A Letter from the new EFM of DPS

[DetroitTeacher]

I received this letter today from our new EFM, Roy Roberts. I am thinking, at least for now, that I really like this guy.

Greetings Staff, Teachers, Principals and Administrators of Detroit Public Schools,
Today, I had the opportunity to visit two successful schools on my first day on the job as the Emergency Manager.
The first was Davis Aerospace High School, Michigan’s only public aerospace high school, a school of choice, specializing in aviation maintenance technology, flight training, and avionics. It is unusual for such a school, even nationally, to be located on an airport. I learned that students there can earn their pilot’s license as soon as they have their driver’s license, and the school boasts a 96 percent graduation rate.
I also visited Marcus Garvey African Centered Academy, a PreK -8 school with a mission to provide a high performing environment that places emphasis on cultural awareness, global learning and community service in an African centered, loving, nurturing learning environment.
The students with whom I met are well on their way to a successful start for their future – a future that is being cultivated in our very own Detroit Public Schools. And that is what our central goal should be every day at DPS: ensuring that every child in our schools has every opportunity they need to be successful. Today, I also met with staff members from throughout the district, and I reiterated that message to them.
I understand there is a feeling of uncertainty, and changes will surely be necessary. I soon will be taking a deep dive into all areas of this organization to determine cost efficiencies and organizational needs.
But let me start by saying that every decision I make will be in the best interest of ensuring our students get the best education possible.
For now, that means that we will continue with several initiatives currently under way, including the rigorous goals and tenets of our five-year academic plan and the school consolidation process. To make immediate changes would harm students, and I will not do that.
Instead, we will continue to focus on educating students to the highest possible standards, and we will elevate what we are doing. As a product of public schools whose wife, children and grandchildren attended or attend public schools, I know what’s possible. We at DPS have to think creatively about the best ways to educate our students, and we have to be absolutely focused on that mission so that we give students every opportunity to compete in this 21st century global economy. And we have to have a winning attitude about what we do every day.
In the next 45 days, a budget is due, so I will quickly be assessing all departments, reviewing contracts, examining organization charts and conducting a full system-wide review to right-size this organization.
During that time, I plan to reach out far and wide – to staff, teachers, administrators, parents, foundations, our unions, school board members, the business community, clergy leaders, and community leaders – to ask that everyone be part of the team to transform Detroit Public Schools. I believe that anyone who wants the same thing that I want, which is to have a quality education for all children of Detroit, should be at the table.
I am challenging everyone in our DPS community to be focused together on creating a culture of excellence that permeates our system of schools like never before.
Thank you.
Roy S. Roberts, Emergency Manager, Detroit Public Schools

[maxx]

And this "culture of excellence" will be obtained by having teachers work longer hours for less pay? Someone needs his/her head examined. There needs to be a way to stop social promotion and organize students by their level of achievement. Unfortunately, kids who are slow to learn grade level work and fall behind may end up dropping out. And most kids don't like changing schools/ classmates yearly. If every student could work at a computer for at least a couple of hours a week in each academic subject, that would enable students to work at their own pace. And every academic course could explain regularly the need for that subject, i.e., to ensure knowledgeable citizens, to offer the student the chance for self-improvement and fulfilling employment. Computers could be available after school hours. This might require more security than there is at present. This is not an ideal system, but then an ideal system has ideal students. But at least students would be aware of their progress on a weekly basis or more often.

[rjk]

Everyone sounds good on their first day before they do anything. The devil is always in the details.

[Melocoton]

Why do you like him, DetroitTeacher? The letter sounds like boilerplate "pleased-to-meet-you" type stuff.

Also, what?

For now, that means that we will continue with several initiatives currently under way, including the rigorous goals and tenets of our five-year academic plan and the school consolidation process. To make immediate changes would harm students, and I will not do that.

Changing anything that's currently under way: he would never do that.

[DetroitTeacher]

I guess i like him because he wanted to be a teacher and has educated his children in public schools [[and he's homegrown, so the public schools were local not out of state). He just sounds like he's out for the best interests of the kids. Only time will tell.