‘A huge transparency and communication gap’
Parents give SPS’ Lathan earful about student behavior, technology use
An hour into a Monday evening meeting with parents, Superintendent Grenita Lathan grew impatient. She started pacing.
Lathan admitted waiting was the hardest part. She was eager to get to the second half of the 2-1/2-hour meeting where parents offered insight, asked questions and made suggestions.
To kick off the meeting, Lathan asked parents to tell her what the district should start doing, stop doing or change in four key areas: Student behavior, parent and teacher engagement, technology integration, and what was taught and how.
They did not appear to hold back, offering their opinions and letting Lathan know when they agreed with the other parents or not.
“You are here because we want to hear from you all,” she said, as part of the welcome. “We know we have areas of needed improvement.”
Lathan told parents their feedback will be provided to principals and her leadership team and become part of the equation and changes are made.
She said the district is “constantly in problem-solving mode,” even if that is not apparent to the public. She said the district always wants to get better and was eager for the input.
She asked the group to be transparent, factual and solutions-oriented. “The way we have a great community is that we work together. We don’t tear it down.”
The event was open to any district parent. Of the 34 who registered, 17 participated. Lathan said holding the meeting during the final week of classes was a risk but she wanted to get it scheduled before summer break.
Parents spent more than an hour writing individual responses, sharing their opinions in small groups, and recording the main points in each key area on large poster-size sheets of paper.
GLENDALE HIGH SCHOOL
“The way we have a great community is that we work together. We don’t tear it down.”