NEW YORK, NY September 22, 2003 — This fall, each of the city's 12-hundred schools has a new Parent Coordinator. These coordinators are seen as a potential catalyst in the chancellor's reform of the school system. In our ongoing series, Reading, Writing and Reform, WNYC's Beth Fertig has this profile of one parent coordinator in Bedford Stuyvesant.

The school day begins at PS 5 with students lining up in the playground to meet their teachers. As they mingle, there's also someone to greet the parents.

WRIGHT: Good morning my name is Odolph Wright. I'm the parent coordinator here at PS 5. I'm here for the parents. So you have concerns - good morning - you have some concerns I'm the man to see. Not that I have all the answers I'm the man to see. FATHER: That's good enough!

Odolph Wright started working this month as the school's first parent coordinator.

WRIGHT: That's the job more or less is to greet the parents, be available cause I'm there 7:30 in the morning so I'm here for their concerns. In case they have to go early or go to work or something. Basically everybody still hasn't met me, everybody doesn't know who I am so I'm more or less be visible for the parents.

It's hard for Wright to be invisible here. He's a stocky, 44 year old man who prefers wearing a suit and tie over the casual clothes worn by teachers. And he's a definite presence among the students.

WRIGHT: Hey hey hey hey! One thing I do not tolerate: guys hitting girls. I do not tolerate that. I know but see playing goes into seriousness. KID: It will never happen again. WRIGHT: Then stop then. KID: Yes sir!

Wright steers the students back into line as they file into the building. He's a friendly fixture; but one they don't want to cross.

WRIGHT: Alright now we're going to have a talk here. Have a seat. That's right fix yourself, look like a man.

In his office on the second floor, Wright confronts a student who's been acting out in class. The boy looks terrified. He sits and stares at the floor while Wright asks him to listen to music.

WRIGHT: That's my theme song for this year. Yes I can. There's not a student in this school that will tell me they can't do something. They may have some difficult but we're going to find a way that they can do it. Now you, you're going to be my poster boy. Know what that means? KID: No. WRIGHT: Know what a poster is?

Parent coordinators were hired, partly, to free up principals and administrators from having to deal with issues like these. And the principal of PS 5 says it's working; she's now spending more time observing her teachers and coaching them on the new curriculum. As part of his job, Wright keeps a stack of yellow forms in his office to handle any concerns brought by teachers and parents. He doesn't like the word complaint.

WRIGHT: I just want them to know that they know that they come into the school someone's going to handle their concern. I don't want to call it issue, I don't want to call it problem. They're concerned about something, I want to handle their concern.

Wright spends a good part of his morning knocking on classroom doors and confronting students brought to his attention. There's the boy who's apparently been telling girls to beat up his cousin. Another keeps coming to school without any supplies.

WRIGHT: Ummm . How you doing in class here? KID: A little bit good. WRIGHT: Huh? KID: A little bit good. WRIGHT: A little bit good? What's the problem? Listen, you have to have a talk with me. I can help you out. I'm the man, I can do things nobody else could do around here!

Wright sees the job as more than a troubleshooter. For the 670 students of PS 5, he says, he's really a surrogate father.

WRIGHT:: I understand not having a father in the home and that's very prevalent to me. So when I see these kids, I get subjective because first thing I'm thinking is some of these kids don't have a significant male in the home, father per se.

Bedford Stuyvesant is a low income neighborhood and the vast majority of these students are African American. Wright lives in nearby Bushwick and runs his own marketing business. He and his wife have three daughters attending public schools. He's been heavily involved in their parent associations. Principal Lena Gates says it was this experience that led her to hire Wright - and she's thrilled to see him working so closely with students.

GATES: He sort of took that role on, on his own. He sees the need. We do have children that are very difficult to manage. What our children don't have a lot of is role models, black male role models in the school system - especially elementary schools.

Not all parent coordinators may see their job the same way as Wright. More than half had previous experience working for the city's school system - leading some parents to complain that principals were simply hiring back aides who were laid off during budget cuts. Each coordinator is paid at least 35 thousand dollars a year for the full-time job. Meanwhile, just about a third of the students at PS 5 were reading at grade level last year. And even though the school's been making progress, parent Tanisha Peerson thinks the money for a parent coordinator could have gone elsewhere.

PEERSON: It could be spent on getting these kids books, making sure these libraries are up to date, making sure kids have computers, cause that's what this world is all about.

But the city's Department of Education views parent coordinators as a way to help improve academics. Studies show parent involvement does play a role in student achievement. At PS 5, only 40 people attended parent night during the first week of school. When Odolph Wright suggested some incentives to improve parent turnout, he hit a raw nerve with Ginger Washington.

WASHINGTON: I mean I don't understand when people say you need - What incentive? Your child in the school should make you want to come out and see what's going on. What's going on with my child?

WRIGHT: I understand what you're saying and you're 5000% right but actuality truth - it's needed. Somebody has to help somebody. And we that are strong as someone says in the book ought to bear the infirmities of those who are weak.

The Education Department is hoping parent coordinators will reach out to those parents who aren't playing a strong role in their child's education. Wright may propose student award nights; or pancake breakfasts for fathers and sons. His first task, though, is setting up a functioning PTA. (Something that didn't exist at the school last year). That's why some parents here say he's desperately needed.

MOM: I'll be here tomorrow exactly 8:30 sharp. WRIGHT: I'll be here 8 o'clock I'll be waiting for you. (Laughs) No problem.

As school gets out, Wright touches base with a few parents eager to volunteer. Taishina Shannon, who's picking up her three children, says she can already see he's making a difference.

SHANNON: Through just his presence being there the meetings run better, we can get more things done, he has a lot of insight, a lot of great ideas for this school which they need. He's tough which a lot of these children need, they need discipline they don't have it. He gives it to them in school, he makes sure they try to follow the rules. So I'm glad that he's here.

If just one parent feels that way, Wright says he'll know he's doing his job. Because other parents are sure to notice what he's doing for them and their children. For WNYC I'm Beth Fertig.