When Dr. Wilfredo T. Laboy became superintendent of schools in 2000, Lawrence Public Schools was in desperate need of a strong leader. Lawrence High School had lost its New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) accreditation, 70 percent of students failed to meet state benchmarks, and morale was at an all-time low.

When Dr. Laboy set out to reform the school system and boost student achievement, he didn't disappoint the district. Students have made dramatic gains during Dr. Laboy's tenure. For his leadership, he has received the Tech Savvy Superintendent’s Award by eSchool News and the SUPERintendent of the Year Award by the New England League of Middle Schools. In 2005, Dr. Laboy was elected president of the Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendent (ALAS), a national organization that represents Latino administrators, superintendents, and Hispanic Serving School Districts (HSSD).

Beyond the Book recently had the opportunity to speak with Dr. Laboy about his leadership perspective.

BTB: You're known for saying, "First, I am a teacher." Why is it so important to you to reiterate that fact?

WL: I am a Latino from the Carribean. When I first moved to New York City and enrolled in New York City Public Schools, I had trouble getting acclimated. At that time, it wasn't mandated that every child have access to the general curriculum. I was struggling with English, and was immediately—and incorrectly—labeled as learning disabled. They banished kids like me to the school basement to learn. It was heartbreaking.

Thankfully, a teacher—an angel, really—recognized that I was bright, and just needed extra help acquiring the language. Her encouragement and belief in my abilities brought me out of the basement and back into the mainstream where I belonged. She played a pivotal role in my life.

I served in many capacities in New York City Public Schools—central office administrator, headmaster, assistant principal in charge, child advocate, assistant superintendent—and teaching is at the heart of it all. I have always been in awe of teachers. I call myself a teacher because teachers make a difference.

BTB: You spent most of your life in New York City. What prompted your move to Lawrence Public Schools?

WL: Massachusetts had poured millions of dollars into the Lawrence Public Schools, and students were still underachieving. Lawrence High School had lost its accreditation from NEASC in 1998, making it the only school in New England to bear such a burden. Assessment results were painful. Just 8 percent of middle-schoolers passed the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS).

While I was considering the job offer, I had lunch with the Massachusetts school commissioner—a die-hard Red Sox fan—overlooking the famed Citgo sign at Fenway Park. He knew I was a great Yankees fan, and the Yankees had a long history of winning. He said, "You know how to win, don't you? Lawrence students don't know how to win. They need a winner." I knew I had to be a champion for those students.

BTB: You launched an aggressive Year of Literacy initiative right off the bat. How did you get teachers to support the effort?

WL: Fundamentally, I believe most children have the ability to read, write, speak, and listen well. So I declared a Year of Literacy, and made every teacher a teacher of literacy. We started to build a print-rich environment for students and teachers, streamlined curriculum for coherency, and created a comprehensive literacy block.

We established clear expectations for literacy instruction, and required principals and assistant principals to conduct walkthroughs every day to make sure that these expectations were met. As the instructional leader of the system, I developed walkthrough protocols, observed teachers, and provided ongoing feedback to the principals.

We became entirely focused on data. We collected both implementation and achievement data regularly, and shared the data districtwide. We were constantly asking ourselves how we were doing, and adjusted our daily instructional practices, interventions, and efforts accordingly. We saw a big boost right away—our scores were so low we could only go up, but it was encouraging.

I inherited a group of skilled teachers who were disheartened and disenchanted. There were a lot of good people doing good work, but they were very discouraged. I needed to pick them up, dust the dirt off their shoulders, and inspire them to embrace a new beginning. I didn't bring in my own staff or consultants. There's a tendency among superintendents to undo everything that’s been done in a district. I think you're more effective moving carefully and deliberately, and addressing the systems that are disjointed or broken. It's imperative to strike a balance. You have to have a sense of urgency—there is no time to waste when you're educating a child—but you have to move cautiously. Don't be a bull in a china shop.

BTB: You've accomplished a lot during your tenure as superintendent. You've realigned resources to support standards-based work in all schools, restructured the ELL program, and dramatically boosted MCAS scores, to name a few. What are you most proud of?

WL: When I assumed my position, the average tenure of an urban superintendent nationally was two years, and the district had hired and fired six superintendents in five years. I am most proud that I am still here, seven years later, and that our district is continually making great gains. Reading and math MCAS scores have improved in all grades. Lawrence High School regained its NEASC accreditation in 2004. We're now in the process of converting our high school into six small thematic schools on twenty-five acres. It's being transformed into a state-of-the-art high school campus for $110 million. We're investing in Lawrence's promising students, and preparing them for college.

I am truly passionate about my work. Some thought I would burn out at this pace, and they were worried about me keeping my job. I told them if I wanted to keep a job, I would have stayed in New York City. I came here to do a job. I am proud that I've been able to reorganize the school system, build consensus, and develop intestinal fortitude within the district to get this important job done.

BTB: What qualities does an effective superintendent possess?

WL: Being a superintendent is not a job for the lighthearted. It’s not a Monday through Friday job; it's a 24/7 job.

As a public servant, you're subject to public praise and criticism; you're constantly being evaluated. You have to have a strong sense of self. Your life is measured by the example that you give. You have to have a calling for this work.

BTB: I hear you're an avid reader. Do you have any book recommendations that will inspire your fellow leaders and educators?

WL: I am a voracious reader, and have been inspired by many books. The teacher can also be the student. I recommend Michael Fullan's Turnaround Leadership and Leading in a Culture of Change; Moral Leadership by Thomas J. Sergiovanni; The Learning Leader by Douglas B. Reeves; The Principal as Staff Developer by Richard P. DuFour; and Shaping School Cultures by Terrence E. Deal and Kent D. Peterson.

I also enjoy Leo F. Buscaglia's work, including: Personhood: The Art of Being Fully Human; Bus 9 to Paradise; Papa, My Father; Living, Loving, and Learning; and Way of the Bull.

In the continuation of this interview, Dr. Laboy will share his Seven Essential Principles of School Transformation and comment on his leadership role with ALAS.