Manchester school board chairman talks about progress and goals for the new school year and his role as the board’s first African American leader

Board of education Chairman Darryl E. Thames Sr. said he is looking forward to the start of the new school year on Sept. 3, especially students’ arrival at the newly renovated and expanded Verplanck Elementary School.

“I am anxious to see their facial expressions on opening day!” Thames said.

The town’s first African American school board chairman also acknowledged in a recent interview that much hard work lies ahead to boost academic performance and close the achievement gap between white and minority students and between students from low- and higher-income families. Diversity in the district workforce and leadership positions also is important, Thames said, but he added, “My approach to this position is to elevate, with equity, education for all children, regardless of race, political affiliations or socioeconomic status.”

The father of four filled a vacancy on the board in 2012 and won elections in 2013 and 2017. In 2018, Thames was chosen as chairman. He is a grandfather of six children, two of whom, ages 8 and 13, live with him and his wife and attend local schools. Thames, 56, has worked as a grants administrator for Danbury and Hartford schools, among other positions. The Hartford native graduated from Weaver High School and from Howard University in Washington, D.C., where he majored in political science.

Following are questions and the board chairman’s answers, edited for length:

Q: Based on test scores, Manchester schools have been on the lowest tier of districts statewide for years. Is the district emerging from this position? What are the bright spots and areas that need more attention?

A: We continue to work to improve student achievement. Our internal data — percentage of students reading at or above grade level in kindergarten to eighth grade, 73 percent, and percentage of students hitting math fact fluency benchmarks by grade level, 65 percent — continue to improve. We also have seen the high school graduation rate remain around 90 percent, and the percentage of students at or above the state average on the SAT math section has increased from 26.4 to 42.2 percent over the past three years.

Areas where we want to see improvement include grades 3-8 scores on the Smarter Balanced assessment, which are flat over the past four years, and percentage of students who are chronically absent, which improved slightly last year — down 2 percent to 17 percent.

It is extremely important to make sure that students are prepared for learning and work beyond school, and while test scores are important, other experiences, including ability to earn college credits at Manchester High School, internships, independent projects and experiential learning opportunities, also are important and becoming more available at the high school.

Q: The achievement gap persists. How will the district gain ground in this area?

A: Again there are signs in the internal data that students of color, students with disabilities, students who are eligible for free or reduced lunch and English learners are closing the gap, but we have a long way to go.

One reason why we engaged in the Equity Informed School Climate Assessment was to capture the experiences of traditionally marginalized groups. While there is explicit work to be done to intervene academically where students are struggling, the focus this year is on providing professional development on culturally responsive teaching for educators while also engaging all members of our staff in open honest conversations about race and culture.

The causes behind the achievement gap — perceptions, bias, stereotypes, low expectations — are things that need to be addressed through listening and learning with an open mind and a sense of self awareness. Each school has an equity team and a plan that outlines what staff learning in the area of equity will look like this year. The board of education has added four half-days of professional development that will focus on equity, and professional development at the beginning of the year will include presentations from national experts in race, culture and equity.

Q: What is the significance of your race in leading the district? Do you hope to serve as a model and mentor to African American and other minority students?

A: I am the first African American to serve as chairman of Manchester public schools and currently the only nonwhite person on the board. I believe that diversity is powerful at all levels of government and to the makeup of city and school district employees. As the demographics in Manchester continue to evolve to a more diverse community, we must be able to understand, or at the very least, have some awareness of cultural norms and differences.

I see my race as beneficial to all students in Manchester. Black men, in particular, often are portrayed by the media in the most negative of circumstances. The propaganda is dangerous because it forms and solidifies the opinion of many as it pertains to traits such as character, integrity, intelligence and diligence. This often negative imagery is dangerous because the perception becomes the reality for many, and it is important to have positive images to provide a more realistic and balanced account of African Americans.

So yes, it is great for members of the diverse community to see me and others in positions of leadership. I serve as a role model and as an example of unlimited possibilities. It is also equally important for white students because my leadership refutes the often tainted and myopic imagery.

Q: Please name three priorities for the 2019-20 school year.

A: My priorities are to increase academic proficiency for all students, decrease the achievement gap and continue to focus on diversifying the workforce so that it reflects the rich diversity of the community. Completing the renovation projects (ongoing, voter-approved school renovations and expansions) also are a priority as we move forward.

Jesse Leavenworth can be reached at jleavenworth@courant.com