SUPERINTENDENT ’ S
M E S S A G E
BY DR . AMY M . BURCH
Comprehensive Planning Process rentwood Borough SCHOOL DISTRICT NEWS
T he Greek philosopher , Heraclitus is credited with introducing the concept that the only constant in life is change and in the educational world , we are consistently deal with change . Over the next three years , we will focus on four key goals that are central to our mission : Mathematics , English Language Arts ( ELA ), School Culture / Climate , and Community Engagement . Multiple teams of educators , led by Coordinator of Curriculum , Instruction and Professional Development , Mrs . Stephanie DeLuca spent a year researching and piloting Mathematics and English Language programs to identify the resources that best address our students ’ needs . Students , parents , community members and business owners were invited to provide input and feedback throughout the process , as well . The plan was presented at a public-school board meeting and then placed on public display for 28 days .
MATHEMATICS AND ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS
Our first goal is to enhance mathematics education across all grade levels . In parallel with our commitment to mathematics , we are equally dedicated to advancing our students ' ELA skills . We will strive to improve literacy rates and foster a love for reading and writing . To measure the effectiveness of the newly acquired resources , the District will continue to utilize the Measure of Academic Progress ( MAP ) assessment to track student achievement and growth . Our professional staff will be expected to implement the new resources with fidelity . Students who score proficient or advanced will be expected to attain their growth goals and students who are not proficient will be expected to meet or exceed their growth goals .
SCHOOL CLIMATE AND CULTURE
When students feel valued , they connect with school in a sense of belonging . This in turn correlates to great student well-being and higher academic engagement . The District will continue to utilize the School Climate Survey and the Pupil Attitudes to Self
70 BRENTWOOD-BALDWIN-WHITEHALL and School ( PASS ) Survey . A student ambassador program will continue at the middle school and students at the high school will continue to engage in belonging activities on half days .
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
The District was fortunate to work with the Brookings
Institute , Kidsburg , the Grable Foundation and others who set out to ask the question , What does community and parent engagement look like in schools ? Shifting from the lens of parent participation and community engagement to an emphasis on partnership is our goal . We will seek feedback from parents and community members over the course of the next three years . The first event in which feedback was requested from parents occurred during Open House . Poster paper was hung on the walls of the schools with this question : “ What is your primary goal for your child this school year .
The options included :
• To prepare my child for future education through rigorous content knowledge across all academic subjects
• To prepare my child with work and learning habits needed in the future
• To prepare my child to be a good citizen , community member and friend , and to prepare by helping my child gain self-knowledge find a sense of purpose and better understand their values .
All parents were asked to identify which statement best represented their belief in the purpose of school . It is interesting to note that parents within the same household do not always agree on the same beliefs .
As we embark on this Comprehensive Plan , we are confident that with your partnership , we can achieve great things . Together , we can provide our students with a world-class education and prepare them for a successful future .