Board Chairman Introduces New Superintendent

Every new school year is witness to change, and this year is no different. However, 2007-08 will mark a new era for the Jefferson County Public Schools as we welcome our new superintendent, Dr. Sheldon Berman. Because our community and our school system are so large, it may take awhile for all of our interested citizens to have an opportunity to meet Dr. Berman in person and to discover his many fine attributes. So I would like to share with you the qualities that placed him first in the Board of Education’s consideration for the job of Superintendent of Jefferson County Public Schools.

First and foremost, Dr. Berman is an expert in the areas of curriculum and instructional best practices. He focuses on the whole child, and is committed to ensuring that students with special needs have an opportunity to participate in district programs. While recognizing the importance of state-mandated assessments, he cautions that we must teach to the child, not to the test.
Dr. Berman immediately impressed members of the Board of Education with his insight into the challenges faced by large, diverse school systems, and with his sincerity and passion for meeting those challenges.
In his former school district in Hudson, Massachusetts, our Board members observed the positive climate he fostered among his immediate staff, at the schools, and with community and business leaders—a climate that created an environment for students to be successful. He was described as a tough public school advocate who earned his colleagues’ respect and admiration.
Dr. Berman believes in diversity and equity in our public schools. He believes that each student deserves a fair and equitable opportunity to learn in a caring and safe environment where diversity is respected and high expectations exist for all. He is prepared to address the challenges of our Student Assignment Plan.
Dr. Berman has a life-long interest in the field of character education, which encompasses such areas as conflict resolution and peer/adult relationships. He advocates service learning, by which students apply classroom lessons to community service. He believes students must develop a sense of social responsibility in order to ply their academic skills and make a positive difference in the world. He also believes that it is this sense of connection to the community at large that motivates students to do their best work.
He was an early leader in integrating technology and education, collaborating with business to develop the first virtual high school in the country. For his efforts, the Virtual High School created by the Hudson Public Schools and the Concord Consortium won the Stockholm Challenge Award for Global excellence in Information Technology in 2001, and Dr. Berman was presented the American Association of School Administrators’ President’s Technology Award in 2005.
A school district such as ours requires a leader who can bring the community together on important education issues. We see in Dr. Berman a person who is a consensus builder, and who can develop coalitions among diverse interest groups. He is committed to collaborating closely not only with employees and the Board, but with legislators, community organizations, universities, local government, labor groups, State education agencies, and other stakeholders. He is a highly skilled listener, and genuinely wants to hear and consider all sides of an issue before arriving at a decision.
Dr. Berman regards his central office staff as a resource for the schools, which he calls the heart of the district. He believes in empowering principals to be as innovative as possible in motivating students and teachers, and he speaks often to the importance of cultivating a positive, caring school culture.
While Dr. Berman relies strongly on data, he places far greater emphasis on individual student data than on school-wide results. He believes the best use of data is for diagnosis of skill strengths and deficits, and his goal is to get those data to teachers before each school year begins. He sees student data as providing the foundation for differentiated instruction, which in turn is key to improving student outcomes.
Dr. Berman is committed to attracting and keeping high-quality employees in a diversified work force. He supports investing in people via ongoing training at both the local school and central office levels, as well as for Board members. He believes people can and will perform at high levels if given appropriate tools, training, and support. He is a strong advocate for public education and is a recognized leader at the state and national levels.
Finally, on a personal level, Dr. Berman is a genuinely nice person with a friendly and easy-going demeanor. He is a devoted husband and father of three sons and is a self-described “ice hockey dad.” We are fortunate to have Dr. Berman and his family joining our community.
Dr. Berman applauds our system’s current strengths, and intends to use them as a foundation for future initiatives in those areas that have received less attention in recent years. He is a man of vision and he is unafraid of the tough challenges and decisions that lie ahead. As a Board, we are inspired by his words and we are unified in our support of his direction. He is the right person and the best person to lead our school district. We hope you will join us in welcoming him to our community.