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Carver/Century Leadership Questioned; Principal Reacts
May 16, 2008
He’s given away hundreds of dollars in cash as an FCAT incentive to Carver/Century students. He’s literally burned a wooden “F” in a symbolic gesture. He’s walked in a prayer walk in a pouring rain, and, almost in tears, turned Carver/Century K-8 school over to God. He’s given up retirement to serve as principal for Century’s only school. All in an effort to improve what is, to be practical, about the worst school in the county.
But Carver/Century Principal Jeff Garthwaite said he would give it all up if he knew it would improve the school.
“If my leadership is a detriment to Carver/Century, I will be out of there tomorrow.” Garthwaite told NorthEscambia.com in an exclusive interview Thursday afternoon following an Escambia County School Board workshop that saw Superintendent Jim Paul call for Carver/Century’s closure. And it saw some question the school’s leadership.
“But I would love to have another year; we can make progress,” he said. “It’s very disheartening with all the things that are being said about the school.”
“Are we really a failing school?” he asked. “That’s a tough question.”
Garthwaite said that due to the low attendance numbers and the high number of ESE (Exceptional Student Education) students, the school’s average test scores are quickly brought down, painting an inadequate picture of what is really happening at Carver/Century.
At the school board workshop, the leadership of the “F” rated school was questioned several times.
“Who measures how the administration of the school is doing,” Century resident Jack Moran asked the school board, adding that the FCAT grades the students but there does not seem to be any system for grading a school’s administration.
“We have not exhausted all possibilities to change that school,” school board member Claudia Brown-Curry said. “Sometimes you have to change leadership.”
“I just don’t know. It’s really disheartening,” Garthwaite said.
Pictured above: Carver/Century Principal Jeff Garthwaite (right, yellow shirt), Century Mayor Freddie McCall (foreground left) and Council Member Sharon Scott (foreground right) listen to the Escambia County School Board Thursday. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
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