By Eileen Buckley & Mark Wozniak
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wbfo/local-wbfo-971541.mp3
Buffalo, NY – Buffalo schools superintendent Dr. James Williams told the Board of Education Wednesday that he will retire, effective in June of next year.
Williams' contract was supposed to expire this month, but last year the board had extended it by three years, into June of 2014. However, Williams has run into much criticism lately for his management style, including jeopardizing a $42 million federal grant last year by originally refusing to make mandated personnel changes.
WBFO News spoke with the head of the Buffalo Teachers Federation. Phil Rumore says he expected Williams would retire.
"He had a choice. He could either stick it out and take a chance on being terminated. If he was terminated, he would make a lot of money or else he could say look, I'll stay around for a year and help you through the transition. But the bottom line for us, is that we are going to work with whoever the superintendent is, and we are going to work with the superintendent for the year he is here and try ti really make a difference," said Rumore.
Rumore and Williams have had a rocky relationship, however Rumore says in the last six to eight months, they've been communicating.
Williams will remain on the job through June 30, 2012.
Williams has been superintendent since 2005.
The following is the statement Williams read Wednesday to board members during a committee meeting at City Hall:
I want to voice my appreciation to the people of Buffalo who are devoting themselves to bettering the Buffalo Public Schools and putting Buffalo's future - its children - first.
Choosing a life-long career in education is more than just a job. It's a passion that teachers, principals and administrators feel in their bones.
It's a commitment to doing everything we can to help shape the character and life of a student and give them the tools they need to lead a happy and purposeful life.
For me personally, it is a career that I have been blessed with for 40 plus years. And I am proud to have had the opportunity to carry forth the vision and mission of New York State's second largest school district.
Tonight I am officially announcing my retirement as Superintendent of the Buffalo Public Schools effective June 30, 2012.
This is an historic time for the Buffalo Public Schools and children of our community. There are tremendous challenges ahead and great opportunities.
I pledge to use my last year to assist with the system's transformation maintaining a high level of dedication to the Buffalo Public Schools and the children in it.
I commit to do all I can to ensure we keep our high performing schools on track, work to turnaround those that need our help the most and make sure we get all the state and federal funding we can for each and every student.
We will hold our ground and push forward to bring graduation rates up, improve curriculum, and prepare students for life beyond high school, whether in a trade or at college.
I'm giving notice, not giving up; and I look forward in helping to secure my successor before I leave Buffalo, if the board wishes.
We have made a difference.
We are completing $1.4 Billion in school reconstruction--one of the city's largest economic development projects in its history.
We have expanded our AP classes from 16 to as many as 144.
We established the Buffalo Public Schools Foundation enabling us to maintain and grow our music, arts and sports programs for our students. These programs would have otherwise been cut for budget reasons.
We continue to have one of the Top 10 ranked high schools in the nation.
We opened up an international world for our students through our Mandarin Chinese language program.
We achieved significant growth in our math and ELA scores for five years in a row.
We've doubled our investment in athletics to $2.5 million.
We achieved a fiscal turnaround for the system, and the New York State Department of Education in 2009 viewed the Buffalo Schools as a statewide model for academic improvement.
Education is a family affair. In order for our schools to be successful, I'm asking all parents to recommit themselves to their son's and daughter's education. Education is the answer. And your support of their academic journey is critical to their future success.
I would like to personally thank the Board of Education for your confidence over the years.
I would like to recognize the outstanding service of our principals, teachers and all of our system's employees who work in one of our schools.
I would like to thank my team for their hard work and commitment. Education is not a job for the weak and timid. It takes a tremendous amount of fortitude to work through the layers of an educational system. For all of those extra hours and time away from your own families, I thank you.
I would also like to acknowledge the tremendous relationships we have with our community's institutions of higher education. We have been able to provide a better future for many of our students because of your commitment.
Lastly, I would like to thank all of our friends and benefactors in the business community who invested in public education with their belief and their dollars, but especially Bob Wilmers and M&T Bank, Bob Rich and Rich Products and Paul Snyder and Snyder Corp. for their on-going friendship and dedication to the children of Buffalo.
In closing, there is talent and brilliance in every student. It is our duty - to find the way - to help them all to shine.