Students returned to Hillside High School in August uncertain of what awaited them. After Richard Hicks' suspension last year for allegedly changing students' grades and failing to enforce the district's attendance policy, the popular principal was replaced by an equally visible leader: Henry Pankey.
Pankey has many goals for Hillside. Specifically, he said he wants a 75 percent pass rate for end-of-course tests, a 95 percent attendance rate and a lower dropout rate. He said he also hopes to successfully implement his dress code policy and character education programs.
But Pankey said he does not expect change to come easily.
"Change is not an event--it's a process," he said. "It's a very slow process where you make a little progress each day."
During Pankey's three-year tenure as principal of Southern High School, the school moved from being one of the lowest performing schools in North Carolina to attaining exemplary status.
Carr Agyapong, a parent of two Hillside students, expressed confidence that Pankey could achieve his goals at Hillside, although only with additional resources.
"Some [students] will need extra care so that we can have 75 percent that can perform at the level he's stressing," she said. "It can be done; it's just going to take a lot to get us there."
Replacing the popular Hicks is a challenge, but Pankey said he is happy with how the year is going so far. Parents at Hillside echoed Pankey's confidence.
However, Durham NAACP President Curtis Gatewood said he feared Pankey would be too quick to suspend students.
"I don't know if that's going to be the pattern--to suspend and get rid of the so-called problems so they can have a higher percentage of people passing the tests... but if that is going to be the strategy, I can tell you we're going to have some big problems," said Gatewood.
Pankey was quick to refute that idea.
"You try to avoid as many suspensions as possible," he said. He emphasized that suspensions were a last resort if peer mediation, in-school suspensions and parent conferences failed.
Pankey has also instituted a stricter dress code, urging students to pull up their pants, tuck in their shirts and abstain from wearing provocative clothing.
"Nobody wants to see the crack of your butt during the school day. Dress should not be a distraction," he said. "The most important dress code is a cap and gown."
Although Pankey said he is happy about students' compliance with the policy, some students said that by emphasizing dress, he ignores other issues.
"I feel that he concentrates more on the little things than on the big things, and the big things get missed," said sophomore Salaka Hayes.
Although Hayes said she is pleased with Pankey, she had some suggestions for how he might improve.
"He does have good intentions, but if he would communicate better and be a little more organized, things would run a lot smoother," she said.
Another of Pankey's programs is his "Diamonds in the Rough" scholarship fund, which distributes money evenly among all seniors going to college. Pankey's goal is $1,000 for every senior.
Last February, Superintendent Ann Denlinger announced that she would transfer Hicks from Hillside to an administrative position as community involvement coordinator.
Hicks is involved in fostering and maintaining partnerships between schools and businesses and non-profit organizations, said DPS Media Relations Coordinator Michael Yarborough. The school board did not vote on the decision, and many members said they lament Hicks' departure.
"I regret Hicks leaving, but that is by no means not being supportive of... Pankey," said board member Mozell Robinson. "Now that he's there, I want children to be successful at each of our schools."
Pankey said he anticipates that his contract at Hillside will run through 2005, and at that time, he may explore other avenues.
"I'll probably be here until we get a black president," he said.
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