Nonprofit Mississippi News Errick Greene was given a lot of work when he took over as superintendent of the Jackson Public Schools District. The 24,000-student district narrowly avoided state takeover last year due to issues like unlicensed teachers, sub-par facilities, record-keeping problems and data. Gov. Phil Bryant, Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba, and the W.K. The Better Together Commission was created by the Kellogg foundation as a third option for addressing these systemic problems. Lumumba appointed a new school board and it hit the ground running. Recently, the commission released a critical report that highlighted problems in organization and communication. Mississippi Today interviewed Greene about his journey from Tulsa (Okla.) to Jackson and the plans of his administration to fix the district’s problems. This interview was edited for clarity. Mississippi Today: Why did you choose to work in Jackson? Dr. ErrickGreene: I’d say there are several reasons. I was in a position where I was looking for a superintendency. I was very deliberate about where, what kind of community and where I wanted it to be. I knew that I wanted to be a part of a large community that included many students like me. This was a high priority. I was born in Flint, Michigan, so I wanted to work in a community that has a lot of working-class people, but also those from lower income families. Two things convinced me to choose Jackson. The board was a new board and reconstituted. I met the board during interview process and it was clear that they were committed to the district. Another selling point was the governor’s personal commitment to major improvements in the district. A mayor, a dynamic mayor who made that commitment and named it. What I felt was a greater community commitment to “we cannot continue operating as we have”. We named financial and building challenges, as well as some student behaviors, as a challenge. It was clear that people were ready for significant change. It is scary to walk into a district with these kinds of challenges. Yes. Yes. My board is smart and sane and they are dedicated to making kids’ lives better and holding me and all others accountable. There is a mayor, governor, and partners from all over the city, as well as all across the state, who support Jackson. There are parents who say, “Enough is enough. This has to be different.” Turnaround takes time. But what is the lowest-hanging fruit you need to address first? It takes time. We didn’t get to where we are overnight. So the idea that we could suddenly change our lives overnight is absurd. We will do our part to make people aware of the changes that are occurring over time. We can’t get upset when people see a system and a set of practices that doesn’t look the same as before. Remember that we requested change. Keep going with us. Although it will be difficult at first, many medical and surgical procedures and all the things that make us more well, are painful. We must pay attention to teacher recruitment and retention. What are the critical areas where we have shortages in teacher staffing? Both in special education and elementary are certain to be in critical shortages. These are the critical shortages. If you look at content, mathematics is a weak area. How can we attract people from the outside and other countries to these positions? This involves identifying people who are about to graduate, or have just finished their degree, and putting them in an alternative certification process. Also, we identify middle-school and high school students who may be interested in teaching so that we don’t end up looking for teachers when we haven’t done the necessary work. I think the same applies to leadership. It is not enough to wait for the right leader before we start looking. We should immediately ask: Who among our teachers might be interested and have shown great potential and be interested leading a school? It’s important to look down the road. Our strategic plan will assist with some of that, but there is also likely some innovation. Yes, for teacher retention, we need to consider finances, working with the state, and exploring all options for rethinking or boosting our educators’ pay. Research on teacher retention and attrition shows that although pay is often listed as a concern, it’s not the most important. The number one factor is usually a lack or feeling of belonging and support. We can better understand our teachers and their needs by giving them consistent feedback. We must give (we must provide) really, really hard-hitting feedback that encourages people to stay the course. To feel a sense of accomplishment and to desire to keep going and try again. To eventually share these successes with other teachers, or as a leader and supervisor of teachers. We also have to do a lot in customer service. Our students and parents are our clients. They have the right to make their own decisions. They have choices. We must treat them accordingly. We have to be available to them. We have to be responsive when they call with a problem. We cannot be dismissive. Do you feel that JPS has fallen short of its responsibilities in this area? Since I arrived in the area, I have heard from a few parents about specific issues. We have to be responsive and collaborate with parents and other community members. This is part of the challenge. To ensure that schools are open and safe, people have to work with us. Customer service is another important aspect of the system. How well we, as outsiders, understand the school system. This includes being able to anticipate needs, be responsive and communicate effectively. It’s a two way communication, so everyone can see themselves in the success and happiness of students. How can I ensure that my job as the lead counselor, custodian, electrician plumber, or custodian is one that results in student success? What are your thoughts on the challenges of educating students like those in JPS? It’s something we need to openly discuss. There is a fine line we have to walk. If they live in a home with domestic violence, drug use, or a parent who is seriously ill. This can hinder their ability to parent the way they want. Real challenges are associated with this, and they bleed into school. This is true even if you’re talking about one student, or one family. Multiply this by large numbers in a community or city and you get this compounded poverty that challenges students’ ability to learn and their social emotional readiness. They show up filled with anxiety, grief, loss, and fear. These are all things that make it difficult for anyone, especially for a 5- to 10-year-old or 15-year old to be in a classroom full of others with similar challenges and open to learning. It is expensive to address these issues from the school’s perspective. Addressing the needs of students we love and have is more expensive. It costs more to try and fill in for students who may not be learning or getting the education they need at home. Sometimes, it’s more people. It’s certainly more time. It could be more interventions or that type of thing. It takes more resources to see the reality of people’s lives and the challenges they face and the ways they overcome them. Sometimes, different approaches are required. It requires cultural understanding and empathy that is not possible in other settings. Do you think that means more professional development for teachers More guidance counselors to be hired More/different. My ability to learn as a teacher (and) person is limited by my current capacity. While I will continue to grow and learn over time, you can only teach me so many things right now. It is not possible to assume that because we have the ability to organize professional development sessions, hire mentors, coaches, and teachers, that the teacher can take all that information and make it their own. It takes time. It takes time. You have to think carefully about how you present all this. This impacts the way you staff schools and the decisions you make. Are we going to need two counselors? Do we really need two school leaders to help students move forward and address their needs? No one, none of us, and certainly not anyone outside the district will make allowances when it comes to achievement. Every school must achieve the highest possible standard. Jackson is a unique district in this regard right now, as it has multiple charter schools. How do you envision navigating this relationship? My belief is that we are not supposed to eliminate the “competition”, but to be the opposition. This is not just about ego talk. We have to do better. We’ve got to do our job better. We need to have better skills and more capacity. It’s important to make this a memorable experience, so even if you don’t want to go to another school, you feel like this one is worth your time. We need to stop pretending we don’t have the ability to reach out to charters. Let’s have a discussion. If you are a charter operator and you’re looking for a property in this area, I’m open to having a conversation with you about “Why this neighborhood?” This neighborhood doesn’t have many students, or we don’t get many. Would you be interested in being there? And because we, the district, actually own some properties, this is a smart adult collaborative discussion that we should have. They can exist by law. Now, the conversation must be about how we can coexist in this space, from our own perspectives, viewpoints, perch whatever. How can we effectively serve families? It seems that you have made an effort to engage more with the community since you took on this role. What is the reason for this? There were many promises made by the board, the mayor and others involved in this third approach to JPS. Smart promises made to the community about greater engagement. I already said that it is impossible to educate young people without engaging parents. It doesn’t work. They are essential. We need you at all times, not just when we have a problem or at night. When it comes time to discuss the issues and the possibilities for solutions, we need you at the beginning of each day. As the lead learner and lead educator for the district, part of my job is to give context and clarity to what I’ve observed, what I read in our books about finances, and what I see of our staff, and such things. People shouldn’t have to wonder about this. It’s our responsibility to communicate more clearly and effectively. It’s part and parcel of my personality. I am a relational leader. It is important that I establish relationships with people so that we can have difficult conversations when necessary. It doesn’t matter if we yell at each other or treat one another with disrespect. It’s possible to have difficult conversations. While we may disagree with each other, it is possible to have a productive conversation if we are able to respect one another.