New U-46 superintendent takes control

During his first board meeting as Elgin Area School District U-46 Superintendent, Jose Torres set the bar high - not only for the district, but for himself.

Torres' Listening and Learning Plan, presented to board members Monday, reiterated the three goals - raising the bar, closing the achievement gap, and cultivating relationships - stressed since he was introduced to the community as a finalist for the position.

By raising the academic bar at the district's 53 elementary, middle and high schools, Torres said, "the better our schools can be, the better our housing markets can be, and the better our community can be."

Torres wants the district to boast some of the highest rates for college and workplace readiness in the country, as well as the college entrance rates. He also wants U-46 to be recognized for excellence and efficiency.

Torres said he intends to use data to create equity from school to school, and to rank tasks that need to be accomplished in order of priority.

"Some things are not able to wait as long as others," he said.

For example, he said, in recent weeks he has called together high school principals to analyze advanced placement course data - with the aim of improving participation and exam scores.

"We decided to do two things this year - we want to see more students enrolled in advanced placement courses and more students taking the AP exam," he said.

Torres has begun to work with Chief Financial Officer John Prince on the 2009 budget, to be approved by the board in September.

"We've begun to see what we can do to (financially) support at least the advanced placement initiative," he said.

Listening to community members, Torres said, is a key component of his plan.

Since being named the district's choice in May, he's met with 53 different groups and visited 10 schools.

"I want to get to know the district - its programs and its people," he said.

While Torres said he has noticed "some community members respond at first blush with some negative opinions, deep down, they know we're a good district."

The Listening and Learning Plan, which Torres has been working on since he was interviewed by the board in April, will be enacted within 90 days of his start date - by early October.

Hopefully, he said, the plan will calm staff members' fears, and function as an opportunity to look at the system with "new eyes."

After implementing this plan, Torres said, the results will be used to update the district improvement plan and his own performance evaluation.

Board members Monday posed no questions to Torres about the plan.

Torres, 48, comes to U-46 from Chicago Public Schools, where he was regional superintendent for Area 14, a group of 26 elementary and middle schools on Chicago's Southwest side. He began his tenure at U-46 July 1.