West Des Moines Superintendent Gets High Marks for Communicating

Part 1 of 2.

When Peter Ansingh, 57, interviewed for the job of West Des Moines schools superintendent, he realized the toughest challenge he would face: an increasing number of students from poor families and diverse ethnic backgrounds at a time when school districts receive less state money.

Ansingh succeeded Tom Narak as West Des Moines schools superintendent on July 1.

“The number of kids who are coming to our schools for whom English is not their primary language and the number of kids coming from homes of poverty – those numbers are increasing,” Ansingh said. “That would imply that we would have to do things a little differently in terms of how we teach.”

About 9.8 percent of West Des Moines’ students in 2001 received a free or reduced-price lunch, according to information from the district. That number has increased to 26.4 percent for the current school year. The district’s enrollment is about 9,136 students this year.

District data also showed that 6.45 percent of its students were learning English during the 2010-11 school year, the most recent year for which data are available. That is an increase from 1.76 percent for the 2000-01 school year, and 3.3 percent in 2005-06.

Parent John Norwood said Ansingh was receptive to what he had to say when the two met last month to discuss Norwood’s concerns, including the increasing number of schools placed on the “Schools in Need of Assistance” list of schools lagging in the federal No Child Left Behind act’s achievement objectives.

“I found him very approachable and personable and excited about working here in West Des Moines,” said Norwood.

The district has nine schools on the 2011 Schools in Need of Assistance list, all cited for students’ proficiency in math and reading. There were eight schools on the list in 2010, six in 2009, and three on the list in both 2008 and 2007.

Ansingh said the district must provide extra academic assistance as students transition from grade level to grade level, especially during the jump from elementary to junior high school.

“We’re going to continue to push the kids who are capable and able, and at the same time, lift up these kids for whom English isn’t their first language,” he said.

Summer school and after-school programs could be used to give struggling students extra help. As for how the district will pay for these extra things during a time of state budget cuts: “I don’t have an answer for that,” Ansingh said.

Ansingh came to West Des Moines from the West Valley School District in Yakima, Wash., where he had been superintendent for 20 years. The district has about 5,000 students.

He was born in the Netherlands and grew up in the Seattle area. He’s been either a teacher or administrator in public schools for 32 years; 30 of those years have been as a superintendent.

Tomorrow: Tammy Cline, a member of the superintendent selection committee, wrote “hire this guy” on her notes after Peter Ansingh was hired for West Des Moines Community Schools’ top job.