SAD 44 School Board Visioning Statement

 

It’s all about Students!  Everything and every decision!

 

Create Environment Conducive to Student Learning

 

TASK

Staff Responsibility

Board Committee

Timeline

ORGANIZATION

 

 

 

Design the organizational structure for district leadership to promote student achievement, instill accountability, improve job satisfaction and reduce turnover.

Superintendent

Personnel/Policy

February 2004

Develop a cadre of leaders who can take schools through ongoing change process.

Superintendent

Board

Personnel

April 2004

Complete the Middle School transition and review alignment of programs according to a middle school philosophy.

  • Evaluate Teacher Teams
  • Measure effectiveness;
  • Evaluate dynamics,
  • Collect feedback from K-12 faculty, students and parents

Principal

MS/HS Deans of Students

Education

Initiate Fall 2004

Complete June 2005

Establish Policies and practices to promote student achievement Review district policy manual, institute policies that measure and promote student achievement, assume advancement and encourage innovation.

Superintendent, Deans, Lead Teachers, Supervisors

Business Manager

Administrators

Policy

Initiate fall 2003

Ongoing 12 to 18 months.

Review complete 1/2005

 

 


 

Evaluate School Calendar.  Consider number of class days, length of day, and optimization of facility and resource utilization.

Superintendent

Administrator

Lead Teachers

Education

Negotiations

Initiate September 2004, Implement September 2005

Develop K-12 Student Grouping Strategy(ies).  Consider tracking, honors level, Title I, Literacy, alternative programs, gifted and talented, retention, and promotion.  Devise best solutions for ALL students. Address all students’ needs.  Develop Individual Learning Plans for all students.

Curriculum Director

Administrators

Lead Teachers

Department Heads

Curriculum Leaders

Education

Initiate 2003

Complete January 2005

Improve building morale in all schools, monitor discipline and suspension rates, and assure consistent application of discipline rules, compare test performance & grade standards.

Administrators Staff

 

Policy

Initiate September 2003, ongoing

Student School Board Involvement.  Develop mechanism to involve students in School Board activities.  Define expectations and degree of participation.  Develop mechanism to identify and recruit participants.

Superintendent

Administrators

Lead Teachers

Committee Chairs/Full Board

January 2004

Create public relations program.

Superintendent

Full Board

March 2004 (Budget)

CURRICULUM

 

 

 

Meet and surpass state standards (MLRs) for graduation. Align, assess and adjust curriculum to provide an integrated K-12 curriculum that raises student achievement in measurable terms.  Seek opportunities to surpass state and local assessment expectations.

Superintendent

Curriculum Director

Administrators

Lead Teachers

Teaching Staff

Education

Full Board

Initiate Fall 2003

Substantial completion June 2005, Complete June 2007

Ongoing review

Develop arts and music program K-12

Curriculum Director / Building Principals

Education

September 2004


 

Develop a rigorous foreign language program that begins earlier in the student’s career.

Superintendent
Curriculum Director
Building Principals
Education
Full Board

September 2005

Expand Honors and AP offerings.  Measure success via performance on AP exams.

Superintendent

HS Principal

Curriculum Director
Education

September 2004

Determine best practices through objective review of all programs K-12.  E.g., looping, multi-age, alternative, promising futures, independent study, seminars. Support creativity for innovative programs that will serve student needs.  Develop new methods and approaches to provide for all students and learning styles.

Superintendent

Curriculum Director  Administrators

 Department Heads Classroom Teachers

Full Board

Education

 

Ongoing

Standard test score trends.  Review data and determine causes and solutions for downward trends and define best practices for upward trends.

Curriculum Director

Education

Full Board

Annual Review

Raise post-secondary aspirations early.  Develop guidance and curricular components to provide information and familiarity for students and families in elementary and middle school programs.

Administrators

Education

Initiate October 2004

Develop Thoughtful Transition Plans.  Students should be prepared to learn; grade transitions, building transitions and district transitions to other schools and post secondary should be seamless, socially and academically.

Administrators

Lead Teachers

Curriculum Team

Education

Initiate January 2004

Complete June 2005


 

EXTRA-, CO-CURRICULAR

 

 

 

Support after-school curricular offerings. Consider needs of all students.  Incorporate academic support intra- and intermural sports, Schedule B activities.

Administrators

Lead Teachers

Personnel Negotiation Education

Initiate Immediately

Complete September 2003 Ongoing

Take advantage of and coordinate with community resources and groups to enhance after-school offerings.  Develop strategies for use, program development, evaluation and assessment of any resource, e.g.,

Gould Academy

Head Start/Even Start

Town Recreation Committees

Mahoosuc Kids Association

Mahoosuc Arts

Sunday River

Conservation School

Senior College

Outward Bound

Explorations Art

SAD 17 Summer School

Superintendent

Business Manager

Facilities Committee

Initiate September 2003

Ongoing

 


 

STAFF

 

 

 

Report on current staff situation   Measure instructional success via achievement of local and state standards, assess need for professional development, and address staff needs for personal and professional satisfaction.  Consider ways in which to raise quality of instruction and professional satisfaction.  Provide comparisons to other district norms and successful schools and programs.  Present recommendations for tools, actions and resources needed in order to:
·        Attract Quality Staff
·        Retain Quality Staff
·        Provide or enable professional development
·        Evaluate Early Retirement
·        Elicit Teacher Input in Programs

Superintendent

Curriculum Director

Administrators

Lead Teachers

 

Personnel

Negotiations

Initiate immediately

Recommendation complete September 2005

Ongoing

RESOURCES

 

 

 

Develop five-year district technology plan.  

  • Define Technology Staff organization and training
  • Hardware and software inventory
  • District Staff training and assessment
  • Develop targets for optimum distribution of resources
  • Conduct ongoing review
  • Annual reporting to keep current.

Curriculum Director

Technology Coordinator

Administrators

Facilities

Education

Complete June 2004

Annual Review

Identify and Develop additional education opportunities for students using technology resources Online learning, online tools, research capabilities

Curriculum Director

Technology Coordinator

Education

Initiate immediately

Ongoing

Include Technology in K-12 curriculum.  Include skills development utilizing current software and internet research techniques.  Include instruction in software skills and programming.

Curriculum Director Technology Coordinator

Education

Initiate immediately

Ongoing

Integrate new methods of communication. Students, teachers and staff keep current with technology and use email and voice mail effectively and consistently

Curriculum Director

Building Administrators

Facilities

Education

Initiate immediately

Ongoing

 

 

 

 

Create a district wide web site with links for each school and classroom. Include links to other departments including kitchen and maintenance and transportation.

Superintendent

Technology

Coordinator

Curriculum Director

Administrators

Education

2003-04

CULTURE

 

 

 

Develop forums for additional staff communication K-12. 

Everyone

Full Board

Ongoing

Address drop out rate.  Review students who have dropped, identify problems demonstrated, create strategies to address issues.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Guidance Director

Administrators

Dropout Prevention Committee

Education

Full Board

Report to Superintendent June 2004, ongoing


Expand Guidance Services to promote a more active College Guidance office.
·        Train personnel
·        Establish connections with a variety of target college campuses, trade schools and vocational schools.
·        Develop counseling schedule beginning with ninth graders to raise aspirations and prepare credentials for college applications.
·        Create connections between guidance office and home to facilitate applications, financial aid strategies, and school selections
·        Offer PSATs and encourage SATs of all students
·        Follow up on college placements for success or placement issues.

HS. Principal

Guidance Director

Education

June 2005 for framework

Ongoing once established

Create standard for communications between schools and home.  Establish schedule for regular contact, measure participation.  Emphasize maintenance of connections established in elementary schools through middle and high school.

Administrators

Full Board

Ongoing

Review policy and administrative procedures to ensure consistent discipline for all students (Ex. Code of Conduct)

Administrative Team

Policy

Ongoing

FACILITIES

 

 

 

·        Develop long term facilities plan.

Superintendent

Business Manager Transportation/Maintenance Director

Facilities & Ancillary Committee

June 2004

 
·        Assure all students have an adequate and appropriate learning environment.

 

 

 

Superintendent

Business Manager

Administrators

Education

Facilities

Initial Report SEP. 2004

Ongoing

NUTRITION POLICIES

·        Promote Healthy Lifestyle

·        Develop and enhance the school lunch program

Superintendent

Business Manager

Food Service Director (Chartwells)

Chartwells Dining Services

Food Service Employees

 

Education

Facilities

Initiate fall 2003

Ongoing

HEALTH

 

 

 

·        Coordinate all health/wellness programs in the district
 

Superintendent

Health Coordinator

Wellness Team

Food For Thought Committee

School Nursing Staff

Education

2004

·        Develop K-12 Curriculum

Health Coordinator

Teachers

Curriculum Director

Education

Fall 2005

ACTIVE VOLUNTEER PROGRAM
  • Create partnership/communication between Elementary School Volunteers & PTA Members to promote participation at the Middle and High School.
 

Administrators & Staff

Education

Review /Ongoing

 

 

Approved by Board:  October 27, 2003