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The Superintendent's Corner

Thomas R. Murphy
Superintendent, Federal Way Public Schools

At 6' 5", Tom Murphy stands out wherever he goes. But, as superintendent of Federal Way Public Schools (FWPS), it is his passion, vision and dedication to education in the district that really put him head and shoulders above everyone else.

"The glory of our profession is that we get to work with children every day — children who come to us from very complicated environments," he told teachers in September 2007. "We'll never really know the factors informing the life experiences of our students, or even of our co-workers. But what we do know is that each day is a new opportunity to make a difference, to create an atmosphere of success for all kids, and to establish a pattern of respect for self and others."

Supt. Murphy believes that in education, "All Truly Means All;" that all children in Federal Way schools deserve equal access to a quality education that prepares them for productive, meaningful lives. His steadfast resolve has inspired teachers, staff, parents and the community to work together to maximize each student's growth. These efforts have put FWPS ahead of the curve in work to close the achievement gap and increase student success.

Murphy has served as superintendent of FWPS since 1999. Under his leadership, the district has undergone a metamorphosis and has been rated one of 10 "top performing schools" in the state by Seattle Pacific University's Washington School Research Center.

Even before the federal No Child Left Behind regulations went into effect, Supt. Murphy began asking for breakouts of Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL) scores by ethnicity, sex and income. Based on those results, Murphy established the office of Equity and Achievement. The work of this office has created changes in how the community as a whole views the mission of public education.

"We do not decide who is worthy of our best efforts, who is worthy of our 'Art' and 'Science,'" Superintendent Murphy told teachers in one of his regular weekly messages. "We do not make judgements about our students' abilities to learn based on their ethnicity, their socio-economic status, their family or their lack of family. We do not withhold our best efforts from some students while bestowing them on others. We have chosen public education because of the diversity and challenge, not in spite of it."

One of Tom Murphy's standout skills is his ability to bring people together and create consensus. He has earned the respect and support of the FWPS Board of Directors and the staff, teachers and families in the district and beyond. In 2007, he received the  "Reaching the Whole Child Award" for educators in recognition of his work creating and shaping a district that educates the whole child. The Washington State Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development presents this award annually to one educator on the east side of the state and one educator on the west side.

Challenges and Opportunities
With a total 2007 enrollment of 22,187 students, the third highest in the Puget Sound region, the district faces particular challenges. The community and the students in our schools have steadily become more diverse and more needy. More than 11 percent of the students are English Language Learners; students and their families speak 105 different languages. Nearly 13 percent qualify for Special Education. Over half are non-white. Nearly half qualify for free or reduced lunches, up from less than 30 percent in 2001. Yet, state funding per pupil is significantly lower than most districts for Federal Way schools — 19th out of 27 regional districts.

Despite these challenges, Supt. Murphy has led FWPS to make great strides in improving student achievement. Initiatives such as GEAR-UP, Latino Night School, Summer Bridge/Summer PASS Program and the English Language Learner (ELL) Program, many more have put the district well down the path toward make academic success a reality for all students. He has been backed by the Board of Directors and supported by the teachers and other staff in instituting these new programs.

A targeted, multi-year focus on literacy has allowed more students to be successful in reading and writing. A similar focus on math includes a new curriculum and instructional techniques to teach essential skills. On the 2006 Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL), nearly 81 percent of the district's fourth-grade students and 73 percent of seventh-grade students met or exceeded the state's reading standard. More remarkably, 87 percent of 10th grade students met or exceeded the state standard in reading and writing.

As an award-winning district and with several award-winning schools, FWPS has expanded the academic enrichment programs offered to challenge and enrich student education. For example, the district is the only west-coast site of the Cambridge Program, which offers students the opportunity to earn the Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE). In 2008, the Technology Access Foundation will open the TAF Academy on a FWPS campus. The academy focuses on encouraging girls and minorities to study science and math.

The Future Is Bright
Supt. Murphy continues seek new ways for FWPS to meet the needs of all students by asking, "How do we take advantage of the gifts and talents brought to us by each child to maximize his or her learning? I believe this is one of those questions that has no right to go away."

The district has adopted Murphy's  "All Means All" philosophy as the strategic foundation for all initiatives. FWPS seeks to do more than just ensure that no child is left behind. With Tom Murphy at the helm, this district is looking forward and working to create personal success for every student now and in the future.

Background
Tom Murphy began his career teaching English in the classroom, moving on to work as school principal for several years. From 1988 to 1999, he was assistant superintendent of FWPS and then was selected as superintendent. Supt. Murphy earned a Master's of Science degree in secondary administration from Northern Illinois University and a Bachelor of Arts degree with an emphasis on language arts from Lewis University in Lockport, Illinois.

He and his wife, Rosemary, have been married for more than 38 years and have four adult children and four grandchildren.

You can e-mail the Superintendent at tmurphy@fwps.org.

Superintendent Murphy has recently been presented the 2007 Washington State Association Of Supervision And Curriculum Development (WASCD) “Educating The Whole Child” Leadership Award.