A newly appointed administrator for Rochester schools says she's been successful in turning around high-risk schools that had problems similar to those in Rochester.
Christiana Otuwa will start in August as the Rochester City School District's Deputy Superintendent for Teaching and Learning.
Otuwa is currently working in the Pittsburgh, where she says student performance improved by 20 percent during her tenure.
Otuwa says poorly performing teachers should be held accountable, but first, they must be fully supported by central office. She says teachers who received that support in her previous districts have gained confidence that changed the culture of the schools they were working in. "Those teachers, they are still the best, no matter where they go in the school district, because they have the skills. They have the resources. They know how to use data to improve student outcome. They know how to teach lessons that students will be able to master."
Otuwa does not want to quantify a potential rate of improvement for Rochester schools during her time here. She says she must first get into the classrooms and observe what is and isn't working.
