A New Super By Joan Logan He appears to be a man with a charming smile and reflective manner. His educational philosophy revolves around kids. How do they learn best? How well fed and warmly clothed are they? Are their homes warm enough? Do they have homes? He has thoroughly acquainted himself with the demographics of Duluth, the process and programs of our schools and what needs to be accomplished. Dr. Keith Dixon, who replaced Julio Almanza as schools superintendent, has already begun to make a place for himself in the community. He writes a column for the Budgeteer News, is doing a monthly program for KDAL radio and has joined Rotary. He hopes to work with the city, county and other such entities to help build a tax base to support the public needs, particularly those whose needs are greatest. The schools themselves are a large community with facilities to share with the city just as the city and county have facilities to share with schools (for example leasing the DECC for hockey). He hopes more and more adults, with or without children, can be brought together within these facilities to build closer community ties. This includes isolated individuals and groups. His role, Dixon says, through listening and trust, is to build consensus and solve problems. Dr. Dixon is an advocate of comprehensive education for all children. Kids need to master the skills needed to become literate, articulate and self-supporting. He believes greatly in the arts, all arts: drawing, drama, theater, music and literature. Certainly technology is part of the curriculum. For example, the school has one computer for every five children. Even the yearbooks are done on the computer. One of his greatest concerns, according to Dixon, is to unify the programs and curriculum from school to school. "Our buildings shouldn't be competing with each other," he says. If a creative and innovative program tests well at one school, the others should also have access to it. What is taught and how at the east of Duluth should be available in the west and vice versus. If the district were state mandated, and only then, to teach Intelligent Design, a Conservative Party proposal, Dixon would offer it with a Comparative Religion class but not in the science program as promoted by conservatives. The "no Child Left Behind" currently mandated across the country by the Bush administration makes sense conceptually and the "new normal" makes clear what kids should know and what skills they need to master. However, the results of the testing measurements are different each year because each year brings a different set of kids with differing skills and backgrounds. As well, each year the bar is raised higher and higher setting some kids up for failure. Furthermore, the state of Minnesota is providing less and less money to fund the programs, he says. Dixon recently attended a conference at which the speaker, a senator, reported that Minnesota is 22nd in the nation for educational spending but fifth in wealth, pointing to a discrepancy in priority funding. When asked about environment, Dixon believes it to be a vital factor in learning; that schools must be safe and kids must behave. Children aren't born evil when coming into the world. Behavior is learned so kids need to learn how to treat others with civility, not harassment, threats or lack of respect. Closing schools? He doesn't yet know. First, an assessment must be made of space issues and life safety needs, and then he'll work toward a district-wide comprehensive plan. "closing schools is difficult but works best when there is a gain at some level, not just all loss" he adds. Enrollment decline is a nation wide trend, one that has had a serious effect in Duluth. Next year, he reports, enrollment will be down 300 students. Only 1/3 of Duluth homes have children enrolled in school, 2% are in parochial schools on average (a figure consistent with past years), and 8 to 10% attend charter or out of district schools (i.e. Hermantown), percentages which haven't changed much. Dixon's agenda is a busy one. He and Eric Kaiser have recreated the Quality Steering Committee of Unions, Administration, Board, teachers and other staff to problem solve and offer recommendations. He has initiated Spending an Hour with the Superintendent, hosting three meetings for community and schools at Central, Denfield and East beginning November 7 at Central. Everyone is welcome. Also, he took part in the Race, Culture and Achievement Gap Summit. Particularly, the new superintendent wants to be available in the schools and community. "I have children of my own and these children are just like my own, as well," he remarked on television recently. More than anything, Dixon is worried about students graduating into minimum wage jobs, having potential jobs eliminated by outsourcing, and losing pensions and health care. "We've lost sight of the common good, the need to survive with affordable housing, health care, and a living wage." In speaking with him, one senses his sincerity. Dixon tells a story of a couple he knows well, and their young son. Both parents work two jobs, four jobs in all and all at slightly above minimum wage. This they did for their child, for a place to live, and food to eat. This they did, making sure one of them was with him for all but 20 minutes of each day. And yet the day came when someone fired a gun and that gun shot occurred during those 20 minutes, just 20, when the parents couldn't be with their child. The young boy did not survive. Is this a reason for re-examining our social system? Keith Dixon believes so. Thanks to Joan Logan for both writing this piece and for applying her expert eye to the rest of this issue of Common Sense. These articles are retained on the web for historical interest and do not necessarily reflect the views or goals of DPPA today.

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