Michigan Chronicle to Moderate Meeting

Schools chief Connie Calloway

She's listening

She's in charge of our state's largest school district and as such affects the future employee pool for thousands of metro Detroit businesses.

Dr. Connie Calloway, superintendent of Detroit Public Schools, has kept a low profile in the few months that she has been on the job, using that time to listen to what students, parents, business executives, educators and others across the community have to say about her district, which at last count had about 105,000 students and 202 schools and centers.

The district has more than 17,000 employees as well.

She's heard about the incredible challenges Detroit Public Schools faces from declining enrollment, to closing of schools, to concerns about past mismanagement of the district, to loftier issues such as how to best prepare students for the competitive global marketplace.

In response to this input, she'll address the public in her first official forum from 6 to 9 p.m. Tuesday at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History in Detroit.

The event is open to the public, but seating is limited. Call 313-873-4542 for a reservation.

Michigan Chronicle Senior Editor Bankole Thompson, who has written many articles about DPS, will serve as moderator.

The newspaper is sponsoring the event, which will include audience questions.

"I go to all the board meetings and they are often disrupted," says Thompson. "We think this forum will provide her an opportunity to give her report of the district and how things are going."

Speaking of DPS and its voice in the community, Steve Wasko has been hired as executive director of public relations for the Detroit Public Schools.

Wasko, a communications veteran of various educational systems, will serve as a primary spokesman for Calloway and the district. He started Monday.

Wasko previously served as assistant superintendent for community relations for the West Bloomfield School District, public information associate for the Detroit Board of Education, and director of news and information at University of Michigan-Dearborn.

CAROL CAIN writes about business and politics on Sundays in the Free Press. She hosts "Michigan Matters" on Channel 62 at 11 a.m. Saturdays and on Channel 50 at 11:30 a.m. Sundays. She can be reached at 313-222-6732 or clcain@cbs.com.