply not factually accurate. Indeed, such a characterization is most inaccurate to describe the circumstances surrounding Dr. Vargas’ exit. For one, it was the Board of Education that granted him a 4 year contract – most superintedents only have 3 year contracts. Secondly, the Board of Education made it clear to Dr. Vargas that we wanted him to complete the academic year and complete his 4 year contract and stay until June 30, 2016. To his credit, Dr. Vargas has repeatedly admitted that it was his idea to leave early in December as he believed that this what was best for the District. Given his position in the organizational structure of our district and his familiarity with District staff (particularly at Central Office) we accepted his assessment and that is why we will be looking at Dr. Vargas “outside the door” on December 31, 2015. He alone choose that date. However, remaining inside that door, with “us” will be thousands of committed employees, parents, partners, the Board of Education, and an interim superintedent who is committed to cause of excellence and equity in urban education. These are the folks, who choose not to “exit”, that will offer the creativity and continuity that our students, family, and staff need and deserve.
Respectfully
Van Henri White
Dear Comm. Van White,
Thanks for your response to “Mark B”. But I wonder if your invitation to speak with people from the community is open to others, as well.
I have repeatedly sent you emails and mailings and you have never offered to meet with me. I bought your book on frustration, but you did not respond to my concerns.
Why not? Why not open the District up so that people can the community are always welcome to share their concerns, their ideas and their skills in helping RCSD to thrive.
Can we come together to THRIVE, rather than to SURVIVE?
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For starters, you can take a look at my blog, I also suggest that you learn how to write English in paragraphs! THANK YOU
http://www.SavingSchools.org
Don ,
Indeed, ” Vargas had many years of experience with the RCSD , as a prior board member and he [was] is well aware of the dysfunction that exists in the district.”
There is no such thing as a ” super -charged newcomer, like Brizard,” or anyone one else, who ” can come in,” and single-handedly (even with the help, and blind support of a largely dysfunctional Board) effectively address the old, old, deeply entrenched, systemic, crisis that exists (not only in the Rochester City School District), but in predominantly black and brown school districts across this thoroughly racist, white supremacist-based, nation-state (in every direction — North, East, South, and West).
The bottom-line truth of the matter is that there will be no widespread, fundamental change, and/or improvement until, and unless WE (parents, grandparents, other family members, knowledgeable, righteous, sincere, and thoroughly committed educators, righteous, sincere, and thoroughly committed politicians, and anyone else who claims to be interested in widespread, permanent, concrete, measurable change and improvement — ban together, and build a deadly-serious MOVEMENT. All else is merely rhetoric and noise.
With regard to widespread, permanent, concrete, measurable change and improvement — “Vargas [NEVER] was a good choice.” He was in over his head (right from the very start) — other than his ability and willingness to assuage the hurt feelings of Union officials, and to return the District to the entrenched, status-quo-state, in which top Union leaders, and their largely blind followers have ALWAYS enjoyed the balance of POWER, which Brizard had definitely disrupted. It’s too bad that Brizard did not understand, or appreciate the fact that he could not dance solely to the tunes of the Big-Business community, but in fact, needed the support of those who are most directly and most negatively impacted (if he was to be effective in helping to produce widespread, permanent, concrete, measurable, change, and improvement, which in hindsight, really wasn’t his ultimate goal either. Instead he was a Broad-controlled, hired-gun — with a clear assignment to advance the corporatist, privatization agenda (at all cost). As usual, OUR children and families were caught in the middle of two opposing, powerful, forces — neither of which genuinely had the children’s, objective, best interests at heart, or as a top priority.
With regard to your LATE, empty, plea relative to “no more of the merry-go-round of rotating superintendents” — obviously, the plea comes after the fact — after the “train has clearly already left the station” (so to speak). Not only have we “already [gone] on that disastrous route” (for decades) — we are still (clearly) very much on the same route.
All I can tell you is that which I am absolutely, unequivocally certain of: The bottom-line truth of the matter is that there will be no widespread, fundamental change, and/or improvement until, and unless WE (parents, grandparents, other family members,knowledgeable, righteous, sincere, and thoroughly committed educators, righteous, sincere, and thoroughly committed politicians, and anyone else who claims to be interested in widespread, permanent, concrete, measurable change and improvement — ban together, and build a deadly-serious MOVEMENT. All else is merely rhetoric and noise.
No “super -charged [individual] newcomer” is going to ride into town on a white horse, or any other color horse, and save us. NO ONE WILL; NO ONE CAN SAVE US, BUT US.
The Struggle Continues…
Howard J. Eagle
Parent-Activist, Educator
Facing Race, Embracing Equity (FR=EE)
Race And Education Action And Change
Work Group Member
(585) 752-1426
http://faceraceroc.org/wp-content/uploads/…
Mark B,
You got part of it right, but the other part is dead-wrong.
There can’t possibly be any doubt in any rational, and astute mind that “the School Board [is definitely] hyper dysfunctional.” However, the idea of the Board “torpedoing [significant] progress…” (under Vargas) is a fallacy. THERE HAS BEEN NO SIGNIFICANT “progress” — period.
Also, with regard to Brizard leaving, as a result of “identifying the relationship with a meddling board as the fundamental problem, [and the idea that] the Board is in the pocket of the Administrators and Supervisors Union”— apparently you have a short memory, i.e., at the time it was the TEACHERS UNION, not “the Administrators and Supervisors Union” that had taken a vote of no confidence against Brizard, and also had put together a coalition that waged a campaign to literally run Brizard out of town — I KNOW —- because I was mistakenly part of the campaign (in hindsight, I realize that I should have remained neutral — because neither side had the best interests of OUR students and families at heart). See my note to Don (below).
Like yourself, “as a City resident,” and more importantly, a RCSD parent, ” I am [also] disgusted with this revolving door that betrays city residents and their kids. The schools need a [lot more than a] CEO that can function with the independence to carry out the job.” THE SCHOOLS NEED A MOVEMENT, Again, see my note to Don (below). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0sQykKpI9…
If super-hyper-rhetoric could produce academic change and improvement, the so-called president of the Rochester Board of Education would undoubtedly be able to single-handedly, fundamentally, transform the Rochester City School District. The guy is so full of hot-air, foolishness, and nonsense — that it’s literally scary.
EVERY TIME I read one of his posts, I am reminded of something that one of Rochester’s most seasoned, respected, veteran activists told me years ago, i.e., people, especially those in positions of power and authority, who believe their own rhetoric, are dangerous.
It has also been my observation that those who are virtual, rhetoric-spewing-machines (as white clearly is) almost invariably contradict themselves. He certainly seems to remains true to form, relative to his post below, i.e., if it’s true that “Dr. Vargas has repeatedly admitted that it was his idea to leave early in December as he believed that this [is] what was best for the District. Given his position in the organizational structure of our district and his familiarity with District staff (particularly at Central Office) we accepted his assessment and that is why we will be looking at Dr. Vargas “outside the door” on December 31, 2015″ — then why is the Democrat and Chronicle reporting that — “Vargas will stay on through June as an adviser to former Syracuse Superintendent Dan Lowengard, who will serve as interim superintendent while the school board searches for a permanent replacement. He will continue to receive health benefits and his $195,000 annual salary?” WHICH IS IT — “outside [or inside] the door?” Either the Democrat and Chronicle must have it wrong, which of course wouldn’t be the first time, or Van White has once again convinced himself that his super-hyper-rhetoric makes sense. Which is it?