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Lunch with the Superintendent:
A Delicious Conversation with Dr. Brenda Becker
Talking it up with Brenda about her new position in Hempfield School District and
future plans for moving forward with sensational education.
Our latest Lunch was with Dr. Brenda
Becker, Superintendent of Hempfield
School District. Brenda is a forward
thinker whose passion for life in general
and education in particular was contagious.
We met at The Press Room in downtown
Lancaster on a recent sunny Saturday
where she shared her thoughts about her
new position, her goals for the district, and
her views on education in general.
FLL: After a President takes office, there is
a commentary about the first one hundred
days in office. Tell us how you are feeling
about your first one hundred days.
BB: I hit the ground running and have
been running hard ever since. I have
been meeting with lots of stakeholders
– community members, parents,
school board members, administrators,
professional staff, and support staff – to
learn about the history and culture of the
district. Fortunately, having lived in the
district for 24 years, being a parent of two
HSD graduates, and having collaborated
with a number of administrators and
teachers from the district in the past,
I didn’t come into the position totally
unaware of the district. At this point, I am
working to learn what we are doing well
and where we face challenges and need
to do better. I have been very impressed
with the work ethic and loyalty of district
employees and equally impressed by
community members who find ways to
partner with the district.
FLL: Tell us about your future plans, both
immediate and long term for the district.
“At this point, I am working to
learn what we are doing well and
where we face challenges and
need to do better.”
BB: The immediate plans are to continue
listening and learning while ensuring we
are moving forward. The high school
has already completed the school
improvement plan that was necessary for
failure to make Adequate Yearly Progress
for all sub-groups of students and to be
proactive; all of our buildings are currently
working on school improvement plans.
This process provides a mechanism to
analyze student achievement in each
building and devise action plans to address
challenges that are faced. Another major
endeavor we are working on this year
is our strategic plan. The new process
for strategic planning coming down
from the PA Department of Education
encompasses individual plans for Chapter
Four, educational technology, induction,
professional education, and special
education. They must be integrated and
based on data. Long term plans include
looking at all of our programs to evaluate
what is working and what is not; looking
at our organizational structure, policies,
and procedures to determine how we
can become more efficient; providing for
smooth transitions as we are welcoming
new administrators and school board
members; and identifying and pursuing
creative funding streams to reduce the
burden on our taxpayers. Focusing on
student achievement and welfare are
always at the top of our list.
FLL: Hempfield encompasses a large
geographic area and therefore has a larger
than typical student population. What
unique circumstance does this present?
“Focusing on student achievement
and welfare are always at the top
of our list.”
BB: We do have a large and very diverse
student population, which both enriches
us and provides some unique challenges.
With 2400+ students in our high school,
we are working on strategies to provide a
more personal experience for each of our
students to ensure no students are “falling
between the cracks.” Our high school is
actually larger than some entire districts.
We provide a wealth of student activities
and clubs for students to get involved with
and connected to each other. Throughout
the district, many programs are held
to promote appreciation of cultural
diversity, with our number of English
language learners growing each year. We
are finding that more of our incoming
English language learners are coming with
limited to no English skills, which means
we must provide more time for these
students in English as a Second Language
(ESL) classes, translating into more staff
members. We also work to provide
consistency across our programs so that
what students know and are able to do in
one elementary school is the same as at
our other elementary buildings.
FLL: We hear all the time about school
districts losing programs and or services
due to lack of funds. Is there any such
concern for HSD?
BB: We are always concerned about
our ability to sustain our programs in the
district. Unfortunately, the state has not
managed to provide any real reform when
it comes to providing funding for public
schools across the Commonwealth. In
previous years, the state provided about
50% of the funding for public schools.
Today in Hempfield, approximately 75%
of our funding comes from local taxpayers,
with only about 25% from the state and
a very small amount from the federal
government. Many of the mandates
coming to us from both Washington and
Harrisburg do not have funding attached,
which means we must either raise taxes
on local homeowners or possibly reduce
our programs. We are trying very hard
to work on additional funding streams so
that we don’t have to put the full burden
on our local taxpayers. We are very
conscious of the fact that many of our
taxpayers are on fixed incomes, and all of
us have escalating bills due to increased
energy costs. Of course, when costs for
energy and fuel go up for homeowners,
they go up for us in the district as well.
FLL: Tell us about some of the alternative
funding initiatives.
BB: Probably best known is the
agreement the district entered into with
Market Street Sports Group to provide
naming rights to some district venues in
exchange for funding over a three year
period. In addition, we are working to
grow our catering business, and our child
nutrition department provides meals for
other educational institutions. Our print
shop completes printing jobs for school
districts and other entities. We are also
exploring some additional initiatives, but
they are not far enough along to make
public yet.
FLL: It sounds like they should change
your title from Superintendent to Chief
Executive Officer!
BB: That isn’t too far from reality.
Running a school district today means
you have to be able to handle employee
relations and negotiations; construction
projects, facilities, and maintenance;
compliance issues with both Harrisburg
and Washington; public relations;
politics; budgets, grants, taxes, and
innovative financing; athletics and fine
arts; community partnerships; certification
issues; transportation; safety and security;
professional development; instructional
and operational technology; health and
wellness initiatives; and a little weather
forecasting. This is all in addition to our
primary job of ensuring a quality education
to each and every one of our students.
Unfortunately, fewer and fewer people
are seeking administrative positions in
education, which makes me concerned
about the future of public education.
Thankfully, I love my job, and I have a very
supportive husband who doesn’t get to
see me very often.
FLL: Speaking of your husband, tell us a
little bit about your background and family.
BB: I am the oldest of five children
who grew up in the city of Lancaster. It
is because of the excellent education I
received and the outstanding teachers
I had in the School District of Lancaster
that I decided to go into education. My
father was a high school dropout, and my
mother was the only one of six children
who graduated from high school. I did
not come from an educated family, but
my parents always instilled in all of us
the importance of education. Another
lesson imparted to all of us was that
whatever path we chose to pursue, we
needed to give it our all. I lost my father
this past spring, and I still have so much
I wanted to share with him. My mother,
sister, one brother, and step-daughter
live in the district. One brother lives in
Elizabethtown, and the youngest brother
is in Boston. I have two children who
are both Hempfield graduates. My son
is working in the restaurant industry
in Charlotte, NC, and my daughter is
married and living in Elizabethtown. She
is still performing at Ephrata Performing
Arts Center after receiving some terrific
training in theatre and music at Hempfield.
I’ve had a number of nieces and nephews
graduate from Hempfield, as well and
still have one niece at Centerville Middle
School and a grandson at Hempfield High
School.
FLL: It seems as if you were fated for this
position, and it certainly sounds like the
district is in sound and caring hands. As we
wrap up, is there anything that we have
not covered that you would like to share
with our readers?
Trend-setting
~ Apparel & Accessories
~ Fine Toiletries
~ Exquisite Candles
~ Greeting Cards
BB: The challenges faced by today’s public
schools are a far cry from the experiences
I had during my public education as a
student. Because most people have
experience in schools, they believe they
understand what we deal with on a day to
day and year to year basis. Ten years ago
their assumptions may have been correct,
but the scenario today is far different.
Schools become a microcosm and reflect
what is happening in the overall society.
Today we must be concerned about
everything from suicide to obesity, from
armed intruders to gangs and significant
physical and emotional challenges of our
students. Overall, I believe the district
and community are blessed to have so
many caring individuals who go above and
beyond on a regular basis to benefit our
students and community.
We work very hard to earn the trust of
our parents and guardians in the way that
we safeguard and educate their children.
Although I believe we do many things well,
there are always areas in which we can
and are intent to improve. Most important
is the need for productive communication
among stakeholders. I welcome parent
and community collaboration so that we
can be an effective and vital contributor to
the greater Hempfield community. As for
priorities, for me it is still all about the kids.
FLL: It certainly sounds like HSD will
be meeting those challenges with
enthusiasm with you leading the way.
Thank you for your time and for having
lunch with us today.
BB: My pleasure!
In store fashion show –
First Friday December 7th
“As for priorities, for me it is still
all about the kids.” 21 West King Street • Lancaster • 390-2868
M-Th: 10-5, F-S: 9-5, First Fridays till 8
FLL