INFORMATIONAL

The Superintendent's Leadership Council meets regularly.
It is composed of the chairmen of the eight regional study 
groups, plus the VASS officers.  We will distribute the 
minutes of each meeting by means of a Superintendent's 
Memorandum.

The minutes of the meeting of May 7, 1999, are attached.  
If you have questions regarding this information, please 
contact Richard Layman at (804) 225-2024.

Thank you.


PDS/pg

Attachment:     A hard copy of this memo and its attach-
                ment will be sent to the superintendent's 
                office.

           Meeting of the Superintendent's Leadership 
                            Council
                      Friday, May 7, 1999


Present:

Superintendents - Deanna Gordon, Philip L. 
Worrell, Martin J. Loughlin, Howard E. 
Wainwright, Mark A. Edwards, Wayne K. White, 
Steven R. Staples, Dennis W. Kellison, Harry Ward 
(for Russell L. Watson), Oliver A. McBride, and 
Alfred R. Butler, executive director, VASS.

Department of Education - Paul D. Stapleton, M. 
Kenneth Magill, Richard W. Layman, Daniel S. 
Timberlake, Marsha O. Hubbard, M. Jo Bunce, 
Shelley Loving-Ryder, Diane T. Atkinson, Cynthia 
Cave, and Harry L. Smith.

Special Guests - Dr. Dewey G. Cornell, associate 
professor, University of Virginia Department of 
Human Services, and Ken Tilley, executive 
director, Virginia High School League.


Mr. Stapleton introduced Dr. Cornell, who is a 
nationally recognized expert on public school violence.  
Dr. Cornell gave a visual presentation that included data 
on incidents of school violence, profiles of children who 
have the potential for trouble, and the influence of 
family, peers, and TV, movies, video games, etc. on 
students.

Dr. Cornell, who has devoted more than 15 years to 
studying violence in public schools, presented data from 
1992-1998 on homicides in U.S. public schools, discussed 
three profiles of violent youth, risk factors that move 
children closer to violence, methods of assessing a 
potentially violent youth, and methods of interacting with 
an angry youth.

He urged superintendents not to ignore signs of 
trouble in students, and he said conflict mediation efforts 
have been successful in preventing violence in schools.  
Following his presentation, Dr. Cornell responded to 
questions.  A copy of a paper titled, "What Works in Youth 
Violence Prevention" was distributed to the 
superintendents.  

Marsha Hubbard, specialist for school violence 
prevention, thanked Dr. Cornell for the assistance she has 
received from him in efforts to promote school safety, and 
reported that teachers are being recruited to attend the 
annual school safety institute.  She said she is working 
with officials at the Department of Criminal Justice 
Services on standards for security personnel in public 
schools.  She also noted that training is continuing for 
School Resource Officers, and encouraged school 
administrators to attend the training sessions.

Ken Tilley reported that the Virginia High School 
League had a good year and he reviewed the league's new 
initiatives.  He also brought the superintendents up to 
date on a Title IV case in federal court involving the 
league.  He said the league plans to hire a person to be in 
charge of student services.  He presented Mr. Stapleton 
with a plaque for his contributions to the VHSL.

Dan Timberlake, assistant superintendent for finance 
in the Department of Education, noted that his office is 
providing training for school divisions' staff members on 
the annual school report evaluation.

Shelley Loving-Ryder, director of Assessment and 
Reporting, gave an update on the school report card.  She 
said the spring SOL testing program appears to be going 
smoothly.  She called attention to a superintendent's memo 
regarding the summer administration of the SOL tests.  Mr. 
Stapleton thanked Mrs. Loving-Ryder for the work that she 
has done on the SOL tests as Cam Harris's assistant and 
commended her for her ability to work with school 
divisions.

The state superintendent called attention to the need 
for research personnel in the Department of Education, and 
he said he has asked Governor Gilmore to approve his 
request for a division of research, evaluation, and 
reporting.  He also asked the superintendents to make sure 
schools possess infrastructure needed to have them online 
with the Department of Education within two years.

Margaret Roberts, executive assistant for board 
relations, reported on the recent meeting of the Board of 
Education in Charlottesville.  She said the board got off 
to a good start in its effort to decide what schools need 
to do if they fail to meet state accreditation standards.  
A videotape of the meeting is being prepared and will be 
sent to superintendents.

Mr. Stapleton called attention to public hearings 
scheduled by the board to deal with consequences, 
incentives, and rewards for schools as part of the 
accreditation process.  He emphasized that the board is 
willing to listen to their concerns and suggestions and 
that the state is "not taking over the schools."

Framed resolutions were presented to the following 
superintendents who completed their terms as members of the 
Superintendent's Leadership Council this spring:  Howard E. 
Wainwright, Russell L. Watson, Dennis W. Kellison, Wayne K. 
White, Martin J. Loughlin, Oliver A. McBride, and Deanna W. 
Gordon.