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Interim tag dropped for deaf school superintendent | Inland News | PE.com | Southern California News | News for Inland Southern California
State officials have appointed California School for the Deaf, Riverside interim Superintendent Mal Grossinger to the permanent position, citing increased morale and improved operations during his 10 months on campus.
"I'm thrilled that he agreed to continue on as superintendent," said Ron Kadish, director of state special schools at the California Department of Education and Grossinger's supervisor. "He's exactly what we need to move this school forward."
By earning the trust and respect of the deaf community, Grossinger, who is the school's second deaf superintendent, quelled the turmoil that has for several years beset the school that educates Southern California deaf students.
"I think the healing of a lot of bitter feelings has come a long ways. I see much less friction among staff, much less friction among contingencies," said Rick Fertig, curriculum supervisor, and a 38-year veteran of the school. "I see very much an effort on everyone's part to be more positive, to be more patient, to be a little less quick to rush to judgment or to spread a rumor."
Grossinger, 50, will earn $129,000 as superintendent.
Grossinger said improving the school's atmosphere involved, in part, a simple show of appreciation of employees' qualities.
"I encourage people to say good things that they see here in the school, to talk about the good things," Grossinger said through an interpreter. "When I started here, I saw a lot of good things happening at the school that people weren't sharing,"
But more than change the perceptions, Grossinger said he's helped improve the school, too.
For instance, the school's administrators are now required to obtain the proper educational credentials, an omission that was among the deaf community's complaints.
"I have been following that strictly, no bending, no flexing, no changing. I'm sticking with that," Grossinger said.
Grossinger was a principal at the state's other school for the deaf, in Fremont, when Kadish tapped him in August to temporarily lead the school after former superintendent Harold Kund retired in March 2006.
Grossinger faced the task of improving a school rife with problems, including high employee turnover, low student performance, and a campus atmosphere tainted by allegations of intimidation and poor communication.
Just a couple months into Grossinger's leadership, Kadish said he noticed a dramatic improvement on campus.
"I found a sense of reborn, enthusiasm and excitement," Kadish said.
"I really felt it from all the faculty, staff and students. It was clearly evident."
Employee morale aside, Grossinger still must reverse a dwindling student population and improve student academic performance.
After peaking in 1997 with 520 students, enrollment has gradually eroded to its current size of 410 students.
Roughly $140 million in state funds for renovation and new construction should make the 1950s-era campus a more desirable place to attend, said the school's spokeswoman Laurie Pietro.
New dorms, main kitchen, gym and an elementary and middle school activity center are among the new facilities to be built on campus during the next five to 10 years.
Grossinger said increased outreach, in addition to word of mouth, should be able to spread the school's qualities to the roughly 6,000 deaf and hard of hearing children in Southern California, many of who attend traditional public schools.
"I'm hearing from a lot of deaf children and parents that they're thinking about enrolling in our school someday," Grossinger said.
His target during the next few years is to reach 700 students, and he envisions a 1,000-student campus by the time he retires.
Posing an even greater challenge is increasing student performance.
The school mustered a 406 on the state's Academic Performance Index in 2005, and 403 in 2006. The state sets an API goal of 800 on a scale of 200 to 1,000. The index is based on student performance on standardized tests.
Grossinger attributed the low scores to the nature of the school's student body.
Too often deaf or hard of hearing students show up at the Riverside deaf school after having failed at their previous school. Most of these students possess language and reading skills far below grade level, he said.
Yet just like all other public school students, deaf students still must take grade level standardized tests and pass the California High School Exit Exam to receive a diploma.
Among Grossinger's solutions is to convince parents of deaf students that they have a greater chance of success -- socially and academically -- by attending the deaf school from their earliest years.
State officials have appointed California School for the Deaf, Riverside interim Superintendent Mal Grossinger to the permanent position, citing increased morale and improved operations during his 10 months on campus.
"I'm thrilled that he agreed to continue on as superintendent," said Ron Kadish, director of state special schools at the California Department of Education and Grossinger's supervisor. "He's exactly what we need to move this school forward."
By earning the trust and respect of the deaf community, Grossinger, who is the school's second deaf superintendent, quelled the turmoil that has for several years beset the school that educates Southern California deaf students.
"I think the healing of a lot of bitter feelings has come a long ways. I see much less friction among staff, much less friction among contingencies," said Rick Fertig, curriculum supervisor, and a 38-year veteran of the school. "I see very much an effort on everyone's part to be more positive, to be more patient, to be a little less quick to rush to judgment or to spread a rumor."
Grossinger, 50, will earn $129,000 as superintendent.
Grossinger said improving the school's atmosphere involved, in part, a simple show of appreciation of employees' qualities.
"I encourage people to say good things that they see here in the school, to talk about the good things," Grossinger said through an interpreter. "When I started here, I saw a lot of good things happening at the school that people weren't sharing,"
But more than change the perceptions, Grossinger said he's helped improve the school, too.
For instance, the school's administrators are now required to obtain the proper educational credentials, an omission that was among the deaf community's complaints.
"I have been following that strictly, no bending, no flexing, no changing. I'm sticking with that," Grossinger said.
Grossinger was a principal at the state's other school for the deaf, in Fremont, when Kadish tapped him in August to temporarily lead the school after former superintendent Harold Kund retired in March 2006.
Grossinger faced the task of improving a school rife with problems, including high employee turnover, low student performance, and a campus atmosphere tainted by allegations of intimidation and poor communication.
Just a couple months into Grossinger's leadership, Kadish said he noticed a dramatic improvement on campus.
"I found a sense of reborn, enthusiasm and excitement," Kadish said.
"I really felt it from all the faculty, staff and students. It was clearly evident."
Employee morale aside, Grossinger still must reverse a dwindling student population and improve student academic performance.
After peaking in 1997 with 520 students, enrollment has gradually eroded to its current size of 410 students.
Roughly $140 million in state funds for renovation and new construction should make the 1950s-era campus a more desirable place to attend, said the school's spokeswoman Laurie Pietro.
New dorms, main kitchen, gym and an elementary and middle school activity center are among the new facilities to be built on campus during the next five to 10 years.
Grossinger said increased outreach, in addition to word of mouth, should be able to spread the school's qualities to the roughly 6,000 deaf and hard of hearing children in Southern California, many of who attend traditional public schools.
"I'm hearing from a lot of deaf children and parents that they're thinking about enrolling in our school someday," Grossinger said.
His target during the next few years is to reach 700 students, and he envisions a 1,000-student campus by the time he retires.
Posing an even greater challenge is increasing student performance.
The school mustered a 406 on the state's Academic Performance Index in 2005, and 403 in 2006. The state sets an API goal of 800 on a scale of 200 to 1,000. The index is based on student performance on standardized tests.
Grossinger attributed the low scores to the nature of the school's student body.
Too often deaf or hard of hearing students show up at the Riverside deaf school after having failed at their previous school. Most of these students possess language and reading skills far below grade level, he said.
Yet just like all other public school students, deaf students still must take grade level standardized tests and pass the California High School Exit Exam to receive a diploma.
Among Grossinger's solutions is to convince parents of deaf students that they have a greater chance of success -- socially and academically -- by attending the deaf school from their earliest years.