The Gainesville City Schools superintendent has revamped Gainesville Middle School, set up a foundation for the system, created an alliance with child-care centers and set up a visitation program for newcomers.

His big push has been for parents to choose the style of learning that best fits their child.

Gainesville Middle splits into three academies this year, and each elementary school will have its own specialty in 2003-04.

"As you move toward empowering parents in decision-making, empowering parents with curriculum decisions, empowering teachers with creating, it breaks away from the historical model of education," Ballowe said in a recent interview at his office.

"But let's face it. A lot of people are suggesting that change is needed but most people are very scared and wary of change. It takes you out of your comfort zone."

Ballowe, 52, came to Gainesville from Beaufort County Public Schools on the South Carolina coast. There, as deputy superintendent, he oversaw a conversion to magnet schools and choices in other areas, such as uniforms and calendars.

He was picked to succeed Alan Zubay, who led Gainesville City Schools for more than a decade before retiring.

Before he arrived, the city already was looking at adding two elementary schools to keep up with growth.

Ballowe called for realigning grade levels in the elementary schools. The years of splintering grades among the three elementary schools had to end, he said.

Eventually, the system adopted a plan of creating five kindergarten-fifth grade schools that would give parents a choice of educational models. For example, Centennial plans to focus on fine arts and Fair Street plans to feature an International Baccalaureate curriculum.

Students at Gainesville Middle School will take classes this year in one of three programs: Earth Quest, which places an environmental emphasis on the curriculum; Classical Studies, which provides a broad base of knowledge; and Humanities, a focus on literature and history.

Diana Cindea, who has children at three schools, said she believes change is necessary.

"It's good to empower parents to bring some sense of belonging," she said.

But when Ballowe first touted the ideas, "I was apprehensive, because it was new, something I hadn't heard of before," Cindea said. "I'm still apprehensive, because my children will be in the middle of it all.

"It will be interesting to see five years down the line how it has evolved. I guess we'll either be on the cutting edge or it'll be 'Oh my God, what did we do?'"

Ballowe said he understands apprehension.

"There are many good things about the lack of change," he said. "Education still depends on the quality of the individual, the teacher in the classroom."

But Ballowe said he believes "our teachers and the community have, in my mind, been very open and willing to embrace newness in the sense that we have to change and that it's a different community."

The changes haven't suited all teachers.

Janice Ludwig, parent of a middle-schooler, said that one of her best friends left after teaching in the system for years.

The teacher "couldn't take any more change and moved into the county," said Ludwig, herself a supporter of Ballowe efforts.

"What impresses me about Steve is he's not a dictator," she said. "He gives ownership of a lot of things to the teachers and the schools."

And those who grumble about change often are those "who aren't well informed," Ludwig said. "And if that's the case, that's their fault, because the information is out there."

Gainesville Middle held a series of public hearings, including some in Spanish and in Vietnamese, before starting up its programs. A series of hearings is set for September through November on the elementary programs.

Still, numerous teachers and administrators left during or after Ballowe's first year, including two assistant principals at Gainesville Middle School, two assistant superintendents and the director of special programs.

Addressing the departures, Ballowe said that two of the three central-office administrators who left had spent only a short time in Gainesville.

"I'm more concerned when I lose that long-term history than when I do short-term personnel," he said. "I really want to be in Gainesville long-term. Hopefully, the people I bring in will have the same long-term impact."

One recent hire, Curtis Bibb, has said he believes choice is the way to go. As assistant superintendent of administrative services, he has supported Ballowe's plans for change.

Robert Thorpe, Gainesville Middle's principal, said Ballowe "pushes you to think outside the box and dream things you haven't done before."

School board Chairman Willie Mitchell said Ballowe pushes hard for accountability among educators and does not exclude himself from that group.

Ballowe "has told the board ... I'm going to raise test scores, I'm going to reach these kids, hold me accountable for that," Mitchell said. "I was really impressed by that."

Ballowe has encountered some bumps along the way of his first year.

He pushed to make laptop computers available to middle-schoolers on a sliding income scale, then other grades in following years. But a tight fiscal budget and a foundation he set up to reach that goal haven't made the technology possible for the coming year.

And the search for available land dragged to the point that the system may not be able to open both new elementary schools on time.

Ballowe said he's frustrated by the lack of time, in general, and the slowness of reform.

"I know if change is needed, but when we can't do it, it's a year in a child's life," he said.

Ballowe is also frustrated that teachers don't have enough time to prepare, to "create their dreams," as he has frequently said.

"We need to have 10 to 15 days of staff development per year," Ballowe said. "We're lucky to have three to four days."

For Ballowe, the challenges ahead are daunting.

The school system will be setting up "transportation zones" for students attending elementary schools in 2003-04.

Students will get to choose the school they wish to attend, but bus service will be built around neighborhood schools. Those who choose crosstown schools will be part of shuttle routes.

The system will hold public hearings in English and Spanish to explain the elementary programs of choice.

And then there's non-stop growth. City officials project the city could grow to 8,000 students in 2010 from this coming year's 4,600.

"Our task over the next year is to identify land for a new elementary and middle school, but the bigger task is how do we fund them?" Ballowe said.

Mitchell said he believes the changes also present a can't-miss opportunity for those in the school system.

He said he is reminded by the Washington Irving story, "Rip Van Winkle." The main character slept for 20 years. When he woke up, a sign of King George is replaced by one depicting General Washington.