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School's out Retiring superintendents share bond as both friends and educators
Staff writer
agillooly@observer-reporter.com
CANONSBURG - Nick Bayat and Charles "Chal" Mahoney were ready for their last day of school.
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But while Bayat, superintendent of Canon-McMillan School District, and Mahoney, superintendent of Chartiers-Houston School District, are excited about their retirements, they won't be humming Alice Cooper's "School's Out" when they walk out the door.
It will be the first summer vacation for both men in more than 20 years, and they'll finally be able to slap the snooze button as many times as they want.
But leisure was the last thing on their minds on a fair Thursday June morning.
The two men sat sipping coffee and chatting with an ease that suggests they are more than just peers - they're close friends who've shared the journey from the classroom to the superintendent's chair.
While both look forward to spoiling their granddaughters (a first for both), the conversation leaned more toward the present and future of public education than any post-retirement rest and relaxation.
You can take the superintendent out of the school, but you can't take the school out of the superintendent.
Bayat and Mahoney both embarked on their careers in academia by taking teaching positions, a life choice both said was prompted by an innate concern for the education of children.
And they hope that their districts - and the state and federal governments - will continue to focus on the needs of students above all.
Bayat and Mahoney have been working with other peers involved in the Western Pennsylvania Superintendents Forum, a group Mahoney calls a "think tank" for educators.
The group has been working on a position paper regarding No Child Left Behind. While both educators concede that there are benefits to the federal mandate, Bayat and Mahoney said changes must be made.
One problem is the funding mechanism, or lack thereof. Although the standards for schools increase, Mahoney said federal money has been decreasing.
To add insult to injury, he said the benchmarks set for schools are unrealistic.
"They say that by 2014, all students will meet competency in reading and math, and that's just unattainable," Mahoney said.
Bayat agreed.
"That's like saying that all 14-year-olds will wear the same size clothes and the same size shoes," Bayat said.
And maybe the worst part, they said, is that the emphasis on state standards has narrowed the curriculum and alienated students who may not find their niche in the academic arena.
"We're teaching toward a single style," Bayat said, a style that de-emphasizes history, science and the arts.
He added that the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment might not be the most effective way to gauge student achievement.
Mahoney blames the government's "black and white" mentality, when, in education, there are so many gray areas.
Aside from the trends developing at their own districts, both were concerned about the future of public education.
Bayat insisted that the mechanism for paying for public schools needs to change.
"There needs to be a better formula to meet the needs of the students," he said.
And Mahoney said it begins with the state.
"Of all the states, Pennsylvania has the lowest percentage of its budget to fund schools," he said. "And every year it's less and less."
Bayat said another disturbing statistic involves a dramatic shift in demographics. For the first time in history, he said, the percentage of citizens 55 years of age and older will outnumber those who are 18 and younger. That means that there likely will be a large pool of people who have less of a vested interest in funding public schools.
Both men also believe that the ever-evolving nature of technology will have a deep impact on public schooling. While not every student performs best in a traditional classroom setting, both believe that online classes and distance learning may not bode well for the social and emotional education of young people.
Learning social skills and how to work in a group dynamic, Mahoney said, is something a student cannot learn over the Internet or through text messaging.
"One part of being successful in the world is knowing how to deal with people," he said.
Both men hope that the projects they helped launch will continue successfully, and that future boards and administrations will always keep the needs of students their first priority.
With Canon-McMillan facing an increase in enrollment and a decrease in revenue, Bayat said the district is very much going through "growing pains."
And Mahoney? He looks forward to seeing how the various construction projects at Chartiers-Houston play out.
Both have faith that their successors will provide a smooth leadership transition.
Chartiers-Houston chose Assistant Superintendent John George as Mahoney's successor, while Canon-McMillan's school directors appointed district Assistant Superintendent Helen McCracken to the top spot.
Bayat lauded McCracken's experience and dedication to the district while Mahoney jokingly issued a warning.
"She has big shoes to fill," he said, glancing at his longtime friend for a moment.
"And the person who succeeds you, Mr. Mahoney, will have even bigger shoes to fill," Bayat said with a smile.
Retireing Superintendents : 6/30/2008
I'm assuming Mahoney does have bigger feet! John George will do an excellent job for the District.
