By Joyce Kryszak
Buffalo, NY – A re-organization of the Buffalo School Board Monday night marked the ending of one of the toughest school years on record.
Jack Coyle was unanimously elected to take over the reigns for Board President Paul Buchanan, who chose not to seek re-election.
As if trying to will more peaceful times, the Buffalo Board of Education Monday took less than seven minutes to elect a full slate of new leadership.
Denise Hanlon now steps into his former role as Vice President of Executive Affairs. And Florence Johnson returns as Vice President for Student Achievement.
Superintendent Marion Canedo praised the leadership of outgoing President Paul Buchanan.
But Canedo said she will be comfortable working with a team of leaders.
"The most important thing for me is working with this entire board, because to me, there are nine leaders on this board," said Canedo.
"They work together, they have the strength of their own convictions and opinions, but when push comes to shove, they all get togther to get the job done for the kids."
"So, I appreciate being superintendent with this kind of a board. And I've been here for thirty five years, and I've not seen the likes of it."
But it is Canedo and Buchanan who are given much of the credit for "getting the job done," during some very trying times.
In his three years as President, Buchanan, along with the superintendent, pushed for tough district reforms, while often swamped with fiscal and academic crises.
Among the trials and tribulations? A teachers' strike, faltering student achievement - a blizzard - a controversial residency requirement, and two years of multi-million dollar budget gaps.
Buchanan said successes were marked with some regrets.
"I would have liked to have avoided the teachers' strike, I'm not sure it could have been. I think that was partly built up over the prior ten years," said Buchanan.
"But we solved the back pay issue, we're doing the building construction, and we're doing the school reform - we've got one of the most aggressive programs in the country."
"Funding and budget cuts are also another area we have no control over, but I wish we didn't have to lay-off three hundred teachers this year."
It's been a difficult year for Buchanan personally as well. Just weeks after announcing he would not seek another term as President, Buchanan was diagnosed with a rare brain infection.
But six weeks after delicate surgery, the fit looking forty-nine year-old returned Monday night to preside over his last board meeting as President.
Buchanan stays on until 2004 as a board member-at-large,who has an optimistic eye to the future.
"I think what we were able to achieve is to get people to understand that it's not just the school board of the district, but education is everybody's concern," said Buchanan.
"And just as we saw with the children passing Math A this year, we had to get Boys and Girls Clubs involved, we had to get the faith based organizations, parent organizations."
"And I think the most significant thing we've done in the last three years is to get the community to buy into education as a community issue, and and needs everyone to work on it. And I think that's where we'll go in the future."
New Board President Jack Coyle shares that vision.
Regardless of other challenges, Coyle said education has to be the priority.
"I always say I have three goals, student achievement, student achievement, and student achievement, "said Coyle.
"And I'm going to try to make that a part of every single board meeting we have - not just focus here or there, or hear the stories at the end of the year about how good or bad we're doing. I want to focus on it every single meeting."
But, Coyle, whose wife is teacher in the district, said that will take steady committment from the schools - and from the parents.
"I think too many times people say, well it's not like it was year's ago. I'm not expecting to go back to Ozzie and Harriet," said Coyle.
"But I think we have to reach a happy medium where parents understand it is a two-way street."
"And I think it's a great time to focus on where the responsibilities should lie. It shouldn't be all on the schools, it shouldn't be all on the parents - we have to reach a happy medium."
Superintendent Marion Canedo said she looks forward to another year of continued solid leadership.
And Canedo said they are ready for whatever problems may lie ahead.
"Certainly we're going to have our challenges - we always do," said Canedo. "But I think that's built a lot of strength as well, in the community, among parents, and so forth."
"Let all our voices be heard, and pull together for the sake of kids. And I think that's what we've been trying to do this year."
Top on the agenda of business for the new school year will be enacting the ambitious district reforms, to improve accountability, that were outlined under Buchanan's watch.