Education column: A warm welcome to our new superintendent

As we’ve wrapped up another school year to prepare for the next, a number of changes have taken place, the most significant of which is the hiring of our new district superintendent.

All know by now that the challenging search for a new superintendent has resulted in the hiring of Jody Balch as our new leader at the helm. For the first time in many years, the new superintendent is one of our own. Balch is not only a product of the Clovis Schools, he has worked in the district as a teacher for 16 years; served as building administrator (principal at middle and high schools) for another 15 years; and has spent the last few years as one of the deputy superintendents, overseeing all aspects of the operations side of running a school district.

As such, Balch has not only acquired the unique perspective of knowing how schools run or ought to be run, he has the added benefit of being solidly vested in the community, focused for the long haul on all aspects of the district. Balch is firmly planted in the community in which he’s spent so many years as an educator, determined to bring about constructive changes to positively impact students and staff.

Along with the unique perspective of having been able to view this education machine from all angles, Balch is all about instruction and learning. Henry Ford stated, “Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at 20 or 80; anyone who keeps learning remains young.”

Balch attributes some of the most powerful influences in his life to great family, friends, and teachers throughout his own education. Asked about what he’s observed over the years, he identified the increased use of technology, both in the classroom as well as throughout the district as a powerful influence. In addition, “The increase of dual credit programs with community colleges and universities have benefited our students. Also, our Pre-K and Kindergarten programs have come a long way.”

Looking at concerns, Balch noted the increased leveraging of federal government funds over the years, which has a way of dictating what takes place in schools. Balch continued, “It is important to expect that we have effective teaching for every child in every classroom every day. However, we need to allow teachers more time to teach. We’ve done a lot of things well, such as disaggregating data so that we know exactly where each student is and what they need to work on. We’ll be taking a look at all the testing being done in our district and try to determine if some of the testing is repetitive.”

Balch continued: “There is no magic pill for successful student achievement. I believe there are four factors which make any school successful: (1) a strong, dynamic principal with a clear vision; (2) a talented staff who shares the vision and commitment; (3) using reliable data to make informed decisions; and (4) community and family must be involved as partners in the process.

Welcome, Mr. Balch, to a fresh, new beginning; the horizon’s looking bright.

Cindy Kleyn-Kennedy is the Instructional Technology Coordinator for the Clovis Municipal Schools and can be reached at [email protected]