Home in Henderson spoke to Dr. William Bowers, the recently appointed Special Assistant to the Superintendent for Vance County Schools.
Bowers began his career in Vance County Schools as an assistant principal at Eaton-Johnson Middle School in 2004. He became principal of E.M. Rollins Elementary School that same year.
An interview detailing his prior experience as an educator may be viewed here.
Home in Henderson spoke to Bowers in his office at the Vance County Schools Administrative Services Center on Graham Avenue.
Home in Henderson: What exactly does the Special Assistant to the Superindendent do?
Bowers: Whatever the superindendent tells me. That’s honestly what it is. His job requires so much of the political, dealing with the principals, dealing with the community, that a lot of time the everyday [paperwork] business ties him down so he can’t get the stuff done that needs to get done. I clean paperwork up.
Home in Henderson: Can you give a specific example?
Bowers: Reporting, dissemination of information to the state. I give information to the directors, get it back, and report it to the superindendent and, in some cases, the Board of Education. It frees up the superintendent having to do that.
You can’t imagine the mail that comes across his desk in one day. 70% of this job is dealing with correspondence, dissemination and gathering of information. And I thought I had a lot of paperwork as a principal.
Home in Henderson: What do you miss most about your former role as principal at E.M. Rollins?
Bowers: The kids and the teachers. I miss the interaction and knowing all the kids and all the teachers personally. That’s tough, real tough. I miss the parents too.
Home in Henderson: What do you see as the priorities for Vance County Schools at this time?
Bowers: Naturally, helping the students. The biggest priority is developing a relationship between the schools and the community. To me, that is the number one issue. It was my number one issue as a principal, and it is at the administrative services level. It’s getting people to understand what we’re truly about and what we’re trying to do, and that’s educate the kids.
Home in Henderson: Is there anything specific on the horizon to bring that about?
Bowers: Everything we do is trying to bring it about. Overcoming the perceptions of past years is very difficult. I don’t think everyone knows where we have come with the elementary and middle schools, and where we’re going with the high schools.
The school cannot raise these children by themselves. It’s a matter of getting everyone on board. It’s just a matter of educating everybody.
Home in Henderson: Where do you see Vance County Schools in five years, or in ten years?
Bowers: I’m going to go out on a limb here. I think that over the next three to five years you’ll continue to see the growth in the elementary and middle schools, and there is going to be a dramatic change in the high schools, not only in the production of the students, but also a transformation of how we do business in high school. We have some things on the burner that will really make a difference.
Home in Henderson: Many link economic growth in the county to success in the schools. Do you believe the schools delimit prosperity?
Bowers: No. I’ll put it this way. Schools are a way out of unemployment. It is the one way out when you think there’s no way out. If we can get everybody to understand that education is the only way to get out of [poverty], then it will come.
There have been too many success stories, even in Henderson, to be overlooked. The ones that never make it, and the ones who don’t want to, that’s what we thrive on. We need to look towards the success. I think the schools are the answer and will always be the answer, but they need support.
Home in Henderson: Do you think the community is adversarial towards the schools?
Bowers: I don’t think nearly as many people are as what the perception shows. I there there’s a few, but they don’t know everything that’s going on and they’re not involved enough to understand what everything’s about.
Once you get involved in the schools and know you can help, it’s amazing what can get done. An example of that is what’s going on with the business partners right now. It’s amazing what can be done when people help. I think the overall population is very supportive. In most cases, they’re [unsupportive] because of something they’ve heard.
Home in Henderson: What’s the single greatest challenge facing Vance County Schools at this time? What’s the next big hurdle?
Bowers: Getting all of our students to where they are above reproach in the ABC’s and AYP. I say that for this reason: we know our schools are outstanding, but because of the way it’s reported, we need to strive hard so that as people look at us there is nothing to question. That bar goes up every couple of years.
Another [challenge] is to accomodate all Vance County children with top quality structures. The ones that we have are remarkable to be in the shape they’re in for being 40, 50, 80 years old.
We’re crowded. We need new schools. That’s a great challenge, too.