TAYLOR — Someone who “expects excellence” will take over the top job in Downriver’s biggest school district this summer.
At the semester celebration last week of the Taylor Reading Corps, group member Diane Allen was introduced as a person in pursuit of excellence.
And as the Taylor School District’s new superintendent, her reputation for results is sure to be tested in a much bigger way.
Allen’s challenges include dealing with declining enrollment, test scores and state funding, and uniting a district that has not always been harmonious.
Her first task, she said, is getting everyone to pull in the same direction.
“My vision for the district is one team, one mission,” she said. “If every employee in this district is working together, our mission is student achievement; (helping) every single student be successful.
“We can do it together. It’s a challenge, but I’ve never been afraid of a challenge my entire career.”
Diane Allen will take over as superintendent of the Taylor School District this summer. Allen, principal at Randall Elementary School, is replacing Bethany Iverson, who is retiring.
When it comes to her career, Allen has seen a lot and knows the district’s background well.
A Michigan State University graduate, the West Bloomfield resident has been a district employee for 40 years, 22 as a teacher and the last 18 as principal at Randall Elementary School. Randall is a North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement-accredited school and has earned awards for its afterschool players and garden clubs.
Allen’s first assignment in the district was as a third-grade teacher at the brand-new McDowell Elementary School.
“I’ve been committed to the communities ever since,” said Allen, who declined to give her age. “I love the families, I love the community and I want to see things get better.”
She was one of two finalists for superintendent. The other, Lincoln Park High School Principal Terry Dangerfield, withdrew from consideration.
School board Trustee Deborah Stellini said she had Allen in mind early on.
“She has been able to do wonderful things at Randall,” Stellini said. “She has the most afterschool and extracurricular programs of any school in the district.”
Allen is a big believer in extracurricular activities and allowing students to find their own niche, and she also considers that volunteering and involvement by the staff and parents is vital.
Randall’s first attempt at applying for the Michigan Blue Ribbon Exemplary Schools Program elementary school award was successful.
The Michigan Department of Education’s “average yearly progress” test results released in August were mixed, but Randall was one of a handful of district schools that earned an “A” grade.
Allen replaces school Supt. Bethany Iverson, whose contract ends June 30 — when she plans to retire for a second time. Iverson had retired as superintendent several years ago, but returned four years ago at the request of the Board of Education.
She also has volunteered to stay beyond the end of this contract if necesssary to aid in the transition.
Iverson began her career in the district as a substitute teacher. After 36 years, she had worked her way to the district’s top job.
Iverson is paid more than $120,000 annually without benefits. Allen’s contract has not been finalized, although at a Board of Education meeting when the search began, there was a discussion that Iverson’s successor would not earn as much.
The budget will be a big topic. As the state pulls back on its purse strings, every district is grappling with financial issues.
The district has seen a large decline in enrollment over the past several years. In October 2011, it counted 7,414 students, a drop of 255 from the 7,669 counted in February 2011. Many years ago, it had more than 20,000 students.
The district has a budget of $95 million. It employs 48 administrators, 763 instructional staff and 491 support staff.
Bringing in more students would help improve the district’s state per-pupil funding, Allen said.
Allen said that rebuilding trust and improving the quality of the district and how it is perceived will encourage parents to bring their children back.
“There were 20 elementary schools when I started here; now there is eight,” she said. “Population shifts ... but one of my goals is to bring those families back. Perception is reality. If people perceive that it isn’t good, that’s what they’re going to believe if it’s true or not. We’re going to change that perception and work really hard at doing that.”
Perception hasn’t been great at times in the past year for the district. High-profile incidents at West Middle School made news — including a cellphone sex video at an off-campus party; a student assaulting a principal and her parents after being disciplined; and a student tampering with a teacher’s coffee by putting hand sanitizer in it.
At Randall, Allen said, there is a schoolwide behavior plan that parents, teachers and administrators stick to.
“If everyone knows the expectations for behavior, it makes it easier — there are no surprises along the way,” she said. “Have the students not have those behaviors in the first place. This year at Randall, we used a program called Tribes. It uses appreciations, not put-downs, and uses mutual respect daily.
“If you can get (kids) there, that’s the best way to handle it.”
Allen brings a fresh perspective, said Linda Moore, newly elected president of Taylor Federation of Teachers Local 1085.
“Unifying our district is the most important thing,” Moore said. “Her decisions will be what’s best for the children. I would hope she promotes our district and keeps the focus on the classroom, with no split classes at the lower levels.
“I am looking forward to working with her. She makes decisions that are kid-friendly.”
Stellini said Allen has always been good with managing Randall’s finances.
“She handles her building budget very well and she’s never gone over,” Stellini said. “She’s very good at looking at grants and soliciting extra funds for her district. I think she can do that again, but just on a larger scale.”
Allen said the burden of cutting expenses and doing more with less won’t just rest with her. It will be a districtwide challenge everyone will have to meet.
“Everyone has to buy in and we have to tackle it together,” she said. “It’s not the best situation, (but) we are going to have to figure out how to survive with less money (and) it’s going to affect everyone in this district. It has to.
“I am optimistic that people want to do what’s right for Taylor kids. We can’t run the district on a deficit budget.”
