By Jennifer Mrozowski
The Cincinnati Enquirer

In his first state of the schools address today, the new Cincinnati schools chief underscored the importance of teamwork for improving student achievement and ensuring the successful passage of an unprecedented bond issue for school construction.

"An organization at war with itself can never be very effective on the battlefield of business," Superintendent Alton Frailey told an audience of about 400 who assembled to hear him at Xavier University's Cintas Center.

Mr. Frailey was named superintendent of the 42,000-student school district Sept. 6 to replace outgoing schools chief Steven Adamowski. Mr. Adamowski left after four years here to taking a teaching position at the University of Missouri-St. Louis.

Audience members noted Mr. Frailey's charismatic personality and his stress upon getting everyone involved - teachers, students, parents, administrators, members of the community and members of the school board - to make Cincinnati Public Schools and "excellent" school district.

Some things he said he'll focus on will be: implementing what he said will be the successful $480 million bond issue for school construction, which is on the Nov. 5 ballot; forming a loyal, efficient and effective support team; reaching a contractual agreement with the Cincinnati Federation of Teachers union and strengthening partnerships with parents and the community.

"As we face the challenges and opportunities before us," he said, "we need to dream big and focus direct. We will need to listen. And our responses must always put the best interest of the children first."