Painesville Superintendent offers real talk

In a recent conversation the new superintendent to Painesville City Schools, Joshua Englehart, offered a frank assessment of the school’s needs, realistic improvements, and the forward looking of the administration.

“I lived in Painesville for 20 years,” he said. “My kids went to school here way before I started working here. We value the diversity of our community. There are a lot of opportunities for kids in Painesville that may not be accessible to kids in surrounding districts.”

Englehart highlighted the distinction, adding, “In Painesville, we’re just the right size. We’re big enough to have resources to offer things but we’re small enough that there isn’t a lot of competition for those opportunities. Anyone who wants to participate will have a seat at the table.”

While Englehart is quick to highlight a “robust” art program and their Future Business Leaders of America, he did not shy away from his district’s shortcomings.

“We’re one of a handful of districts in the state that were given an F grade. Aside from what that does to community perception, and perception of surrounding communities, that puts us in danger of a state takeover. The state model has been bad for schools and communities. We need to turn things around very, very rapidly in order to avoid that.

“There’s definitely an urgency around improvement,” he continued. “We’re really falling down in later-elementary math. We, as a district, have invested heavily in literacy instruction. You don’t see that same pattern in math because we have really dedicated time and our limited human resources to literacy. At a certain extent its been at the expense of building our math program and curriculum.

“Now we’re pivoting and trying to make the same investment in our math department.”

Englehart made sure not to lay the burden of low test scores solely at the feet of his faculty.

“I’ve worked with many different districts and teachers across the state,” he said. “I can say, with confidence, this is the most talented and dedicated group of people I’ve ever been associated with.”

He went on to detail what he believes makes the relationship between administration and faculty so dynamic for Painesville.

“Visibility and demonstrated support is big,” he said. “It’s one thing to say that you support your folks, it’s another to be in the buildings, in the classrooms participating alongside them. Teachers are going to see dozens of administrators come and go, but it’s different when you can share the same passion with them.

“You can’t do that from behind your desk, or in your office. You have to be out there in the community and in the schools.”

Englehart said Painesville Schools are also dealing with acute lack of resources.

“We are one the poorest districts in the entire state. The challenges that come with a large population of poverty are different from your modal educational challenges,” he said, but adding “Just throwing more money at a problem doesn’t solve it.”

When asked where he would direct resources should they become available, Engleheart said he would put forth a career readiness model.

“This is another area where we’ve kind of been behind,” he said. “We need internship opportunities, vocational schools preparation for those good jobs that employers are seeking to fill.”

In addition to the day-today issues that he encounters, Englehart must shore up district test scores to avoid a state takeover, all while securing resources for funding of a number of student programs.

“Visibility and demonstrated support is big. It’s one thing to say that you support your folks, it’s another to be in the buildings, in the classrooms participating alongside them. Teachers are going to see dozens of administrators come and go, but it’s different when you can share the same passion with them.” — Painesville Schools Superintendent Joshua Englehart

Englehart