By Dawn Michelle Laguerre
After a lengthy and thorough search, the new Utica City School District Superintendent, Dr. Christopher Spence was selected, and sworn in at the beginning of a special meeting of the District’s Board of Education.
Dr. Patricia Kilburn, District Superintendent of Oneida-Herkimer BOCES, who conducted the search, marveled at Dr. Spence’s academic pedigree, his transformational leadership style, and his ability to merge data analytics and civic engagement to level the playing field, to provide a quality education and apprenticeship opportunities from corporate stakeholders to economically deficient urban and rural communities.Dr. Spence’s life experiences prepared him for the task. Growing up in the poor districts of Harlem, he quickly realized that without a dedicated tax base to finance public education, community residents could be doomed to failure. Crediting his interest in education in having a mother who was also a teacher, he was able to attend schools outside of his district that had an abundance of resources, including competent instructors and mentors.
Although at times he may have been culturally isolated, nonetheless he strived and succeeded academically. Early in his teaching career, he understood that the stratification of wealth impacted both urban and rural students and was often the determining factor in students’ academic success and access to opportunities outside of the classroom.
On the macroeconomic level, he described how businesses and municipalities could benefit from investing in schools, including here in the Mohawk Valley Region, and how community stakeholders could increase productivity and efficiency in their organizations, leading to increased profits and an improved quality of life.
Dr. Spence outlined his 100-Day Entry Plan, which is already underway as his official first day with the district was Aug. 5. He promised he would dedicate his first 100 days to engaging with both internal and external stakeholders and to conducting a critical assessment of the district. His five main objectives are to:
1) Ensure a smooth transition in leadership.
2) Provide an opportunity to engage internal and external stakeholders and solicit feedback while building relationships.
3) Deploy a survey instrument to gather input from internal and external stakeholder groups.
4) Conduct a structural and cultural audit via an analysis of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.
5) Identify key priorities for the upcoming year.
