The Norman Transcript
Joe Siano is a suit-clad superintendent who accessorizes with fourth-grade teacher lenses.
Yes, he’s the Norman Public Schools superintendent, but, to him, he’s a teacher first.
And that’s how he put it 10 years ago this month when he took the hot seat in the interview chair in front of Norman’s board of education to fill the district’s vacant superintendent post.
“When we first met Dr. Siano, I will never ever forget. Our first question was always ‘tell us something about yourself,’” said board member Linda Sexton, who sat on the board that elected Siano 10 years ago. “He said, ‘First off, I’m a teacher.’ I thought, man, he couldn’t have gotten off to a better start.”
It’s this permanent fourth-grade teacher perspective that made the board’s selection unanimous and, today still warrants members’ unsolicited praise. Sexton’s even pinned him his own category as a “Joe Siano kind of guy.”
“He’s just a really, really top of the line person ... Do I sound like a fan? A groupie?” Sexton said after rattling off a string of compliments toward Siano.
Sexton isn’t the only friend in Siano’s fan club. Board member Dan Snell, who also served on the board that elected Siano, said his teacher-first mantra made the members’ selection — which wavered back and forth prior to Siano’s interview — unanimous.
For Snell, however, a “yes” vote wasn’t promised until Siano eased through a lunch at Legend’s Restaurant with Snell’s then second-grade daughter and her friend.
“Picking a board member is always a squirrely issue,” Snell said. “That was my final test.”
Despite Siano’s long running with the district (Oklahoma City has had five superintendents in the last 10 years), Siano’s progressive, hands-on style initially clashed with several board members.
Unlike previous superintendents, Siano isn’t a homegrown Normanite and, many times, his methods weren’t kosher against the district’s unspoken protocol.
“He didn’t have that exact culture we’d gotten used to,” said Sexton, who, having served on the board for almost 21 years, dubbed herself the grandmother of the district. “It was a little bit ripply at times ... I was one of the ones that was ticked off with him sometimes, and I had to get over it. Because, you know what? He was right.”
Fast forward 10 years later in the Siano era, where, despite the district’s altering socioeconomic demographics — doubling the number of students on free and reduced lunches from 20 to 42 percent — academic scores have risen.
“I’m not very patient. So when I see things and I find a problem brought by staff, I want to find a way to do it now, not get it done in three or four years,” Siano said. “Because [kids] don’t wait. They keep moving through the system.”
Since Siano’s undertaking, the district has also implemented a four-year-old and all-day kindergarten programs five years ahead of a state mandate.
“I’m a big believer in foundations. Strong houses are built on good foundations,” Siano said.
And in December 2009, it passed its largest bond issue of $110 million.
The capital investment will help accommodate the growing district — whose budge, which can’t be revived with tax dollars, has been slashed 10 percent in state funds for next year. The district plans to open a new elementary school in 2012 with this money.
It makes it almost easy for Siano to forget the bond issue that failed — receiving only 59.5 percent of the vote, instead of 60 percent — during his second year.
“You take a step back then and you look at what is we didn’t do to communicate,” Siano said. “It gave us an opportunity to look at that and look at the process, and I think we’ve had a better process since then.”
Sexton hasn’t forgotten either, recalling that she was at a Norman North High School versus Norman High School basketball game, sitting behind Siano when he received a phone call breaking the news.
“And I mean, the man goes cold. The man goes white,” she said leaning forward. “He just lost all animation ... I think he thought we’d fire him, or something.”
Instead the district vamped its system, passing eight bond issues since.
And when Siano’s name was on the table for Oklahoma City’s superintendent position last year, Sexton and Snell held their breathes.
“And we’re sure glad it didn’t work out that way because we want him here, making a difference for our kids,” Sexton said.
