School board issues Parker’s first evaluation

MADISON – Robert V. Parker, Superintendent of Madison City Schools, received his first evaluation from Madison Board of Education at its June 28 meeting.

Parker accepted the superintendent position in January 2017 after Dr. Dee Fowler resigned in November 2016 to accept the position of Assistant Superintendent for Alabama Department of Education.

In Parker’s evaluation, the board gave high marks in areas of facilities management, financial management and management of pupil services. They cited growth areas in technology management, additional delegating to focus more on superintendent-exclusive tasks and establishing a better personnel management system for efficiency.

“This was a very good evaluation. Outstanding,” MBOE President Ranae Bartlett said in leading the summary.

Board members highly praised Parker in “taking the reins of leadership from predecessors to lead an outstanding school district to even greater heights,” MCS Public Relations Manager John Peck said.

MBOE unanimously approved maximum incentive pay of $5,000 for meeting goals, as stipulated in Parker’s contract. “Mr. Parker humbly said so many others do unseen work that make him look good that he will be donating the money to a worthy cause,” Peck said.

“The bar was set very high. He’s gone above it,” board member Luis Ferrer said. Ferrer commended Parker’s staffing decisions, community outreach and branding of the school district.

“He’s so good at so many things we have to remember he’s still new” when dealing with issues he has never confronted, board member Connie Spears said. “Mr. Parker’s love for kids and always striving to do what’s best for students are indisputable.”

In addition, board members commended Parker for his openness and transparency, vision and vigilance in actions, such as enforcing residency requirements.

The superintendent’s annual review begins with questionnaires distributed to all principals, Central Office department heads and program coordinators. Each person rates the superintendent in various performance categories and answers a series of questions.

The superintendent receives scores in each category on a five-point scale, with “1” representing “unsatisfactory” and “5” as “demonstrating excellence.” MBOE also completes its own evaluation. To reach final tabulations, the board determines a composite average of evaluations.

Parker earned an overall 4.22. He earned higher marks in financial management, facilities management, pupil/personnel services management, communications and interpersonal relations, along with community relations.

“Marks slightly trailing the average were in technology management, CEO of the school board, educational leadership of schools, leadership and personnel management and professional development,” Peck said.

Board members commented that areas marked for improvement are systemic with becoming a larger school district.

Parker met significant challenges during his first year:

* Settling the long-running dispute for Limestone County taxes.

* Implementing plans for shifting sixth-graders into middle schools.

* Launching expansions at Liberty and Discovery middle schools and creating more developmentally-delayed units at Discovery.

* Guiding voter passage of several property tax renewals.

MBOE also graded Parker on achievement of his personal goals for 2017-2018. His overall grade of 4.55 averaged these categories:

* Middle-school grade reconfiguration plan — 4.8.

* Initiatives to better prepare students for ‘new-collar’ opportunities (credentialing programs that prepare students for the workforce after graduation) — 4.6.

* Launching a plan for student proficiency in a second language by graduation — 4.4.

* New initiatives for math — 4.4.