JOHN O. SIMPSON, Ph.D. Superintendent of Schools Norfolk Public Schools 800 East City Hall Avenue Norfolk, VA 23501-1357, (757) 628-3830 Fax: (757) 628-3820, (757) 461-7771

Ph.D., 1983, Educational Policy, Planning and Administration, The University of Michigan

M.Ed., 1981, Educational Leadership and Curriculum Development, The University of Delaware

M.M., 1975, Vocal Pedagogy, West Chester State University, Pennsylvania

B.S., 1970, Music Education, West Chester State University, Pennsylvania

• 1993 The Superintendents Work Conference, Teachers College, Columbia University
• 1992 Superintendency Institute of America, Inc., Arizona State University
• 1988 The Superintendency Program, Arizona State University
• 1987 Harvard Principals Center, Harvard University
• 1983 Russell E. Wilson Educational Administration Fellow, The University of Michigan
• 1981 Horace Rackham Graduate Fellow, The University of Michigan

Virginia Division Superintendent's License, 7/1/98 through 7/30/03.

July 1998-Present, SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS, NORFOLK PUBLIC SCHOOLS, NORFOLK, VIRGINIA

Administrative and educational leader in district of 59 school buildings housing over 36,000 students in an urban setting with a budget of $250 million. Responsible for implementing the Norfolk Quality Schools Initiative, an accountability program for administrators and teachers.

• Developed a budget process to support student needs based on a long range plan undergurded by equity and diversity issues (e.g., emphasis on special services and underserved populations including a 6th through 12th grades alternative education setting, reduced class sizes, and a district-wide inclusion focus).
• Identified, developed and implemented district-wide professional development initiatives in reading, curriculum design and data driven decision making.
• Implemented and recommended a professionally focused reading expectation for all employees to expand their capacity as a community of learners (i.e., the Superintendent's Booklist on the Norfolk Public Schools Website).
• Sought and implemented quality public/private partnership to support the mission of teaching and learning (e.g., Panasonic Foundation, Norfolk State and Old Dominion Universities, Norfolk Naval Station, and Virginia International Terminals).
• Received the Ida B. Wells Risk-Takers Award from the National Alliance of Black School Educators.
• Implemented a Comprehensive Quality Self-Study based on the Malcolm Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence (i.e., all Central Office Divisions and k-12 schools) for the purpose of strategic planning.
• Recognized by the Commonwealth of Virginia for having 10% of the state's 75 schools making the greatest gains on the Standards of Learning Test (state assessment).

July 1993-June 1998, SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS, ANN ARBOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN

Administrative and educational leader in district of 31 school buildings housing over 15,000 students. Worked directly and collaboratively with many active parent, citizen and staff groups. Responsible for directing the development of budgets and financial programs which took into account current financial uncertainties. Among major accomplishments were the following:

• Passed $50 million bond issue in 1995 for major site, renovation and technology projects across the district.
• Developed and implemented comprehensive plan for technology, including purchase and installation of 1100 additional computers in classrooms across district and completion of infrastructure/local area networks and wide-area networks.
• Named one of the 100 finest school systems in the nation by Money magazine (January 1996).
• Developed and implemented long-range plan to refocus vision on achievement for all students, with an emphasis on narrowing the achievement gap, leading to modest but consistent gains.
• Developed and implemented new teacher evaluation process, collaborating with Education Association, based on the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.
• Reestablished and strengthened professional growth and development as a district priority, emphasizing a teacher-driven model focused on differential instruction, multiage classrooms and integrated/thematic instruction.
• Collaborated with the University of Michigan and McAuley Health Center to open a school-based health center, meeting day-to-day physical, social, and psychological needs of students and their families.

1994-1998, ADJUNCT PROFESSOR, THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN

Taught graduate-level courses, "Legal, Fiscal and Political Environments in Education," in winter semester, 1997.

1991-1993, SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS, NORTH CHICAGO COMMUNITY UNIT, DISTRICT 187, NORTH CHICAGO, ILLINOIS

General administrative operations for 4,500 students and supervision of cabinet-level staff and building principals. Major challenges included restoration of fiscal integrity, balancing the budget and alignment of curriculum and instruction. Major accomplishments implemented from 1991 to 1993 included:

• Received the National Association of Partners in Education Award for districtwide tutoring program.
• Received Governor's Homestate Award for districtwide tutoring program.
• Received 501 (c) (3) status for "Partners in Progress" Education Foundation.
• Received a McArthur Foundation Grant for Effective Schools training with school leadership teams.
• Developed and implemented a 5-year strategic plan for school improvement.
• Developed and implemented a 5-year strategic plan for community awareness.
• Developed and implemented a school restructuring plan for education and economic reasons, resulting in one school retired, two schools consolidated, configurations changed from K-8 to K-5 and middle schools, and decreased bussing.

1988-1991, DIRECTOR OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, OKLAHOMA CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA

Assisted the superintendent with general administration operations. Held specific responsibilities for daily operations for 29 elementary schools and direct supervision of principals. Coordinated districtwide programs at the cabinet level for at-risk students. Major responsibility for collaboration with educational community to unify the grading system across the district, resulting in adoption, administrative guidelines and procedures for practice, implementation, dissemination and monitoring. Major responsibility for implementation planning utilizing disaggregated test data.

1986-1988, PRINCIPAL, JOHN G. WHITTIER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA SCHOOLS, WASHINGTON, D.C.

General administrative and instructional responsibilities for 600 students in grades pre-kindergarten through six and non-graded students in special education programs including learning centers, transition programs and trainable mentally retarded program.

1984-1986, ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL, JEFFERSON JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA SCHOOLS, WASHINGTON, D.C.

Assisted the principals in general operations of this 800-student school which received two Presidential Excellence in Education Awards.

1983-1984, TEACHER/DEPARTMENT CHAIR, NEW CASTLE COUNTY SCHOOLS, NEWARK, DELAWARE

1981-1983, RESEARCH ASSISTAN/GRADUATE STUDENT, PROGRAM FOR EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY, RACE AND EX EQUITY OFFICE, THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSOCIATE/GRADUATE STUDENT, RPOGRAM IN EDUCATIONAL ADMINISTRATION AND SUPERVISION, SCHOOL OF EDUCATION, THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN

SUPERINTENDENT INTERNSHIP/GRADUATE STUDENT, CHERRY HILL SCHOOL DISTRICT, INKSTER, MICHIGAN

1972-1981, TEACHER, NEW CASTLE COUNTY SCHOOLS, NEWARK, DELAWARE

1970-1972, TEACHER, PHILADELPHIA PUBLIC SCHOOLS, PENNSYLVANIA

Current: Governor's Work Group on Accountability, Commonwealth of Virginia Commission on Educational Accountability, Research Advisory Board/Council of Great City Schools (Closing the Achievement Gap/Assessment), American Association of School Administrators, Large City School Superintendents (President), Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, Educational Research & Development Institute, National Alliance of Black School Educators, Century Club (national group, limited number of superintendents), Horace Mann League (Vice-President Elect/Board of Directors), Governor's School for the Arts Foundation Board, Tidewater Scholarship Foundation Board, Nauticus Maritime Museum Board of Directors, CIVIC Leadership Institute Board of Directors, Virginia Symphony Board Education Committee, Committee of 200+ Men.

1995-1998, Board of Directors-Ann Arbor Chamber of Commerce, University Musical Society, Ann Arbor Area 2000, Ann Arbor Public Schools Educational Foundation, Michigan Chapter of National Kidney Foundation. Member--County School-to-Work Advisory Committee, State of Michigan Commission on Professional Standards, Ann Arbor Rotary Club.

1996-1997, Board of Directors, University Bank

1994-1996, Board of Directors, Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum, American Red Cross, Washtenaw County

1993-1994, Leadership Ann Arbor participant

1993, Advisory Committee, National Center for Manufacturing Sciences MTL Program

1991-1993, Board of Directors, HealthReach, Waukegan, Illinois - Personnel committee for a community outreach clinic for the medically underserved. Board of Directors, "partners in progress," North Chicago, Illinois - Allocations committee for an education foundation and trust fund.

Alpha Phi Alpha, Sigma Pi Phi, Phi Delta Kappa

2001, Closing the Achievement Gap, Presenter, Council of Great City Schools Annual Convention, Norfolk, Virginia

1999, Tenth Annual United States-Japan Educational Symposium, Presenter, Kitakyushu, Japan

1998, The Children No Longer Can Wait, Presenter, Council of Great City Schools Annual Convention, San Francisco, California

1998, Less Funding, More Support: A Success Story in Budget Building NSBA Annual Convention, New Orleans, Louisiana

1995, Diverse Opinions, One Focus: Student Academic Success

1994, Identifying and Resolving Conflict in a Multicultural Setting,Moderator, AASA Annual Convention, San Francisco, California

1993, The Hikone/Ann Arbor Educational And Cultural Exchange Programs, International Conference on Sister City Relations, Hikone, Japan

1992, Collaboration, Public/Private Partnerships, AASA National conference of Women School Executives, Chicago, Illinois

1992, Impact Aid/Inequity of Funding for Military School Districts, United States Senate Subcommittee on Armed Forces testimony, Washington, D.C.

1991, Demystifying the Superintendency, AASA National Conference of Women School Executives, Chicago, Illinois

1991, ssues and Answers: Education 2000, DCASSP, Washington, D.C.

School Searches: Reasonable Methods, Effective Results, AASA Leadership News, January 13, 1999

Equity and Excellence, The Principals Center Newsletter, Harvard Graduate School of Education,

Winter 1988, Volume 6, Number 1.

Effective Schooling: The Relationship Between In-Service Training and Academic Achievement. Published Dissertation, the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 1983.

Music in the Therapeutic Rehabilitation of Exceptional Children, Published Thesis, West Chester University, West Chester, Pennsylvania, 1975.