Ann Berget wrote: > In a message dated 11/11/2003 6:24:33 AM Eastern Standard > Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: > > > I would like the new supperintendent to have a track record > > of past proven success in improving student achievement. > > AB: A word of caution is in order here. Even if a > prospective superintendent has a boffo record somewhere else, > there's no reason to assume that the same conditions are > present in MPS that ade those successes possible. Those who > try to "clone" anything, sheep, programs or successes, > usually find out that each success is unique. There really > isn't a magic formula.
While it is true that successful past performance is not a guarantee of future success, it is the most reliable predictor. Thus, there is a reason to believe that although conditions here maybe different, a successful supperintendent is more likely to be successful than someone with a track record of failures. I believe that there is a "magic" formula. According to Clark's Third Law: Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. Here it's not that the solutions are so technologically advanced, it's that people's emotional and philosophical convictions make it appear that the solutions can only be magical. I watched the last School Board meeting on cable. It's good to know that they realize they're in a world of hurt. It's depressing to realize that they don't have any solutions. One of the board members actually used the used the word "magic" when discussing solutions. This Board doesn't need magic it needs paradigm change or religious revelation as the case may be. Michael Atherton Prospect Park REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
