7 L.A. schools get new principals
They are hired as part of an ambitious, high-stakes plan to improve some of the lowest-achieving campuses.
Tim Sullivan's first day as Markham Middle School's principal was Monday. He quickly found out that the computers didn't recognize his employee identification number and that he didn't have enough staff to register about 300 sixth-graders for classes the next day.
"I made one phone call to say 'We need this and we need that' . . . and I got six more staff to help," Sullivan said in an interview Tuesday. "It tells me that priorities are in place."
Sullivan is one of seven new principals hired by the Partnership for Los Angeles Schools, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's ambitious and high-stakes plan to improve 10 of the city's lowest-achieving campuses.
Like Sullivan, most of the new principals began their jobs this week, less than 15 days before schools open on a traditional calendar. The partnership assumed partial control of the campuses July 1.
None of the new hires have led a Los Angeles Unified school before, although most have been assistant principals in the district.
Three, including Sullivan, were hired from outside L.A. Unified, which is partnering with Villaraigosa's office to oversee the 10 campuses.
Eighty-one administrators applied for principal jobs, according to the mayor's office.
Sullivan and others acknowledge the quick turnaround and the high stakes -- the mayor won limited control of the schools after a series of controversial school elections late last year.
"All eyes are on the partnership," Sullivan said.
Sullivan, who was a high school principal in the Fontana Unified School District for two years, applied for the job because he wanted to work for a community-based campus.
Villaraigosa has touted his plan as a way for schools and communities to find their own educational solutions, and promised increased funding and less bureaucracy.
"They understand the urgency of this reform effort. . . . We wanted to get the best people possible," said Villaraigosa, who has raised more than $50 million for the partnership.
Markham, located in Watts, scored a 519 on the latest state Academic Performance Index, which measures schools and districts on student test scores in math, English and other subjects. The state target for 2007 was 800.
"I saw it as a particular challenge at Markham Middle School, which used to be one of the best, most highly touted schools in L.A. Unified," Sullivan said.
