New Henrico superintendent urges staff to be leaders

Patrick Russo looked around his first convocation as Henrico County's school superintendent yesterday morning, and what he saw was a sea of leaders in the auditorium at Henrico High School.

"When we talk about leaders, we're talking about everyone in this room," he told the teachers, bus drivers, coaches, instructional aides and others at the Fairfield District convocation. He will repeat his message today for Three Chopt and Tuckahoe districts, and tomorrow for Varina District and central office staff members. He also talked with Brookland District staff members yesterday.

"I get frustrated when people say, 'I'm just a teacher.' . . . Do you not lead them to that next level of greatness?" Russo asked.

He challenged each of the county's 3,500 school employees to pick one struggling student to lead in a special way as an unofficial mentor. Having an adult take that kind of interest can change a child's life, just as it did his, he said.

"If not for my fifth-grade teacher, I would not be standing before you," he said. Until that teacher convinced him he was OK, he'd been the kid who "sat in the back with a dunce cap on."

The top reason kids give for dropping out of school is that no one cares, he said. If 3,500 kids each year can connect with at least one Henrico schools employee, the difference in a few years could be dramatic. "It's important for kids to know you care," he said.

When Russo opened the floor for questions, a first-grade teacher asked what his goals were. "It's not so much what I want, it's what you want," he said. He pointed out that the first community priorities workshop on Oct. 8 will help establish goals.

Beyond that, he's interested in redefining nontraditional programs in the schools, developing strategic plans for the school system and producing a program-based budget.

Russo was superintendent of Hampton's schools before coming to Henrico. His two youngest children remain enrolled in a Hampton school while he and his wife try to sell a house there.

Henrico is the sixth school system Russo has led as superintendent, and the first that doesn't need systemic changes, he said. Building on the current level of success may be harder than improving a school with more obvious needs.

Whatever he does, he said, it'll be based on a simple premise: "Decisions must be made in the best interests of the kids."

Contact Katherine Calos at (804) 649-6433 or .