ACPS Superintendent Calls for Community Support
Superintendent Morton Sherman writes in a letter to neighbors and colleagues that the school system is "on the cusp of becoming exceptional."
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Alexandria City Public Schools Superintendent Morton Sherman has moved to curb growing concern over the direction of the school system with a letter to colleagues and neighbors calling for families and the community to have confidence in ACPS.
“You work in a school division with wonderful challenges and opportunities, and which is also recognized as being on the cusp of becoming exceptional,” Sherman wrote.
He outlined program reviews as “ongoing, methodical and transparent” as ACPS releases relevant reports to the School Board and community, noting that the most recent reports on facilities and adult education revealed “significant systemic flaws.”
A facilities report showed mismanagement and dysfunction within the system, fingering two rogue employees for their bad behavior while the state is now investigating possible test fraud in an adult education program that is already in flux.
However, Sherman points out, if you think things are bad now, don’t forget that in and around 2007 the system’s reputation may have been worse. That year, Forbes magazine included ACPS as “one of the worst bangs for the buck in America." Additionally, Tenants and Workers United, the federal government and the African American community also criticized ACPS for various reasons.
“Rather than focusing only on the division’s deficits, we established the mentality of being transparent, turning the page, looking ahead, and building on the wonderful things that have gone on in ACPS for a very long time,” Sherman said.
In turn, through hard work, ACPS has made “remarkable progress” in the face of a rapidly growing enrollment and a budget increase of only about 2 percent, he said. Among the progress Sherman cites are: high Standards of Learning (SOL) scores at T.C. Williams High School, better pass rates for middle schoolers in math and expanded pre-kindergarten programs.
Meanwhile, former City Council candidate Scott Gordon, who called for Sherman’s resignation in a Patch letter to the editor, is also circulating a petition calling for his ouster. As of Tuesday morning, 27 people had signed the petition. Vice Mayor Kerry Donley has also called for Sherman's resignation.
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Gail G
5:34 pm on Thursday, April 19, 2012
Good Lord, that man has some nerve. This community wants him GONE and he uses our tax dollars to send us letters asking for support?! Get a clue, Morty. Leave town and take your cronies with you. You do not inspire trust or confidence.
Autoexec.bat
5:34 pm on Thursday, April 19, 2012
"On the cusp of being exceptional" is a statement that simply boggles the mind. Let's start with "on the cusp of being acceptable" and not get ahead of ourselves here.
Dedicated ACPS Teacher
5:34 pm on Thursday, April 19, 2012
City Council and School Board members need to start talking to teachers and central office employees with the promise of no retribution to get the truth. There are countless instances of unethical behavior on the part of this superintendent and his executive staff. This letter is another propaganda piece. This man must go. Please save our school system by removing Superintendent Sherman and his executive staff immediately. Our children are too important to let this continue.
John Arbuckle
5:34 pm on Thursday, April 19, 2012
27 signatures? Don't worry Mort, your job is safe.
Scott Gordon
5:35 pm on Thursday, April 19, 2012
Dr. Sherman, just in case you have failed to keep up to date on the media’s coverage of your office, not only does the general public see your actions as anything but transparent, but it’s clear you, and therefore we, have been unable to ‘look ahead’ as we are still suffering the slings and arrows of your blatant system-wide mismanagement.
Brendan
3:24 pm on Tuesday, April 10, 2012
As a forward looking Superintendent why did Sherman devote such a large portion of his letter to negative news of the past? Even going so far as to reach back to a 1995 report. Forward looking by recalling a 17 year old report? Pathetic.
And to what and when did the school system say "Enough?" Sherman has been here for almost four years. From the way his letter reads problems were just brought to light and are now being addressed. He has had four years to weed out the "longstanding deficiencies in process, structure, and personnel." Why the delay if that were truly the cause of the district's latest woes?
The CIP budget debacle and the testing irregularities have occurred under Sherman's tenure. They are both a product of the school system which has been created under Sherman's leadership. The reality is the "longstanding deficiencies" are but a few years old. They have gone unchecked under present leadership and have been brought to light by unpaid, disgruntled vendors, local media, and now the Virginia Department of Education.
ACPS is on the cusp of ruin. The will and support of the community is truly needed to turn this around. And so is new leadership.
Gail G
4:22 pm on Tuesday, April 10, 2012
What happened to all the comments that were here this morning?
Scott Gordon
4:28 pm on Tuesday, April 10, 2012
I made a comment that appears to be "pending approval" for many, many hours now.
Betty S
5:09 pm on Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Hey Scott! I think you've got a whole separate section of your own - with comments.
See right side of petition!
Betty S
5:41 pm on Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Oops, it's next to this Patch article on Community support.
I'm so excited, I replied too quickly!
Drew Hansen
4:58 pm on Tuesday, April 10, 2012
A new moderation function was launched this morning and it has created some issues on the backend of the Patch sites. We believe this is why the comments went away. Unfortunately we haven't been able to restore them. We're sorting through it now and hopefully will get this resolved soon.
Betty S
5:02 pm on Tuesday, April 10, 2012
EVERYONE: Be sure to click on the petition site and SIGN IT. Thank you, Patch, for publishing this info! OK, people - it's up to US!!
Scott Gordon
5:03 pm on Tuesday, April 10, 2012
This is my comment from VERY early this morning:
Dr. Sherman, just in case you have failed to keep up to date on the media’s coverage of your office, not only does the general public see your actions as anything but transparent, but it’s clear you, and therefore we, have been unable to ‘look ahead’ as we are still suffering the slings and arrows of your blatant system-wide mismanagement.
Gail G
5:36 pm on Thursday, April 19, 2012
My old comment was something along the lines of "That man has some nerve...using our own tax dollars to send us letters when most of us want hime GONE..." or something to that effect.
Betty S
1:03 pm on Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Some of the statements made in his "Welcome Back" message to ACPS employees and others might give us a clue as to why the Board can't distinguish fact from fiction:
"...gratitude that the entire community shares," "...accomplishments nothing short of amazing," "We have a strong foundation. good traditions of continuous improvement," "...longstanding deficiencies in process, structure and personnel," and "It is important to have confidence in ACPS and its leadership and staff."
Dr. Sherman and the Board may really believe this, but I am sure the "entire community" does NOT; the "longstanding" period of defficiencies only began when he & Byess began their reign; and while confidence in leadership is vital to a healthy school system, we all know how little of that exists today at ACPS. And what can be said about "accomplishments nothing short of amazing?" The only thing that is amazing about that statement is that he must think we believe it!
Scott Gordon
1:05 pm on Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Link to the Petition: https://www.change.org/petitions/alexandria-city-public-schools-and-the-city-government-remove-acps-superintendent-mort-sherman-from-office