Pine Bluff School District Superintendent Dr. Jeremy Owoh hosted a community forum introducing the new PBSD Superintendent Barbara Warren on Thursday evening.
Using dual platforms, Facebook and ZOOM, viewers tuned in with questions.
Earlier this week Arkansas Department of Education Secretary Johnny Key announced that Warren would serve a dual role as superintendent of the Dollarway and Pine Bluff School Districts for the 2020-2021 school year.
Warren’s new role would begin July 1 replacing Dr. Jeremy Owoh at Pine Bluff who is leaving to become a deputy superintendent in the Little Rock School District.
The digital meeting was the first of many planned, to give the public the opportunity to provide feedback about collaboration, how the districts can improve efficiency through shared services, and plans for the upcoming school year.
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Joining the panel with Owoh and Warren were Dr. Ivy Pfeffer, Arkansas Department of Education Deputy Commissioner and Reginald Ballard, Unit Director at Arkansas Department of Education.
The one-hour meeting was joined with approximately 200 attendees from both digital platforms who wasted no time asking questions about consolidation.
Trammell Howell posted during the meeting
“Reading the Administrative Consolidation and Annexation of the school districts – page 323-18, 16.10, No administratively consolidation or annexed resulting or receiving school district shall have more than (1) superintendent. With this statement it looks like the state is setting this district up for the consolidation move.”
According to Pfeffer, having that conversation and feedback is important.
Pfeffer says the board will be looking at the data to see where the districts are in the fall and expect to hear responses from the community.
The state board will make an ultimate decision based on those factors.
According to Pfeffer, Warren is the first superintendent to lead two districts stating it was a “unique situation for someone uniquely qualified.”
Warren was born and raised in Pine Bluff. She graduated from Watson Chapel and studied at the University of Arkansas Pine Bluff.
Warren worked for the Pine Bluff School District in 2000 for approximately 10 years as a special assistant to the former superintendent, Frank Anthony, a role she said prepared her for future opportunities.
“I know you and you know me,” said Warren who also stated she didn’t see this new role coming but knew there was a need for her to serve.
Warren said the kids come first and the work and focus must be centered around them.
Pfeffer added in looking to selecting the person to fill the role, it fell back on the community.
“The community had expressed the desire to have someone that was a part of the community and understood the challenges and committed to the community,” said Pfeffer.
Pfeffer said they looked at the qualifications, experience and knowledge of the candidate.
“Mrs. Warren checked all the boxes and that was what the Pine Bluff School District needed,” said Pfeffer.
Pfeffer explained that having stability was important and Warren would continue to provide the system improvements already implemented by the district.
“Anytime you have leadership change, there is always an unsettling time,” said Pfeffer.
Embracing change was the key to the meeting as questions filled the chat inquiring how the change would affect the students. Would there be administrative changes? Would renovations continue?
“There are a lot of unknowns than knowns right now,” said Warren. “There shouldn’t be a lot of changes for our students and parents.”
Key said parents and students should not anticipate changes in the day-to-day operations of the districts and that both districts will continue to function as they have in the past but with a single leader. Warren will have an office in both districts.
According to Key, Warren’s efforts in Dollarway have stabilized the district’s finances and staffing, and the academic system has improved during her tenure through a focus on student learning through the Professional Learning Communities process.
Under Dr. Owoh’s leadership, Pine Bluff is pursuing a similar trajectory in addressing financial issues and improving student learning through the PLC process.
Both districts have a fiscal destress plan and exit plan in place. According to Owoh, he was projected to have an ending balance for the Pine Bluff School District of $600,000. He surpassed that goal ending with approximately $4 million.
Owoh said that was achieved by changing the way different needs and activities were funded, using other funding resources.
While Warren’s ending balance wasn’t as major, she did maintain the improved financial operations.
“We had to tighten our belt and make sure they were spending appropriately,” said Warren referring to the Dollarway School District.
Both Warren and Owoh agreed that academics won’t be an easy fix. A solid foundation for the students and the capacity for educators will need to be consistent, according to Owoh.
“Improvements in academics will come with continued stability,” said Pfeffer, who explained the importance of continued investment in the development of teachers. “Fiscal system changes have been made and will help keep the district stable.”
As Owoh transitions to his new role in Little Rock, he said he is proud of Mrs. Warren. Owoh described Warren as a leader who has demonstrated growth and who has a passion for service.
“The district will be well served by having a leader as Mrs. Warren,” said Owoh. “I appreciate her taking on this dual role.”
Owoh said he and Warren have collaborated since day one and partnered on several projects in the past.
Pfeffer said having one person understand two different districts is beneficial because they can share the resources. Pfeffer adds there will be a dedicated person to work with Warren on a daily basis.
With both districts just a few points away from meeting the exit criteria of state control, Warren is ready to connect with the teachers, students, parents and the community.
“Right now the plan is for two districts to thrive and receive the resources it needs to continue,” said Warren. “I’ll help them be the best that they can be.”