Dale Rumberger is principal of South County Secondary, a new school opening in September in Fairfax County, Va. He shared his strategies for making students feel challenged and comfortable during an interview with Terrey Hatcher Quindlen, Education Update editor.
ASCD: You've now got your mascot name and school colors. So you'll be bringing students together who have been rivals, in some cases, and now they will all be South County Stallions. How will you build team spirit?
Rumberger: First of all, we will partner with other schools for shared educational opportunities, community coalitions, motivational speakers, and even some coursework. We will be collegial. Our goal is to be as good as the educational product these kids are experiencing right now at their current schools.
When you get into competition, somebody always says: "It's not just a game. If you don't want it to be anything but a get-together, then don't keep score—whether you're competing in It's Academic or football. I hope these kids will learn how to win and lose with style, class, and grace. You have to find the proportional place for competition. Our kids will compete against some schools that have had athletics and other competitive activities for 30 or 40 years. They will learn how to win and lose as Stallions.
Sometimes the biggest challenge is changing the thinking of the parents, who want to live vicariously through their kids. Back in 1997, I had the opportunity to go on an exchange to Oxford, England, with educators from Belgium, Denmark, France, Poland, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
We were touring schools in Oxfordshire on the day of a track meet, and I asked what time that evening the meet would be held. The teacher said, "Tonight? No, it's at 3:15." I asked who goes to the track meet, and he said, "Oh, I'd say half the school will show up." And so I asked, "Do the parents get off work early to see it?" And he said, "There's no parents there. My God, you'd have all these clashing egos, all this vicarious living!" And so I'm thinking, "Well, I'll be darned!" Those kids were running for running's sake, competing against themselves more than for outside approval. It's an interesting thought.
But clearly extracurricular activities are important to the students, and they have lots of individual questions. One of the biggest concerns is, "Who are the coaches? When do I get to meet them?"
ASCD: How do you find the right coaches for your school?
Rumberger: I specifically hire the teachers and counselors first. Then from the teaching ranks, I interview for the first set of coaches. From my experience, great coaches are many times great teachers. This is also a statement to the community about the school's priorities.
ASCD: You've noted that South County students have already experienced good programs in their previous schools. How will you take advantage of your new environment to do things in a unique way?
Rumberger: We're looking at some different curriculum offerings. The county already offers foreign language to 8th graders, but we're going to include Latin and American Sign Language, which are usually not offered at that grade. We aim to get a grant to bring in a humanities specialist who would enrich the curriculum in social studies and English when we study cultures. The students would explore art, music, and architecture more to understand that culture better.
We're also going to have a different math progression—Algebra I, Algebra II, then Geometry. It's usually Algebra I, Geometry, then Algebra II. We're adjusting because the math specialists and department chairs have reviewed the analyses of changes in the SAT and PSAT, and we're anticipating a heavier focus on Algebra II than on Geometry.
ASCD: What else will be different at South County?
Rumberger: We'll extend the implementation of technology and training to everyone. In many places technology is only for those people who have a self-interest in it, who go out and write a grant and find a way to get it. Then they're the only ones who use it, sometimes secretively, in their classroom in isolation. We're going to expect everybody to use as much technology as possible. Notice I didn't say "computers," because technology is more than computers. It's television and media, PDAs, projection devices—a lot of things.
My philosophy for the school specifically addresses technology's role: Technology cannot replace great teaching, but it can and will enhance the opportunity for stronger connections and deeper understanding between students and curriculum.
