When I hear the people, Praising the great ones, When I know I too, Shall be esteemed.

When my time comes, shall do many great days.

When babies are born, into our school district, whatever vocation, whatever what life they need to take, they need to understand.

And we are preparing them for life.

And life is a career because of where they go into some type of a profession, such as medicine, or whether they go out to become, the milk carry of whatever.

Well, our job is to prepare them so that they would be very literate and are able to deal wit the world to the outside world.

We must make sure our school are clean and safe and orderly.

We spend an inordinate amount of time on kids who act out on those 4 or 5% of the kids who really disturb class, and those kind of things.

We need to provide an environment for them and really become very concerned about the 90 to 96% of our students who come to school to learn.

Money for.

And the Constitution and laws and the Constitution and laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania or the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Doctor John Thompson is the superintendent of Pittsburgh Public Schools.

He was sworn into office on May 25th, 2000, after an exhaustive and somewhat cantankerous search by the Pittsburgh Board of Education and as Executive Director, Thompson is an active superintendent who tends to get personally involved in the lives of his students.

He visits the schools regularly and has even attended the funerals of district students who, tragically, have lost their lives.

Upon his inauguration, Thompson declared his goals and promised a great himsel on his progress within the first 100 days of his administration.

On that day, October 17th, 2000, he gave WQED Black Horizons permission to record a da in the life of a superintendent.

Good morning everyone.

How are you right now?

Doctor Thompson's day starts early every morning.

It starts with a senior staff meeting that covers the pressing issues of the day's agenda.

Let me just mention now, once we pull these people from the classroom and then they dont have role models in classrooms.

So this is the day the Docto Thompson grades himself publicly via a big press conferenc covered by all Pittsburgh media.

It hasn't because it just it's more than just literacy.

Then we're going to have comments from three people in the community.

One is Esther Bush, one is Betty Hughes, and the third is, Jim Turner.

It's a very busy day, but the first item on the list is a look at who are the principals in his schools.

Role models are important to him.

The principalship right now i 49% male, 51% female right now.

And that's, you know, pretty much a wash.

But when you go to our assistant principalship, it's 40% male and 60% female.

So it's fast becoming it within our communities.

And people moving up within a range are it's a mirror of society.

It is almost as if, you know how about that, Yeah.

Okay.

Women are taking over and, you know, there is a part of that is it should be, you know, they've always have control.

Now they've been invisible.

I need some sign and we need to have some signals.

You know how to catch up to the pitcher deal.

You need to be able to give me signs to move out of that.

So that would be.

Move on.

Okay, let me move on.

Move on.

You know, do we set up and sit down?

If you want, we'll get the hook up.

But I don't I don't want to.

You're over your head.

We need to focus the community on these goals and what we're doing and what they can do.

Okay, guys, let's head out here.

Just as the meeting was about to break up, I interrupted because I heard Doctor Thompson say he was planning t visit two schools this morning, and he had no plans o informing them of his arrival.

Well, you don't let people kno you're coming to the school.

No.

I don't know what it's going to be.

It's going to probably be.

What are your plans today?

Why should they put on a show for me.

I want to see what everybody else sees.

If I call out a mobile Miller.

We're going to Miller, right?

Yes, yes.

Okay.

If I tell them I'm coming to Miller, and believe it or not, and in one district, all I do is visit one school.

And it goes just like a whirlwind around.

He's out in the schools now.

He's in this section of town.

Be ready.

He might be over there.

I don't need a call.

We want a day in the life.

Yeah, but.

So why call him?

I don't want to put a bad day.

He doesn't need to call.

The minut he walks out the door.

Someone.

Somebody has called and he's on the way.

And you don't tell, do you know?

Right?

Never.

Yeah, yeah.

You pretty good.

Did you?

Just driving me right now.

I've heard about your driving and you've heard wonderful things.

Pat.

What time do you want me back here?

At least by 11, I can make the 11.

11: 15.

Oh, by families as well.

Why don't you either ask?

You know, no, seriously, what?

I need to be back when.

So you get me ready?

Yeah.

By 11:30.

Okay, doctor Thompson, tell m about this meeting this morning.

What?

What was going on?

Well, every morning we meet, I meet with what I call my my kitchen cabinet.

It's my public relations person, my chief of staff and my chief academic officer and my special assistant.

We come around the table and talk about issues of the day, hot issues that may be coming up, things that we need to be aware of as we move forward.

Do some preliminary planning to get back out to the rest of the cabinet.

During the day you have to deal with emergency sometimes.

Oh, yeah.

Yeah, all the time.

Thats why Pats here.

Pat brings me up to date of what has happened in the community, just like today, to break in different kinds of things.

And she's there to give u direction on what we need to do.

Now, one of the things you seemed anxious about is this press conference, and that the press might be pushing on budget deficit issues when your agenda i something else.

That's correct.

But, we're going to have to address it.

You know, one thing about being an urban superintendent, your issues and your agenda may be totally different from the community, and you have to address those issues because it's very, very important that you, make sure everybody gets an understanding that we are listening.

This is important to us.

However, our main purpose here is student achievement.

What time did you start this morning.

Oh I start about 7:30.

You giving grades to your staff too.

Yeah.

We play a lot.

Yeah.

We, we had to keep a lot of humour in your job.

It's, it's par of our getting along together.

The chemistry that, you know, it's really great that we have come in here and been able to get the chemistry for that group of people that we have.

Paula is, Doctor Butterfield is coming in.

She's a former superintendent for nine years.

And Montana, you know, she used to be the boss, and she just recently moved here from Seattle.

She's our chief academic officer.

We found Phil.

Phil has been, So, gosh, he's been so helpful.

He and Pat have kind of kept me above the water.

Coming in new, not knowing anyone.

And when you build that kind of trust with some people, you want them around you.

One of the other thing you seemed to be talking about was, the mix of staff and you, you didn't want it all inbred from people.

When I first talked to you, we talked about Pittsburgh colloquialism, turf wars.

How are you dealing with that kind of stuff?

You want some outside people in here?

Yes, certainly.

That's true.

And, when I interview with the board, I thought that wa their mission, that I do this.

And I think the majorit of the board wants to do that.

But when you start looking at bringing people in and probably eliminating people that are here already, things change.

You know, we had, you know, been for 20 years.

And then I thought what is it going to do in again?

It's almost like an employment agency.

It's at times that you had to really watch out for.

But we got to make sure that, we help people find other professionals, vocations to go into if they don't work out with our organization, and some of them just might need to leave.

That's right.

That's right.

You got some signs up here, one about the power of education and knowledge, and one, it says shoot for the moon, because even if you miss, you may fall among the stars.

You really believe this kind of stuff?

Was this, these mantras to live by?

You know, this is what I use when I speak to kids.

Especially shoot for the moon is a motto.

I've been using that for, like, the last 25 years.

And Quincy, you know, I would say I got that from a DJ.

Rock and roll DJ there.

Yeah.

You know, a couple of years ahead of saying that things.

Well, knowledge didnt go away, right?

Yeah, yeah.

And so I use that the one up there is the Oklahoma City bombing.

The top picture there.

We were at the bottom.

oh the marrow building.

Yeah, yeah.

And this is another you were there when that happened I was in Oklahoma at that time.

I must have been devastated.

You should see the highway from Oklahoma, from Tulsa, Oklahoma City, I mean, people on the highway going emergency equipment, supplies.

I mean, it's unbelievable.

It was this is a devastating day in Oklahoma, and especially with the loss o life of everyone but children.

And particularl I was with the superintendent.

And, you know, how we stayed in constant communicatio about sending out counselors in.

And, you know, we just had a tremendous network.

It just developed back.

That's one thing about this country.

We seem to function better when there's a crisis.

You know, we've seen them being pulled together.

I wonder why I don't know, you know, we forget about all racism we get about classism.

But we all Americans, when we go to war, you know, Persian Gulf, the, the the spirit in the country changed.

I just like the shit that was the cold, that it changed attitude about being in America.

You know, all of us.

And those are our children.

Those are our boys.

And we going to do something about it.

Especially when you see people being offloaded.

Who are American.

So it wasn't someone black, someone women, someone white.

Oh yeah.

Some of them were white.

Some of them look Asia and Pacific Island it's America.

Yeah it is and that's unfortunate.

That has to happen to make us come together and really get to the big picture of what we should be about in this country, this, picture this with the president.

I was, with the president and, Representative Seymour there Senator from in North Carolina.

He invited me to come back over to, be a part of that, fundraiser.

I didn't pay the money they sent for me.

So that was the only one that I've ever seen in the picture with the president, who's told it in the press.

Look this is my my temptation group.

We did a show down in, Tuls last year.

You sing?

weekly at i Yeah, we were doing, you see the attempt to take over.

And I think, you know, you do it on the one you do is we like doing things in abundance, and we really, you know, that's that's m that's my that's a really good, and this is a picture.

We just use that this, picture we picked up, that, expresse the diversity in our community.

And wherever I've gone, pretty much expresses our the especially in Tulsa, you know, we have the the Oriental.

Look, native Americans the African American students, we don't have quite as much of that.

Cool, what we are gonna do now?

We are head it to, Miller.

I think we should just say Miller.

Because you never let them know you coming.

No, no, you don't do that.

You know, you don't get to know.

Do I want to do the same thing that my patients get when they going to go?

When I walk.

to school.

First thing I look at the cleanliness, I see how inviting the environment is for a particular school.

If it's elementary school that certain things I look for, students work, that kind of thing.

The color in the building, students, the sound in the building, the older in the building, believe it or not.

You know I respect him for, cleanliness.

And if you smell odor when you walk into a school such as restaurants, this is a signal as well.

Then from that, th environmental conditions, you, I look at how well I'm received when I go to the desk, see how pleasant the person is because, you know, schools that are notorious of being, intimidating to parents and people who come in here, they're not really user friendly, in most cases.

So I look for those things so we can go back and talk about them in our workshops.

When we were training principal Kind of invitive an environment that we would like to have a standard that we want to set in our school district when the first 100 days of doing the first couple of months, in a weeks around here and I will try to announce my visits, but after that, I'll be just I we'll just pop in so they kind of know that I'm coming.

Some of them, I'm shocked when I go to schools, when I hear the superintendents have been in the building at 20 years, or no superintendent, that will come to them and come in the building and met with the students and talk with the students and that kind of thing and interacted with students.

So I'm kind of shocked at that.

But, you know, it's something they have to get used to.

It's just, you know, being prepared, you know, there's no reason running out there trying to do what you don't normally do.

Don't, don't don't pretend to be what you don't intend to be.

The kids know the difference.

The kids know when you change because the superintendent's there.

Because you have visitors.

You want to.

create that same inviting atmosphere on a day to day basis with those children.

And many of the principals and teachers go right on doing what they have to do.

And I appreciate that.

And, you know, it's interesting, Chris, tha when somebody comes in the room, oh, the first thing is associated with especially an African-American person, oh he must be a basketball player.

Oh, he's, you know, special my height and my size and the kind of things, I get that a lot of always gotten a lot.

And I guess from younger kids, old kids, high school kids.

I'm pretty much different today than they kind of anticipate that you are the superintendent or whatever, but, surprising me so that, so many of these kids, I guess, and, that I would take the tim to come and visit the classrooms and actually come in contact with them, such as shaking their hands or looking at my eyes and and making them focus and that kind of thing.

But they, you know, kids today, it's hard to not surprised at the day to day, they're pretty much ready for anything.

But you get some surprises sometimes.

Not all the tim that I'm kind of used to it now.

And I haven't ru into anything yet that I'm not.

I haven't run into before, but it's just different reaction from different people.

If I go into all boys class or all girls class, in some instances, they do that for various courses.

I get different reactions, when I go to mixed sex elementary school versu a high school and middle school, middle school are probably the most energetic.

They, yeah, they're almost d or say anything when you then, the guys will say, hey, what's going on, man?

And I had to correct them.

I'm not man.

You know, this is m my title of that kind of thing.

And, you catch a lot of people off guard because they're not.

Kids are not used to people come in the classroom.

The teachers is not used to stopping and, introducing a guest.

When you see some different reactions, what do you plan to do today at Miller?

First of all I always check in to the office.

There you go to the office, making presence known and then move about the school as quickly as I can.

Oh yeah.

We came by here one day with Dr.

Faither.

Yeah, she went in the back door.

Right.

Okay.

What is in the back?

This is the front door.

This is the front door.

This is the front door you get to buzz in.

Good morning, how are you?

Joh Thompson.

Im a music teacher.

Nice to meet you.

Im Ruby Scott.

I'm the FP.. Both at Will and Miller.

I don't know what that mean.

Oh student day assistant.

Thanks very much.

Appreciate it.

But I'm sorry.

I was going to say I used to be the FP.

How are you doing, my friend?

Well, stand up, stand up.

Look at my eyes.

Put a grip on my hand.

Good morning.

My name is Doctor Thompson.

What's your name?

Sedick Moore.

Sedick, Now, this is not a classroom.

Why are you down here?

I feel sick.

Oh, you feel so.

Oh, well.

Sit down.

Sedic, bless your heart.

What's the matter?

You feel like you got flu or something?

Well, I' the superintendent of schools.

You know what it is?

I'm yesterday in charge of all the schools.

Well, its good to see you.

You know, I'm sorry we had to meet on these circumstances.

And I hope you feel better.

Okay.

All right.

You take care.

Now.

Here.

Okay.

This is where is the principal?

Shes observing the classroom.

Wheres she?

Shes coming upstairs now.

Good morning.

Fine.

Looks great!

How are you!

I don't have a long time to be with you today.

Good morning, third graders.

Yeah.

Good morning Mr.

Thompson.

Is he the doctor?

Dr.

Thompson.

Well god, now, wait a minute.

Did you tell who I was?

Oh, no, they know you.

They know me.

You and kids.

Do you know me for second grade?

Really?

Wow.

A Song of Greatness By Mary Austin.

When I hear the people, Praising the great ones, Shall be esteemed, When my time comes Shall do mightily great things.

since expansive people let me.

Wonderful!

Welcome!

Okay.

All right.

How are you doing?

And don't tell them who you are.

Because if you practic in your name what you look like, everything's in the beginning of the year.

So what grade is this?

Kindergarten?

Oh.

I'm coming.

So let's see if they know who it is.

Who is this?

Gentlemen, this is.

Who is he You know who it is.

Yes, James, you raise your hands.

Oh, you want me to call on you?

Oh, man, you don't know.

How do you?

Who am I?

Who really knows who?

John Thompson.

Who is that?

Yes, young lady.

Dale, what's your name?

What's what do you have to call?

Okay, now, what do I do?

What's my name again?

Doctor Thompson.

Oh, is Doctor Thompson.

Oh you all right.

Good.

Thank you.

Now, what grade are you in?

Kindergarten.

You can't be in kindergarten.

No.

How you doing, young man?

Good to see you.

Why are you sitting over here by yourself, Look me in the eyes when you shake my hand Oh boy.

Look me in the eyes.

All right, that's good.

Good to see you.

Wrong hand.

Hey, look me in the eye, there we go.

What happened here?

Let's go.

Wow.

What's this?

It's just.

It's anyone the ground looking.

Oh, you just come and grab a book.

I mean, who's this gentleman here?

I'm Mr.

Grace.

Mr.

Grace, how are you doing?

That's all right.

Good to see you, sir.

Thanks, but.

Yes, sir.

You got a handshake too.

Good to see you.

You guys.

Take care.

Have a good day.

Bye.

Im going to go with these guys.

Okay.

Thats the third grade?

Hi.

Good morning.

John Thompson.

Welcome to Miller African Center Academy.

Thank you very much.

My name is Doctor Thompson.

I'm your superintendent.

I came to check on you.

Look at those uniforms.

You guys are really sharp over here.

I like those uniforms, I tell yo Look at these uniforms.

Yeah.

Okay.

How are you doing that?

John Thompson, how are you?

How you doing?

This one.

Good.

What's your name?

Dave?

How are you a good morning.

How you doing and who sanding beside you?

Ronda Rousey how are you this morning.

It's good to see you.

And who's standing beside you Robbie.

Dequise Oh Joquise That's a pretty name.

How are you doing?

Who's this?

Charles.

How are you?

Okay.

It's good to see you this morning.

Look at that eye contact.

Right when you shake a man's hand.

Look, man had ad put a grip on in hand.

What a good, better look at in.

That's all right.

That's that's my man.

Good job.

Whos this right here.

This is something for math.

What was this with math?

Yes.

it was some sort of multiplication.

One times one gives you one.

All right.

And go all the way down the line.

All right.

Good job.

Good job.

That's my student teacher.

Her name is Miss Moscow.

What?

Come on.

Miss.

Moscow.

Come on over here.

How you doing?

Welcome to the family.

Thank you.

Those are pretty good kids.

You can tell me too.

They are pretty good.

This is kind of class you want when you become a teacher in Pittsburgh public schools.

Look at me when you talk to me now, all right?

You want to d you do want to become a teacher.

Pittsburgh public school Were did you go to school?

Carlow College, Carlow.

That's a great school.

Good.

Thank you for coming over.

Thank you for sharing your experiences with our boys and girls.

Take care.

See you guys later.

Thank you.

Okay.

This morning.

Now we only want to thank you.

I don't want to just come again.

I'm sorry.

Okay?

Okay.

All right.

I want to.

Next time, we'll have to take a tour.

And I promise you.

I mean, ask me these out, okay?

Okay.

Okay.

Take care.

Good morning How can I help you?

Yes.

Tradies.

Yes.

Would you call, Arsenal and tell them I am on my way and I should be there in about, ten minutes.

Give us ten minutes.

How does your overall relationship with the board.

Well, with the board is, I'll give us about a c-plus, bu with individuals on the board.

And that's the one thing i unique about your board is that, our board is that, individually, they are good people.

Great people.

There are some people I know I will never win over on the board because of what I do and what I do.

I still try to keep them informed, but I still stay focused and move on because, you know I've been told by other people that they have been that way, is going to stay that way, and they have a different agenda.

So I try to break through that and see for myself.

Although, it appears that what I've been told is somewhat true, but I have some, great member of the board that have been very supportive and very, very muc open to innovations and change.

So I'm going to count that as an asset right now to have, the majority of the board, on the same page.

Okay.

Well, we did we made it on time.

I like to be on time.

I tell you what, Mary is the Super driver.

Thank you.

Mary.

That was that.

Mary.

Okay, superintendent Thompson has come to Arsenal middle school to be part of a special presentation of a National Science award.

So, on behalf of the National Energy Technology Laboratory of Energy, we'd like to present Trudy with the outstandin teacher scientist of the year.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Governor thankfully Thank you for the work.

Always concerned about the time and maybe just a little anxious about his report card.

Late in the day, Doctor Thompson looke as if he were ready to move on.

However, he took the time to tour some of the schoo and talk with Principal Rockey about his visit and the school's educational goals.

And Doctor Thompson told us when we were coming down, the, here, that he can tell when he walks into a school, something about the environment just by listening and smiling.

I wonder, Doctor Thompson what can you tell about Arsenal?

Very in full view of the Prince.

Well, sure.

I mean, you look at look at the hallways.

Look at that.

The cleanest school, the kids are well behaved.

This has been one of our, challenging schools here because we've had so many.

She has so many different, people coming in, so many different, diverse students and special education a lot of special education here.

And she's been able to integrate it within the school is a huge plan, whose facility, I guess is probably one of the largest plants we have in the district.

How many students?

Currently we have 609, middle school children, but about 100 head start children three and four year old Is there a special emphasis?

Special emphasi for this building is the science and technology and in geography.

We have opened up three satellite.

We have computer labs.

We also have satellite computer labs on each and every single team in this school.

What can you say about public educatio here in the city of Pittsburgh?

Do you think people know thi kind of stuff is going on here?

I don't think we publicize it enough.

And, and that' why it's very important for me to get the information out for example, about a 2D Bouchet Smith, about the programs that we're doing here.

I've introduced to the community the read 180 program, where a pilot school district and it is absolutely awesome.

We're making gains in student scores.

We're making gains in mathematics scores of math effect on today, which is Miss.

Reed and take a look at th progression that we're making.

But you can make a difference.

But it also takes a lot of risk taking.

You have to sometime just kind of wait wait wait what what what kind of risk d you have to take as a principal?

I jumped out of the regular communications curriculum.

Our children were not.

The sixth grad academic curriculum was designed for sixth graders reading at sixth grade level.

However, when childre are experiencing reading delay and they're reading only in a fourth or fifth grade level, makes absolutely no sense to keep challenging them with sixth grade material.

It's kind of like being a weightlifter, okay if you can only press 50 pounds, you need to press 50 pounds with ten reps and then you press 100 pounds one time.

It makes no sense.

You're not going to gain anything are you?

This is making sense to you.

Certainly.

you know, we want people that want to think out of the box, fall thinking out of the box.

You had to some at some point you had to call the shot.

And that's what she's here for.

She's the leader of the school and we expect her to make those decisions.

You allow principals that kind of freedom and you support them and everyone who can, that kind of flexibility.

We have one thing in mind.

We have a goal to reach now.

We have different best practice programs that we can use.

Now, how you get to that goal is up to you, but you can use some of it.

We give you an Arsenal of things to use that.

Do you like that approach?

Does that give you that freedom to educate kids?

Absolutely.

And, I'm really glad that my previous supervisor, Doctor Andrew King, allowed me that flexibility in freedom.

He said to me, Rookie, use good common sense and know your data.

And the fact of the matter is, when you proceed in that particular area, you're going to make some goo educational decisions for kids.

But you have to be willing to jump out of that box.

And of course, the people above, they have to be willing to support what you're doing.

You're getting that kind o support from the administration.

Absolutely, absolutely.

I'm really proud that Mrs.

Ernestine Reed is no the director of middle schools.

She's a middle school educator.

She's been in the trenches with us.

She knows everything that knows what it's like about middle school kids.

And that' what we need in order to move.

What can you say about the population of middle schools to students where they come from, what the parental support is that that helps you do your job or maybe even hinders?

I have reached out t the parents in this community, but you have to remember being here from 1977.

I am now teaching my kiddos kids.

So you have to understand, there's a whole relationship dynamics going on at this school, and they have been very much in support of me and in support of the programs.

We do try to do things collaboratively.

Our PSCC is 18 members strong, only four of which are school members.

PSCC?

Parent School Community Council.

So about three years ago when I came on board as the principal, we decided to tackle the problem with literacy.

And at that point in time, that's when I reached out to Doctor King and said, I want to do something completely different.

And he said, okay, let's research and programs.

And we did.

And then he allowed me the flexibility to selec what I thought would work best.

How important is your relationship with the organizations like the Energy Department, outside groups that come in an support your science education?

The outside partnerships have been, just absolutely wonderful in this building because it provides something that my kids would not have this kind of opportunity without opportunity.

And seeking those experiences that kids don't have and can't bring the richness into their prior knowledge that they need in order to succeed.

People like, the metal scientists, they provide us things that ou school budget cannot allow for.

They brought in moon rocks, one rock alone, which cost $1 million.

My kids got to handle it.

They got to put it on space suit How did they react today?

It was absolutely awesome.

They go down coal mines an discover and study the geology.

That's what nonprofits needed, you think to educate kids, you know was the unfortunate part about, all the things we're saying.

There's so many great things going on in the district people don't know about.

And, we're not out for publicity, but we want to, let people know that we have some great things going on in our district.

One of our largest problems now is that we lose so many students at the middle school level.

Do you do people think we don't have good middle schools?

And so therefore they leave the district now they come back some in high school, but, we're out to prove to people that we have a very strong middle school program.

And, we had to change some leadership and some of our buildings.

And, we feel now we have in place in a lot of our schools, the necessary leadership is to move us forward to a 21st century.

And I want to thank you again for let me come back, beautiful individuals.

We will we'll be back again.

I hope so, you take care and tel if you need anything.

Absolutely.

Okay.

Thanks a lot.

Okay.

Well, it's a tough job, so, you know, it's, stature means a lot, but then you have to make sure that, you go beyond it.

My wife was a middle schoo principal, and she's very quiet.

But when she walked the hall, you know, she seemed very kind of respect too what she's been.

And she and the kids can't play games with us.

Before Dean Wilson, you can put your hands down.

Please listen carefully.

Well if I were a student at Arsenal, I don't think I'd want to play around with Principal Rookie.

Would you?

The feeling of total involvement doesn't just apply to Docto Thompson and Principal Rookie.

The ability to think out of the box, as they put it, is just as important to the faculty and staff.

As teacher Lydia Williamson how about teaching in Pittsburgh public schools and her principal stern leadership?

I've been an arsenal.

This is going on my 15th year and I just love it here.

I love the camaraderie of the staff.

Miss Rookie, I've worked with Miss Rookie.

Sinc that's since I first came here.

And she was a gym teacher with her as a dean, and now she's the principal.

So I believe in what she's doing here because I know her heart is in the school.

I understand it going, she is, also Napoleon.

Okay.

So she has some some nicknames.

Yeah.

You know, she works hard and she expects her staff to work hard.

Okay so I give her my support 100%.

You take the nursing staff.

I'm saying it from the ministration from the superintendent on down.

If that's what it takes to educate our kids.

Yeah.

It does, you have to be dedicated.

You have to stay in here It's like being in the trenches.

You just have to do it.

What else do you do?

Besides teach When my free time is mis Rookie would say my spare time.

I sponsor a drill team.

We just finished tryouts.

We have about 30 girls.

And, will our first performance will be this Saturday in the African American Heritage Parade, downtown Pittsburgh.

This will be our second appearance with the marching band.

We're the only middle school in the city of Pittsburgh that has a marching band.

Last yea we took the first place trophy, so we're hoping to repeat that this year.

We also will be performing in the Bloomfield Garfield Communit Halloween Parade October 31st.

You sound like you're excited about I am, I am.

How long have you been teaching you?

Still excited?

28 years.

And you're still excited that you have to be.

Because every day teaching is a new experience.

That's.

I think that' one of the things I like best, because you never know what's going to happen when you come to school.

It's always going to be something different.

So when you come to school, you just have to come with the attitude that it's going to be something new and something different.

Doctor Thompson told us about, the fact that he does bathroom checks, and he walked me in here.

And thoug we didn't have a camera rolling, he said he can tell a lot about a bathroom in a school through the bathroom.

This bathroom is a little boy's room in a middle school.

It's clean.

There's no graffiti on the walls, no smell of urine.

He say he can tell a lot about a school by just coming into the room.

The mirror here, that's glass.

It's not broken.

He can tell a lot.

And I guess he's right.

It's clean.

It's a great school.

Those kids, really into the.

Good morning.

Doctor.

Hold on.

I'm going to connect you, hold o All right, all right.

Matthew.

Yeah.

Doctor.

Thompson.

Yes.

Good morning, Mr.

President.

Yes.

How are you?

I'm doing okay.

I'm here with, Chris and, T people are following me around today, so we're doing great.

Well I'm glad that they're following the best person in the city around.

Oh, man.

Oh.

All right, now we'll give you.

How much do I owe you for that?

Just a thousand.

So right now, yo on your way out of town, I see.

Yeah.

I got to get to my office realy Okay, well, what I wanted to ask I think it's important to make sure that you let people kno that one, that I'm out of town.

Okay?

And that and that two.

That, you know, that we've bee I've been, you know, supportive and know what's going on.

Yeah, but I fully support the, the, the actions, 100%.

Okay.

Ill certainly do that.

I'll be right up front.

It'll be right up front.

I tell the how much you have supported us, and we appreciate all the good stuff.

The board president is a very important position.

You have to have a great relationship with your board president, not only, with the board president, you hope to have the same kind of relationship with the other board members, but you can't spend that amount of time that you have to spend with the board president, with all your board members.

So therefore, you hope that, the relationship you had had with the boar president will transcend into, among the other members of the board.

Many, many times when you work at boards, there is some jealousy there.

But he is the board president.

You know, he is the person that I, he's a part of the board leadership.

He's the person that you go to right away with things happen.

You know, he's the first person, first contact, when things happen.

So, you know, you have to have that relationship.

I can't think of anything worse to have been a superintendent of a school system and not get along with your board president.

You really have a problem there for the board to get feedback back and to establish some policies.

Back at the board, the press had gathered in full force.

Docto Thompson seemed a little pensive as he prepared to address the group.

It seemed as though he was taking his report card home to his parents for the first time.

Would they approve?

Esther Bush, a former teache and the head of the Pittsburgh Urban League, fel there was room for improvement but was still pleased with the overall grade, even though it was only a c-plus.

Superintendent Thompson I would like to start by saying if you can keep the same momentum up, that you did in the first 100 days throughout his tenure, we're going to achieve everything that he have.

So let us begin with that.

The press.

As Doctor Thompson figured was more likel to focus on the budget deficit.

As far as your budget is concerned, that is a critical matter at once.

You have to address it come November.

If you don't close any schools, do you foresee yourself having to raise taxes in any way to meet budget restraints when we get to those cuts?

And I promise you on the 30th but not if it's not on the 14th, we will address those issues.

I don't want to be, go out here too far on his own, his limb and say something today that we will regret tomorrow.

You know how that works.

So what I want to do now is stay focused on curriculum and what we're going to provide for these young people, regardless of our income.

Yet ever the optimist, Docto Thompson returns to a familiar theme led by this students question what, what have you been most pleased with as you've come to the district?

I have been, you know, I have been very impressed with the students.

Just the student, and I don't want them pointing their fingers, but, you know, we always say bad students, these students are great kids.

The only problem is that they haven't.

The light hasn't gone on yet.

You know, you are.

You walk i and look at the little babies, and I shake the hand.

How about I put a grip, a man, and look, I'm raising, And then the gleam is still there.

the gleam is still in eye.

We just need to get it focused.

And I go to the big babies, and they.

They want the same thing.

Let me tell you all something, right now, I'm pretty robust that.

Let me tell you something.

The high school kids need just as much as.

Oh, look at that, Brown.

I need it more.

We have, they need love guys.

we know that can be no us.

Tonight and superstardom.

They need some real love.

If all the high school seniors and 18 year olds is going to vote.

They can determine who the next president.

United States don't think that's how powerful you are.

Now you go out and tell them.

It seems as though Thompson is in his element.

Whenever he's with students, he calls them his kids and he seems to genuinely enjoy talking to people.

I do it like to give you this o behalf of the student council.

Thank you very much.

Thank you very much I appreciate it.

Yes.

Okay.

Thank you very much.

You guys go back and do some good work and think about a uniform.

That's for sure.

Yeah.

Good to see you.

All right.

We sampled the crowd to see how others felt about Doctor Thompson's first 100 days.

School board member Mark Brantley.

Very excited, extremely excited.

What an honor to be a part of a movement.

And I'm sure that th the folks that were here today, you can feel the energy and the sincerity.

I'm just excited to make it known.

Pittsburg Federation of Teachers.

President Al Fondy, I think we' moving in the right direction.

I thought the superintendent a super job this morning, and I certainly subscribed t everything that he had to say.

And we're going to work with him.

That's kind of uncommon.

You know, you always think maybe it's just my perception, but you think of unions and administration of being at odds with you, how you're thinking wrong.

You're thinking wrong.

And frankly, I've said it along for a long time.

If you want a school system to succeed, you've got to have the union and the teachers moving in the same direction that the administration is.

And that's what we're trying to do here.

We've been trying to do that.

And I think for the new superintendent, we're going to be able to do that.

And I really I was pleased with what I heard today, and we're going to keep working with him.

I can assure you that the school board member, Jean Fink.

there was another candidate that, in my opinion, was, maybe a better fit for Pittsburgh.

Well, after these 100 days, what do you think?

I think he's trying.

I think he's, I like the things that he's talked about academically in the first 100 days.

I still think we have, somewhat of a cultural gap, in the, in other states, people do things differently, for instance, in some states, if you want to raise taxes, you have to put i on a referendum to the public, that some state have countywide school systems, some states hav a whole different tax structure.

And he's never worked in Pennsylvania before.

He doesn't understand some of the Pennsylvania school law and some of the regulations and some of our customs here.

And so that's where we're having the adjustment problems.

So it's nice to have u see if we can do it right here.

Because Thompson's day was far from over, he met with Schenley student journalist Shannon Jordan and turned the tables on her when he started asking questions about her future plans.

Yeah, I noticed your interview, but you said about school, you're going to, I was thinking I would like to go to school in the South.

Oh, yeah.

Somewhere in Atlanta.

Probably.

Okay.

Thank you for coming again.

Thank you.

Appreciate it.

Thank you for being patient, for coming back.

Thanks for your food.

Thank you for your daughter.

Oh, that's the greatest thing you can give t this school as well.

Thank you.

Send us a few more.

Those days are over.

Haha.

Come on finish.

Really done.

Complete well if you take care here.

Okay.

Thank you.

I think I think in fact, the people around his next meeting wa with the School Work Committee, a group of activists, educators and business planners who try to make sure that the Pittsburgh workforce is ready to go to work in the present and future high tech world.

I'm not gonna play games befor when I walk around me for them.

If I walk in downtown to PNC, the corporate office, and I'm telling my boy and girls, you get this, dadada And when you walk in PNC, you see somebody like you in the corporate level.

It's not that people are playing games with these kids now, when and when I when I see that happen.

Now, I went to a business here in the city, huge new facility, gorgeous facility.

And I walk in that building and I get to say, what about your kids need to be ready to learn 70% about, you know, oh, I get all that same.

And it took me the only time I saw an African-American in that building with 2000 people in.

It was when I came out and I saw the janitor.

Now, yeah.

You don't tell me when I see my kid down on a field trip, and I'm telling him I'm putting rigor in here, I'm open standards.

I'm putting this and that and the other, and they walk in that building on a field trip, and they walk up and they don't see anybody like them.

When you go into a meeting, a corporate America and I take my females into the, into that room and they walk in there and they said, I want to be the CEO of Johnso and Johnson and the only seal.

So that's not playoff games with my kids.

I think problem are opportunities and work close in what you're asking for.

Your kids, is an offer.

You have an opportunity right now.

Our employer base has an incredible human capital shortage, and they're unable to attract and retain from outside of this region.

And one of the key issues that impacts that is their inabilit to create a diverse workforce.

And you should be demanding from the business community that they give you the kind of response that you're asking for, the time to put up a shadow.

That's me up front with me.

Now.

Do you have an executive on loan, some executive who has retired, some CEO who could take this ball and run with it.

And as we shape it up, we are going to be looking for someone to eventually step into those positions as a chief officers.

And we can do the same thing with a school to careers, because there's a lot o business men walking around now looking for something to do who have retired, and they can talk their language, and now it's to happen and put up or shut up.

I'll just give me a list of them or someone we can pick up from call, sit down, talk to the.

We've been a whole with the school from here.

First of all, they need to understand what it is now.

All the business community doesn't understand what is meant by school to careers.

You need to give me someone who's articulate and it can move with it.

And we're ready to go.

Are you all used to this?

Kind of.

Frank talk from somebody.

Was it just stuff you've al heard over the last three years?

No, I'm not used to it.

This is good.

This is good in one way.

This is healthy.

You can get something done.

I mean, you can actually, you know, where you stand.

You know what his position is?

You can.

You feel free to express your position.

You get to a, a consensus first question employers ask of a region before they relocate is how many employees can we find i your region trained to do this?

Following tasks.

They don't ask what your subsidy is.

They don't ask what your tax credit is.

They don't have to give them ability.

They eventually get to it.

Number one question can you give me the bodies to the jobs that need done.

Universally, There are three issues.

One, we don't get the skills, the basic foundational skills in the applicants that we that we get.

Two, we don't get enough applicants, period.

And three, the provider, the education and training provider system is too fragmented.

So wha we're talking about here today would address all three of those issues.

A number of students don't really believe there's futures out there tha really they connect education.

And what they're doing classroom by classroom by classroom has meaning in their lives.

So when Doctor Thompson makes that point about he sends kids on a field trip and they don't see anybody that looks like them, that diversity that you'r talking about is all important.

Yeah, the new economy people look at a income, third or fourth in their criteria as to where they select, where they're going to work.

They look at the amenities in the region, they look at the diversity of the workforce, and they look at the size of the labor market, how thick the labor market is, and income obviously very similar plans.

Those four things decide where those people go, no how much they're going to make.

Diversity is absolutely critical to a successful, successful workforce.

If we do this right, if we do this right, you know, many young men and women won't have to resort to other things to try to get funds.

Wake up everybody.

No more sleeping in bed.

No more back to thinking.

Time for thinking again.

The world has changed so very much from what it used to be.

There's so much hatred war and poverty.

Wake up.

Oh, teachers time to teach a new way.

Maybe then I think we've made a lot of progress.

It didn't go as smoothly as I had anticipated.

I didn't build in those build into that whole process.

The variables that come along, such as, you know, the contract negotiation, different things that have a tendenc to kind of kick you out of step.

But, my staff tells me that they're working themselves and Devon, and we have made a lot of accomplishments where you could join us and if everything will be surrounded by the academic arena.

After the press conference today, we talk to Al Fondy president of the teachers union.

He's seemed genuinely excited.

I don't know if I've ever seen him that excited about a superintendent and the goals and the process before.

Well, Al has been a great asset.

I mean, everybody talk about how bad Al is.

Hes for kids.

You know, deep down is that he knows what he has to do in his job, but he knows deep down inside that the main thing i how we can help these children and make it make it work and then save time, make it a win win situation as an employment system for for his union people.

But I, I had to come in no he's he's done a tremendous job and and that I do I say this as a compliment when I say that the district is handcuffed.

You know, the union has negotiated so many things that so many other unions don't even think about, and it really puts them all within a driver's seat at a certain time as because of the reason why I've done away, because we had a lack of leadership, apparently in the district.

And his attitude about a willingness to work with us to take some of those banners off so we can move forward.

He's been a tremendous asset for us.

And when Doctor Thompson first came here, talked to Gene Fink, earlier today, and she seemed deservedly approved, she said you all and had some cultural difference and you weren't quite there yet, but she seemed to have some sort of reserved improvement for your work.

Well, I appreciate that.

And for her to say that that's really, a giant step, in my opinion, because we have had some cultural differences and I think, we have but I main thing that's common to both of us, we want the best for our children.

You know, she wants the bes for children on the South side.

And I want that translated t children all over the district.

I think there may be some differences, but it's hard for a person who's been in this business a long time to not believe i what we're trying to do for kids is the best thing for kids.

I mean, your worst critic could have a hard time, turn it up.

Part of what we're trying to do all across the country, people trying to do the same thing.

Great.

John Thompson.

Now, I was a music teacher, Good to see you.

when you went out to the two schools today, Miller and Arsenal, what did you find where your expectations met, or are you happy?

Are you sad?

What?

Oh, I'm especially surprised that, especially Miller.

Those are great kids over there, you know, and Arsenal, I was, kind of anxious about Arsenal, to be honest, with you, because I had been there prior to, when I first came into the district and with the reputation that it somehow, had been able to develop over the last 2 or 3 years, we have new leadership there.

I could see from the tim I went in, first time to the day there was a turnaround.

A particular principal acting principal at that time, no one kne who was going to take over the, the, the, head of the school.

And now we made her head, first of all, there, it was a it wa a remarkable and a very, very, I guess, great feeling to see some of the things that had begun to change.

And you tell a little of that pointed out to you when you visit the restrooms that you can get a message there about the school in general.

I mean, you you may think that's old fashioned.

People talk about the moon being full and all that kind of thing.

There are certain things, as an administrator, that you can look at i the school that tells you about student behavior one one thin and about academic preparation.

I'm not saying the bathroom tell you by academics, but there's some other issues.

When you walk in a classroom and you see the displays in the classroom, the look at the engagement is going on between the teacher and the students.

The see, the, tension level of the student.

It tells you what's going on in the classroom.

You know, many of us walk into schools, you don't know what you're walking into.

Your report card today talked about some of the increments that have, come along and math scores and reading scores.

What's your next hundred day or do you have another timetable for further improvements?

What we're going to look at in years and you just what people need to understand those things didn't happen over 100 days.

I will have to take credit for that.

But something had been in place before to make those things happen.

What we want to do is see what those things are and capitalize on them and make them more widespread and what they are.

This particular fact, take the best practices an make it a district wide focus.

That was mor that it was a narrow focus, that what we looked at toda with some of those math schools.

But we want to take some of those initiatives, some of those principles, and make them, and spread them across the district, spread them across the curriculum.

So you guys are working hard.

Your vision for education was that these students, forgive me if I'm paraphrasing, should have the best education possible.

Can you elaborate on that?

The bes possible education in the world, because they going on to compete against other kids who are out there getting the same thing.

And so if they don't have it here, how can you compete agains a kid in, Taiwan or New York or, Alabama?

Montgomery.

Or how can you compete if you don't have the best, if you don't have the same equipment, how can you go into to take two students into a, industry and apply for the same job?

This student has been used to a certain type of piece of equipment and know how it works And this kid had read about it.

How come they can't compete?

There's no way.

So I went all out because I have a world class educatio and education is second to none.

That's a dream.

That's a vision for me here.

As I told you before, I was I telling Miss Jordan high expectations.

You know, setting such as explicit expectations.

If we don't have a bes and we fall short of that, mom, it'll be better than anybody else.

Wake up.

Teachers, time to teach a new way.

Maybe then they, listen to what you have to say.

They're the ones who's coming up and the world is in their hands.

When you teach that, you teach them the very best you can.

The world will get better if we just let it be.

Nah nah nah nah nah nah nah nah.

The world will get better.

We gotta change it.

Just be when you.

Wake up all the doctors.

Make the old people well, they're the ones who suffer.