‘This is where the real work is’: New Wake superintendent starts job by touring schools
New Wake County Superintendent Robert Taylor wants to send a message: you shouldn’t be surprised if you see him visiting schools and meeting firsthand with teachers, principals and students.
Taylor marked his first official day on the job on Monday by visiting several schools, including Rolesville Elementary School. Pompom-waving students greeted Taylor as he got a firsthand look at conditions in the classroom.
“This is the beginning of my journey,” Taylor said during a news conference at Rolesville Elementary. “When you guys are out looking for me, I hope most times you can find me in a school working with principals, working with teachers, understanding what we can do to serve them.”
Taylor’s job is to help the nation’s 15th largest school district while it continues to recover from pandemic learning losses. Wake is also dealing with the challenges of keeping up with student growth, staffing shortages, safety worries and fights over what books should be in libraries and what material should be taught to students.
Taylor was sworn in as superintendent on Friday. He replaces Catty Moore, who retired after five years as superintendent.
New superintendent on listening tour
Taylor has more than 30 years of education experience in North Carolina and briefly served as state superintendent in Mississippi. But none of his experience, until now, has been in the Wake County school system.
The former Bladen County superintendent and deputy state superintendent is following a 100-day entry plan that includes meeting with the community to find out what people say is working and not working.
Wake is by far the largest district that Taylor has ever led. It has more than 160,000 students, compared to the 4,000 students in Bladen County, located in southeastern North Carolina.
In particular, Taylor said he wants to hear from Wake’s teachers and principals about what he can do to help remove obstacles that may prevent them from educating students.
“I can tell you this is where the real work is,” Taylor said after touring Rolesville Elementary. “We’ve got to make sure we do everything to make the beginning of a student’s experience in public education great.”
But Taylor said he also wants to hear from critics of the district. He’s likely to get an earful on Tuesday from groups such as Moms for Liberty and the Pavement Education Project who regularly show up at school board meetings to complain about what they say are obscene books in schools promoting sexual activity and “transgenderism.”
“I can promise everybody I’m a willing listener,” Taylor said. “I want to hear what you have to say. I want to know if there’s a difference of opinion that you have and I want to consider that in every part of the work that I do.”
Being a ‘dedicated educator’ to students
Part of Taylor’s school tours on Monday included talking with students.
“All kids are the same,” Taylor said. “They’re looking for an adult who is interested in them. They’re looking for someone who believes in them.
“So when I walked through the doors this morning, that’s what I saw. Kids that were glad to be here, and I certainly saw teachers who were glad to be here working with kids.”
What children need, Taylor said, is dedicated and engaged educators.
“The only thing I’ve ever wanted to do is work with children who need someone who is dedicated to them,” Taylor said. “So whether it’s a small hamlet or the 15th largest district, I’ll do that until I can’t do it anymore.”
The longtime “Star Trek” fan wore cuff links featuring the U.S.S. Enterprise as he made the rounds on Monday.
Robert Soutter, Rolesville Elementary’s principal, said the school was thrilled to host Taylor.
“I was just super excited,” Soutter said in an interview. “My teachers have been working hard. My kids have been working hard. My families have been working hard. It’s just nice to have that recognized.”
Call for universal free school breakfasts
During the news conference, Taylor promoted the idea of expanding universal school breakfasts.
During the pandemic, the federal government waived rules to allow public schools to serve free meals to all students. The waiver ended last school year when schools resumed charging students for meals.
Out of Wake’s 198 schools, 28 provide free breakfasts to all students. Twelve schools provide both free breakfasts and lunches to all students.
Taylor said he wants to work with local and state leaders to expand free breakfasts for all students, starting in elementary schools.
Taylor compared providing free breakfasts to the expectation that students will get textbooks.
“I think as a country we want to say when a child comes to school, nutrition is not an issue,” Taylor said.
This story was originally published October 2, 2023 at 12:49 PM with the headline "‘This is where the real work is’: New Wake superintendent starts job by touring schools."
