Calloway wants focus on achievement

Music helps Steve Calloway unwind and escape from stress. He likes to listen to smooth jazz and cites Bruce Hornsby and Bonnie Raitt as some of his favorite artists to listen to in the car or at home working on his computer.

“It’s kind of down time for my brain,” Calloway said.

The man stays busy. Calloway is involved in several community groups, most of which have to do with Columbia’s public schools, in addition to his job as manager of pharmacy services at University Hospital.

Now, Calloway is running for one of two open seats on the Columbia School Board. The election is April 4.

Politics and education have been in Calloway’s family for generations. His grandmother was active in politics in his hometown of St. Louis and ran for councilwoman there. Calloway said both she and his grandfather were active members of their Catholic church and very “civic-minded.”

“I spent enough time with them both that they left an impression on me,” he said.

His parents decided on Catholic school for their son. “There was a lot of concern about being in the public schools,” Calloway said. “I was fortunate (private education) was an option for us.”

Though he never attended public schools himself, Calloway did not hesitate to put his children in public education once he started looking at the Columbia Public School District. He and his wife, Iris, moved to Columbia in 1978. After their older son, Michael, was born in 1980, they started looking at the public school system.

Both Michael and younger brother Jeremy attended Russell Boulevard Elementary School and continued in the district through high school. Michael graduated from Hickman High School, and Jeremy graduated from Rock Bridge High School.

While his children were in school, Calloway started to get involved in organizations to aid them and other students in their education. In 1999, he formed Columbia Parents for Public Schools with other concerned parents. The organization is a chapter of the national organization Parents for Public Schools. Calloway is now president of the organization, the main goal of which is educational reform centering on parental involvement.

Sarah Read, vice president and a co-founder of CPPS, said Calloway is a good listener and has a genuine interest in getting input from a range of people.

“I think he has already shown an ability to work through issues in a manner that incorporates many different points of view,” she said.

Calloway said that if he were elected to the board, he would probably step down from his position in CPPS. He said he would still attend the meetings and watch its progression closely.

“Parents for Public Schools has a lot of potential to continue as an important voice in the district for parents,” he said.

Tracy Holmquest, the organization’s treasurer, has known Calloway for two years. “I would be sorry to see him leave our group,” Holmquest said, “but I’m sure he’ll do well wherever he goes.”

Calloway is also the co-chair of the district’s Achievement Gap Task Force, which focuses on keeping the district aware of achievement gaps among students and trying to close them. He said that as a board member, he would work to bring greater attention to student achievement.

“Hopefully I can bring a little more visibility to that,” he said, adding that the board could use parents as a “secret weapon” in maximizing student achievement.

Calloway attributes his success in all of his community work to the support of his wife. Iris Calloway said Steve’s role in the lives of their sons has given him the experience necessary to help other students.

“He was always the advocate for them,” she said. “He’s a thinker and very compassionate.”

ANSWERS TO THREE QUESTIONS

Q: District records show there is a significant achievement gap between white and black students. What would you do to fix this?

A: District efforts focusing on literacy must be continued and concentrated on students identified in each school building. We need to learn and adapt best practices from those schools that have been most successful. Parental involvement is critical; creative ways to actively and effectively engage the parents of our “at promise” students must be encouraged. The district must reach out to and collaborate with the community (churches, after-school programs, etc.) to focus on student achievement.

Q: What would you do to address the district’s dropout rate, which is above the state average?

A: By looking at the profiles of students that drop out, we should be able to identify students at risk for leaving school. Teachers, counselors and parents should be part of an early intervention team, focused on keeping the student in school. The district, conceivably through the Career Center, should develop options for courses that teach practical skills, and for which the student can receive high school credit. Extracurricular activities also help keep students involved in the process of education.

Q: How do you plan to ensure quality education in the face of declining state funding and declining district reserves?

A: I support investing in those things at the classroom level that have been shown to be most effective in increasing student achievement; to name some: experienced, highly proficient teachers, supported by professional development (and adequate compensation), rigorous curriculum and high expectations for all students. We must figure out what’s working and what’s not, which requires the use of data. I would be comfortable asking the voters for a tax increase only after the district has done a credible job of reducing expenses by streamlining processes and eliminating waste. To help fund innovation, investing in additional grant-writing resources may bring dividends.