July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
Goals for Jay Schools outlined (02/12/07)
Jay School Board
By By JACK RONALD-
Tim Long has been listening.
Since taking the job of superintendent of the Jay School Corporation late last fall, Long has been conducting surveys and gathering information in an attempt to establish a set of goals for the school system.
On Saturday morning, during a more than three hour work session with the Jay School Board, he outlined the goals that have risen to the surface during his weeks of study.
"I'm a researcher by trade, and I think data drives what we do," Long told the board.
About 1,000 surveys were sent out to faculty, staff, parents, and community members. In addition, about 300 random families and 300 seniors at Jay County High School were surveyed.
Out of Long's research, dozens of goals - on topics ranging from school facilities to curriculum to transportation - surfaced.
Some, such as having all custodians under the supervision of the director of facilities, are relatively simple and straightforward. Others, such as reducing the length of time students are on the bus, are complex.
Some, such as a random drug screening program for JCHS, may prove controversial. Others, such as building an auxiliary gym, could be costly.
Outlining his goals, Long called for the school corporation to become "a system of excellence."
"Our mission should mandate a definition of excellence that places the highest priority on student instruction and providing rich learning opportunities," Long said. "Our world is changing dramatically; the learner today needs to have a global perspective. The experiences that we offer should require more than just a prescribed group of courses. The total school experience should require students to be engaged in activities that will challenge and transform them into viable community citizens and leaders."
He added: "Our surveys pointed out that the strongest asset in our corporation was the level of commitment of the staff."
Many of the goal's outlined by Long focused on how to help local students find their way in a world of rapid technological change and global competition.
"Our overall mission should concentrate on teaching children not only how to draw a paycheck, but also how to create paychecks for others," Long said. "This is the entrepreneurial spirit that will aid us in being competitive in the future."
After briefing the board on his proposed goals, Long said he'd be seeking board permission later this month to move forward on all of them with plans to bring back proposals to the board for action. In many cases, he noted, that will include finding a way to fund new programs without "killing the golden goose."
"Our method should be to try at all costs to continue our capital outlay by maximizing tax neutrality whenever possible," he said.
"Ultimately," he added, "the board decides where we want to go."
Here's a look at Long's proposed goals for Jay Schools:
For the board
•Become a Master Board with the Indiana School Boards Association.
•In conjunction with the chamber of commerce, develop a marketing plan for the school corporation.
•Update and review all current board policies with NEOLA, a school legal consulting firm.
For facilities
•Begin scheduling a preventive maintenance plan for schools including items such as pumps, motors, doors, and other facilities.
•Research and develop estimates on replacing heating and cooling systems at Redkey, Pennville, Bloomfield, and East elementaries.
•Build a multipurpose facility, an auxiliary gym, at Jay County High School.
•Investigate and evaluate the feasibility of acquiring the Portland National Guard Armory for school use.
•Research the natural gas consortium and report back to the board.
•Put all school custodians under the direction of the director of facilities.
•Formulate a building use policy that encourages patrons to use buildings at a fair price.
•Work out a mutually advantageous agreement with the West Jay Community Center for use of its gymnasium for student practices and events.
•Put security cameras in all school locations.
For technology
•To improve communication, put a computer on every teacher and custodial desk to allow for school system-wide e-mail.
•Implement a corporation-wide software system that would allow parents to check student grades, absences, and messages from schools.
•Research adding additional staff in the technology department to improve service.
•Institute a "swipe card" system for school employees to replace key systems.
For cafeterias
•Computerize the lunch payment system for the whole school system.
•Work with school nurses to maximize dietary requirements and menu offerings.
For human resources
•Develop and maintain an employee handbook.
•Investigate health insurance options.
•Develop and update job descriptions for all employees.
•Develop a training program to allow for half-day in-service training for secretaries, nurses, bus drivers, instructional aides, and custodians.
•Review and make recommendations regarding pay and benefit equity for all employees who are not licensed teaching staff.
•Provide an employee training program that offers tuition reimbursement.
For transportation
•Reduce the number of minutes that students ride on the longest bus routes.
•Chart all students and routes by computer.
For the corporation as a whole
•Start a School Educational Foundation in conjunction with The Portland Foundation.
•Build a relationship with community partners such as police departments, the prosecutor, and child protective services.
•Hire a grant writer to seek additional resources.
•Begin aggressively identifying alumni and communicating with them through the educational foundation.
•Identify the top 50 graduates from each of the past ten years and make them aware of career opportunities in Jay County.
•Develop a district plan for pandemic flu and other potential crises.
For curriculum
•Research and report back to the board on full-day kindergarten by June 1.
•Plan for class loads that eliminate blended classes wherever possible, looking at transferring students in some cases.
•Research the current schedule of parent-teacher conferences.
•Start a character education program for all students.
•Align curriculum so that all schools act as a system of schools.
•Increase opportunities for students to get college credit while still in high school, working with John Jay Center for Learning and other institutions.
•Research and implement new learning opportunities using the school-within-a-school concept based upon Gates Foundation research.
•Continue to review current methods of student class scheduling.
•Reinstate the freshman academy concept at JCHS.
•Reinstate and revise the alternative school concept for grades 6 through 12.
•Open elementary schools in the evening with staff on hand to allow for pre-school students and their parents to work on skill development.
•Research the best options from an employee standpoint in the area of curriculum and staffing.
•Increase standardized test scores and lower the number of dropouts.
•Develop a common plan for summer school and remediation.
•Develop a kindergarten through grade 12 plan for gifted and talented students.
•Develop a credit recovery system at the high school level.
For students
•Research and implement a random drug screening program at the high school level.
•Research and review the current student transfer policy.[[In-content Ad]]
Since taking the job of superintendent of the Jay School Corporation late last fall, Long has been conducting surveys and gathering information in an attempt to establish a set of goals for the school system.
On Saturday morning, during a more than three hour work session with the Jay School Board, he outlined the goals that have risen to the surface during his weeks of study.
"I'm a researcher by trade, and I think data drives what we do," Long told the board.
About 1,000 surveys were sent out to faculty, staff, parents, and community members. In addition, about 300 random families and 300 seniors at Jay County High School were surveyed.
Out of Long's research, dozens of goals - on topics ranging from school facilities to curriculum to transportation - surfaced.
Some, such as having all custodians under the supervision of the director of facilities, are relatively simple and straightforward. Others, such as reducing the length of time students are on the bus, are complex.
Some, such as a random drug screening program for JCHS, may prove controversial. Others, such as building an auxiliary gym, could be costly.
Outlining his goals, Long called for the school corporation to become "a system of excellence."
"Our mission should mandate a definition of excellence that places the highest priority on student instruction and providing rich learning opportunities," Long said. "Our world is changing dramatically; the learner today needs to have a global perspective. The experiences that we offer should require more than just a prescribed group of courses. The total school experience should require students to be engaged in activities that will challenge and transform them into viable community citizens and leaders."
He added: "Our surveys pointed out that the strongest asset in our corporation was the level of commitment of the staff."
Many of the goal's outlined by Long focused on how to help local students find their way in a world of rapid technological change and global competition.
"Our overall mission should concentrate on teaching children not only how to draw a paycheck, but also how to create paychecks for others," Long said. "This is the entrepreneurial spirit that will aid us in being competitive in the future."
After briefing the board on his proposed goals, Long said he'd be seeking board permission later this month to move forward on all of them with plans to bring back proposals to the board for action. In many cases, he noted, that will include finding a way to fund new programs without "killing the golden goose."
"Our method should be to try at all costs to continue our capital outlay by maximizing tax neutrality whenever possible," he said.
"Ultimately," he added, "the board decides where we want to go."
Here's a look at Long's proposed goals for Jay Schools:
For the board
•Become a Master Board with the Indiana School Boards Association.
•In conjunction with the chamber of commerce, develop a marketing plan for the school corporation.
•Update and review all current board policies with NEOLA, a school legal consulting firm.
For facilities
•Begin scheduling a preventive maintenance plan for schools including items such as pumps, motors, doors, and other facilities.
•Research and develop estimates on replacing heating and cooling systems at Redkey, Pennville, Bloomfield, and East elementaries.
•Build a multipurpose facility, an auxiliary gym, at Jay County High School.
•Investigate and evaluate the feasibility of acquiring the Portland National Guard Armory for school use.
•Research the natural gas consortium and report back to the board.
•Put all school custodians under the direction of the director of facilities.
•Formulate a building use policy that encourages patrons to use buildings at a fair price.
•Work out a mutually advantageous agreement with the West Jay Community Center for use of its gymnasium for student practices and events.
•Put security cameras in all school locations.
For technology
•To improve communication, put a computer on every teacher and custodial desk to allow for school system-wide e-mail.
•Implement a corporation-wide software system that would allow parents to check student grades, absences, and messages from schools.
•Research adding additional staff in the technology department to improve service.
•Institute a "swipe card" system for school employees to replace key systems.
For cafeterias
•Computerize the lunch payment system for the whole school system.
•Work with school nurses to maximize dietary requirements and menu offerings.
For human resources
•Develop and maintain an employee handbook.
•Investigate health insurance options.
•Develop and update job descriptions for all employees.
•Develop a training program to allow for half-day in-service training for secretaries, nurses, bus drivers, instructional aides, and custodians.
•Review and make recommendations regarding pay and benefit equity for all employees who are not licensed teaching staff.
•Provide an employee training program that offers tuition reimbursement.
For transportation
•Reduce the number of minutes that students ride on the longest bus routes.
•Chart all students and routes by computer.
For the corporation as a whole
•Start a School Educational Foundation in conjunction with The Portland Foundation.
•Build a relationship with community partners such as police departments, the prosecutor, and child protective services.
•Hire a grant writer to seek additional resources.
•Begin aggressively identifying alumni and communicating with them through the educational foundation.
•Identify the top 50 graduates from each of the past ten years and make them aware of career opportunities in Jay County.
•Develop a district plan for pandemic flu and other potential crises.
For curriculum
•Research and report back to the board on full-day kindergarten by June 1.
•Plan for class loads that eliminate blended classes wherever possible, looking at transferring students in some cases.
•Research the current schedule of parent-teacher conferences.
•Start a character education program for all students.
•Align curriculum so that all schools act as a system of schools.
•Increase opportunities for students to get college credit while still in high school, working with John Jay Center for Learning and other institutions.
•Research and implement new learning opportunities using the school-within-a-school concept based upon Gates Foundation research.
•Continue to review current methods of student class scheduling.
•Reinstate the freshman academy concept at JCHS.
•Reinstate and revise the alternative school concept for grades 6 through 12.
•Open elementary schools in the evening with staff on hand to allow for pre-school students and their parents to work on skill development.
•Research the best options from an employee standpoint in the area of curriculum and staffing.
•Increase standardized test scores and lower the number of dropouts.
•Develop a common plan for summer school and remediation.
•Develop a kindergarten through grade 12 plan for gifted and talented students.
•Develop a credit recovery system at the high school level.
For students
•Research and implement a random drug screening program at the high school level.
•Research and review the current student transfer policy.[[In-content Ad]]
Top Stories
9/11 NEVER FORGET Mobile Exhibit
Chartwells marketing
September 17, 2024 7:36 a.m.
Events
250 X 250 AD