Superintendent Finch: New Kid on the Block
by Rob Schumer

Paul Finch, who became Red Hook Central School District's new Superintendent last November 1, started his career as an elementary school teacher in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Fort Greene. Because of the New York City school system's asbestos crisis, he had been informed that he would have to teach in a junior high school cafeteria for the first two months. On the very first day of his new job he arrived at work only to be told to set up in his regular classroom after all. "I had 15 minutes," Finch calmly recalled. "So I went into the room, first time in there — it was either: you learned to manage, or you don't survive."

Finch brings this same kind of can-do attitude to his new position, along with a forward-looking but consensual approach to management. "The goal, over time, is to see dramatic improvement, little by little. The Japanese call it 'Kaizen' — 'spirit of continuous improvement.'" To hear Finch talk about the opportunities and challenges lying ahead, he has one of the most important, and exciting, jobs in town.

Finch, 36 and the father of two young boys, grew up in Westchester and came to the Red Hook School District after a decade of primary school experience elsewhere. He quickly moved up the ladder at several school districts, first as a second and fourth grade teacher, then as a fourth and fifth grade science and math teacher, later as an assistant principal, finally becoming a full principal. He simultaneously moved up the Hudson River, coming to the Red Hook District in 2004 to become the widely-admired third fifth grades principal of Mill Road Elementary School. He has lived in the area for almost four years — although his wife grew up in Hudson. Throughout his advancing career, Finch was also pursuing his own training as an educator, obtaining along the way certification in school administration. He is currently working toward a master's degree in business administration at Marist College.

On a recent afternoon, Finch spoke about the many existing strengths of the school district, and of initiatives and visions as well as challenges ahead. Among the district's strengths — and beyond its better-than-statewide averages on English, math, and science tests — Finch repeatedly emphasized the people who comprise it. "The teachers and support staff who go above and beyond make the difference in a school," he said. As a typical incident, Finch mentioned a teacher who had "made a trip, maybe a half-hour drive, to see a student in a special weekend event. There was a personal connection." He also observed that teachers and staff in the Red Hook schools seem especially flexible and responsive to the needs of the students and their parents.

Finch also singled out the Advanced Placement Program, the Artist Residency Program, and the International Baccalaureate for praise. The IB program, which began in the Red Hook Schools in September of 2002, is an internationally recognized program that grants degrees supplemental to the standard NY State Regents high school diploma. In order to get the IB diploma, a student must pass a rigorous test in each of six different areas. "The focus is on international awareness, on making connections," Finch noted. "And that's what life's about!" Red Hook is currently the only school in Dutchess County that offers an IB program, which is viewed by college admissions officers as a conspicuous and signal strength of the District.

Finch spoke admiringly of the place of the school in the life of the larger community: "It's like a jewel in the community," he said at one point. "Everybody here is connected to the school in some way, shape or form — academic, social, emotional.. There's a great sense of pride." As illustration, Finch mentioned the active alumni association, who provide scholarships for students going to college and professional schools. As another example, Finch observed that the schools are used by a variety of community groups. "All they need to do is submit a building use form." Also a variety of adult continuing education classes are offered — in subjects such as crochet, ballroom dancing, and digital photography. (You can register on the school district's website.)

He also singled out the athletics programs. "Athletics are huge in Red Hook. There's a great sense of pride in our teams, and a recognition that sports can teach many important skills." He said he had recently been to his first Red Hook High School basketball game. "It was packed!" he exclaimed. There were people there "who don't even have kids in the school."

Finch sees himself as being on a steep learning curve, and while he admits "year one is for the most part about listening and learning," he has a broad set of ideas which he would like to see implemented soon. One such initiative concerns improvements in the teaching of reading and writing. He advocates a reading department that will offer a "consistent reading philosophy for the District." Finch wants to incorporate understanding about strategies used by proficient readers into system-wide guidelines for all grade levels.

Another idea is expanded professional development, to make sure teachers remain up to date with both content and in their teaching skills. "In the past it's been a conference here and there," Finch said. He wants instead to establish a structure in which teacher training will be ongoing. He hopes he can "bring in consultants that the staff finds credible," and have them return regularly. "I don't think you get real change with a one-shot program," he said.

Finally, Finch "would love to begin thinking about how to transition foreign language to the lower grades. All the research points to the early years as the best time to acquire a second language. In the future," Finch went on to say, "in any high-performing School District, kids will be fluent in a second language."

A recurring theme in Finch's comments was the need for improved communication — between and among administration, parents, students, teachers, and taxpayers. By that Finch refers both to enhanced day-to-day exchange of practical information and the requirement that all stakeholders have access to the basic information that affects decision-making about school needs, programs, opportunities, and problems.

One channel of communication he has already opened is a district newsletter that will regularly bring news and items of general interest to the community at large. Currently, it is being sent only to parents of students, but by next year Finch wants it to be sent to every district taxpayer. Finch also talked about the automated web-based school-to-home calling system in the elementary and middle schools which allows the school to rapidly make a large number of phone calls carrying a personalized message. "We used it last year for the first time with early emergency dismissals." Finch anticipates much wider use of the system, which can make 300 calls in 18 minutes.

Finch also wants better communication with senior citizens. They may have no school-aged children, but they pay taxes to the district, and Finch wants to "figure out ways to invite them in," so that they "get some immediate benefit out of the schools." In this regard, he hopes to expand the continuing education program, and is thinking of offering computer education courses for seniors. (He would also like to see classes for parents about college planning.)

Communication between graduating seniors and the district can be improved, Finch hopes, by setting up forums to find out "the positives and negatives of the student's experience in our system, why they chose the path they choose after high school." Finch says "we want to see if there's anything that we can do to help our students earlier on."

Finally, Finch wants to improve communications with voters and taxpayers, to help everyone understand the budgetary process and what they are getting for their school tax dollars. Finch acknowledged the many challenges that await him. Perhaps the major one will be keeping the schools properly funded. Finch noted that NY State's funding of public education is "unpredictable, inadequate, and largely unfair." Overall during the past five years, state funding has averaged a rise of only 1 percent per year in actual dollar amounts, even though, thanks to unavoidable rising costs, such as that of fuel, the actual school budget has grown 5 to 8 percent each year. Local taxes, mostly property taxes, make up the difference under the current statewide system.

In talking about the close votes on the school budget in most years, Finch was forceful: "Basically, it's a maintenance budget. We're not talking about expanding services. We try to keep expenses down, control that side of the equation," Finch said. But he noted that "increases in the school budget are generally in keeping with increases in local municipality taxes." Finch says he would hope that seniors who "have made use of our school in the past, understand that it's right to support public schools, the right thing for our society, our community." But he acknowledged that many seniors are on fixed incomes, and financially stretched, "There's a tendency to want to say: 'I can't take it anymore.'" Finch says he understands this, but feels that a 'No' vote on the budget just "punishes the kids." Instead, Finch feels voters should "contact your local politician — get involved."

Another major challenge will be managing the School District's response to growth in the community, and consequent increased space needs in the school system. "As empty-nesters move into senior housing, who fills their homes? People with kids. So we may wake up one morning and find out that we've got one hundred new kids on the way. That has serious implications." Finch has been proactive in contacting the Town Supervisors in the five towns from which Red Hook Schools draw students: "Towns should know the impact of any decision they are making on the school district."

Overall, having had experience as both a classroom teacher and as a principal, Finch feels he brings perspective to his job from the inside and that being a brand-new superintendent is an advantage. "The fact that I haven't had a central office position before allows me the opportunity to enter into things with a beginner's eye, to ask basic questions, such as 'Why are we doing it this way? Does it make sense? Do we need to adjust this procedure, this practice, this policy?'" Still, he realizes that "you can't know everything about this job, about everything that comes into negotiating, teaching and learning, all the different programs, about every teacher and their background. You try to learn all that, and with time you get better." With Paul Finch at the helm, it seems we have an educator who will bring energy, vision and commitment to that challenge.