Debra Fields is entering her 30th year in education and starting a new chapter in the process.

Fields, who graduated from Ardmore High School and has spent her educational career in the Ardmore City Schools District, has been given the task of bringing stability and improving educational results at Charles Evans Elementary.

The campus, which houses the district’s first and second grade students, has been a revolving door for principals in the past couple of years and has been under the spotlight over the summer.

Fields began her career in early education and has extensive experience as a reading and instructional coach for the district. Given her leadership qualities and her background, Superintendent Andy Davis felt she was the ideal candidate for Charles Evans.

“I have always worked with people and led people,” she said. “I think the biggest difference for me now is being able to focus on one building. Since I left the classroom, I have worked throughout the district. Everything I have done, in leadership, every training I have done, was set up for the district.

“So now, for me, it is different, it is not as hard because I can just focus on one building.”

Fields said she is leaning heavily into training teachers to teach reading. The only difference from her previous role is that she is able to focus on one building.

“I believe in order for the kids to learn, to change the results, to get the results for student learning, we have to teach the teachers,” she said.

Ardmore and other districts across the state and nation lost a wealth of experienced teachers during Covid and the pipeline from college does not pour out teachers like it used to. That places more of an emphasis on bridging the gap with the teachers that are in place.

That also includes making sure resources are in place for Fields to succeed.

Leading into the year, Fields said she sat down with Assistant Principal Rebecca Vaughn, and they discussed their strengths, weaknesses and talked about resources they can call on and get help.

“I don’t have a problem with calling someone and asking, ‘What do I do with this,’” she said.

Fields also looks for resources that will give the teaching staff the best chance to succeed. One thing that she wants to do is have personnel come in from the state department to help with training teachers.

“Our training for our teachers is ongoing,” she said. “Classroom management, how to teach kids to read. You can’t get results for students if you don’t take care of the teachers and train them.”

Fields said she is also working to build relationships with her staff. She knew many of the teachers in her instructional role and would serve as a mentor. Fields said the staff has been through a lot of changes in the last couple of years. Now, there are sessions during which teachers can talk to her and be open.

“I think when we had Covid, we took care of the kids, but we didn’t take care of the teachers,” she said.

Now, that care can be something as simple as sitting in for a teacher for 15 to 30 minutes for a little break.

“I am having fun,” she said.

On the right track

When she was considering taking the job, Fields said that she spoke with people in the community and former educators, who told her the drama surrounding Charles Evans was killing the community. She was also told that something had to be done. And while she felt sure she could do the job, she was not sure about taking it on.

In a way, that decision to take the job was validated last week.

Fields said she felt she could but was not sure about taking the job on. The decision to take the job was validated last week during a trip to Oklahoma City to meet with educators in that district. Fields said Davis had arranged for site principals to meet with Oklahoma City school district leaders who had led a campus turnaround.

“There was only one thing they said that Rebecca and I didn’t already have on our plan,” she said. “I was literally in tears. I was like, man we can really do this if we keep people first. We get the results we need from students if you take care of the teachers. She kept saying that over and over.”

Fields said she took five pages of notes, and they were told how a school improved its state grade from an F to a B.

“They just schooled us, gave us information and walked us through some things,” she said. “And so, the things we learned under PLC (Primary Learning Focus) and under MTSS (Multi-Tiered Systems of Support) for the state department, they put the how in it.

“I have all this information. I know how to teach reading, but they showed us how to teach people.”

The experience left Fields with no doubt that she would be successful at Charles Evans.

“I said I am on my 30th year in education, this is my first year in this position, but now, I know I can do it,” she said. “There was no doubt. It is not cocky, but now I have a map now.”

Fields said it will take a group effort with everyone pulling together.

“And we are a team,” she said. “We take care of each other, we got each other’s back. We are going to make it happen together, but we have to take care of one another.”

Working with parents

That team also includes the parents of Charles Evans students. Over the summer, a group of parents consistently attended school meetings and talked with board members over concerns about their children’s education and safety. Since taking over as the campus principal, Fields said that she has had over 100 conversations with parents and feels that she has their support.

“They are working with me,” she said. “They have actually asked me several times, ‘What do you need us to do?’ They want to volunteer, and I told them we are going to do that.”

This year, the PTO is the biggest group that Charles Evans has had. At the meet and greet, one class had 18 parents show up. Fields said parents have told her, none of this is about you, we support you.

“They have shown a lot of support,” she said. “They just said they believe in us and are glad that we are here.”

Fields said the spotlight on Charles Evans has affected the teachers and she has told them this is not about last year or the year before. She believes she has the best group in the district.

“I keep telling them, if you have the will, it is my job to get you the skill,” she said. “If you don’t have the will, we can’ t do anything with that. I said, ‘I can try, and I am going to try if you stay.’ I am going to give 180%. It is our job to make sure you have the skill. We can’t fail you so you can’t fail kids. And my first thing, keep your hands off the kids and teach them.

“I told the parents our job is to take care of your babies and teach them.”

Safety concerns are based on reports of teachers placing hands on students last year. Fields said it goes back to training and teaching the teachers. If you don’t teach classroom management and discipline, teachers will resort to what they know. She said you have to provide teachers with the needed tools.

“We are taking steps, one step at a time,” she said.

In visiting with parents, Fields said they have given her their concerns about what they have heard and seen.

“I can’t tell you about last year, but I can tell you about right now,” she said. “I can tell you what public school is supposed to be about. I am a graduate of this district, my son and husband. I believe in school, I believe in public school, and I know our kids have got to learn to read or we have failed them.”

Fields said she wants people to be able to see what the teachers are accomplishing in the classroom this year.

“I want them to see the teachers playing music, laughing and having fun,” she said. “They are nor down and out and upset and angry. They are not. Several of the teachers have told me I have been here two years and so far, this is the best year that I have had. And I am like, ‘Thank you.’ I told one teacher this morning that I am human, and I needed that so much.”

While it is fun, it is work. Fields said that she and Vaughn are in the halls, listening and stepping in when needed and leading from the front.

“Because I believe in servant-leadership,” she said. “I don’t believe in being the boss, I believe in leading. And true leadership, people choose to follow.”

Fields said it has been worth it for both her and Vaughn.

“They have to know they are supported and know they are not in it by themselves,” she said.