Sumner grad to help turn around SLPS
John Martin on the job as interim deputy super
By Meliqueica Meadows
Of the St. Louis American
When he graduated from Sumner High School in 1961, John Martin had no inkling that he would one day be interim deputy superintendent of the St. Louis Public Schools. And he probably had even less indication he would be tapped for the position just 10 days after retiring from the Grandview School District.
“I had just retired 10 days before and I was in Houston visiting my grandchildren, when my cell phone rang,” Martin said.
“It was Diana Bourisaw and she said, ‘I’ve just been named interim superintendent of the St. Louis Public Schools. How would you like to be the deputy superintendent?’”
After a conversation with his wife, Martin decided to take the job. He came to St. Louis supposedly on a day trip for a meeting. He didn’t even bring a change of clothes. But there was a state Board of Education meeting scheduled for the next day. It’s been a whirlwind of activity ever since.
“I had to buy a shirt and a tie so I’d have something to wear to Jefferson City for the state Board of Education meeting,” he said.
Martin said he and Bourisaw first met about eight years ago when they were both superintendents – he at Grandview School District and Bourisaw at Fox School District. They both participated in the Missouri Superintendents Forum.
“It was a group of about 40 superintendents from across the state that met annually for professional development,” Martin said. “We served on a few committees, got to know each other and stayed in touch.”
He said some observers in the community have misconceptions about Bourisaw, particularly “that she’s a white woman and doesn’t know how to deal with minority children.”
But Martin said when it comes to the new interim superintendent, race is irrelevant because “she’s a dedicated educator and committed to making the St. Louis Public Schools a success.”
“My interest in SLPS first peaked right after Ron Jackson and that group got elected to the board,” he said. “It turned out to be quite interesting.”
Martin said it’s easy to sit back and watch the drama unfold and think that you could do things differently.
“You get a snapshot of a district and you think, ‘I could handle that.’ It’s not as easy as it looks,” he said.
When asked if he had any reservations about taking the position of the beleaguered district, Martin said, “Not really. All elephants are eaten one bite at a time.”
He said the first order of business must be the rebuilding the administrative structure of the district. “The first thing is to rebuild the infrastructure,” he said.
“There is a need for having systems and processes through which situations are addressed. Right now situations are being addressed through tradition or someone’s idea of how it should be done. There are very few manuals.”
Martin said, “I think people have felt a little abandoned in the buildings, and from what I’ve heard they rarely saw anyone from the Central Office.”
For the first day of school, a directive from Bourisaw placed at least one district official in all SLPS schools on opening day. Martin toured three schools on the first day in an attempt to restore the faith of students and teachers in the district.
“Organizations function not only on hierarchy, but on relationships,” he said. “People need to know who they’re working with and for, just like kids in the classroom need to know their teacher and that they give a care. Administration needs that as well.”
Martin added that another place that needs some attention is building trust with students, parents, teachers and administrators.
“SLPS has been through so many changes that nobody in general trusts the district to do what it says it will do because the board, the community and the political hierarchy has been divided,” Martin said.
Though Martin vowed, “We will get the job done,” he admitted that the work remains very much in progress.
“Positions that are still open are steadily being filled, and we’re recruiting quality, certified personnel to fill those positions,” he said.
Bourisaw has been quoted as saying she wants to make three years’ worth of productive change in one year.
“Our goal is to make it turn this year,” Martin said. “Hopefully this time next year we will be getting back the scores and will have the 66 points that we need for full accreditation.”
For nine years Martin served as superintendent of Grandview Consolidated School District, which is located near Kansas City. The former teacher and principal was twice honored for performance and distinction by the state for his work in the district.
“At the last district we ended with ‘Distinction in Performance’ two of the last four years,” Martin said. “It’s not a miracle. It’s smart work, which means getting a lot done with the efforts that you make.”
He added of the district, “It’s one team. I like to use the analogy of the ship, because you can’t sink part of it. We recognize that this whole district will rise or fall together.”
