Schools

Technology and Inequity a Focus in Super's Midterm Report

Superintendent Dr. Sandra Brower highlighted opportunities for change as she presented her midterm report

Superintendent Dr. Sandra Brower will begin phase three of her transition plan as she begins to lead the Lacey Township School District after presenting her midterm report at the school board meeting on Tuesday.

“From November until now, I have listened, I have watched I have written, I have taken pictures, I have done all that I could to understand what it looks like and what it feels like to live and work and learn here in Lacey Township,” Brower said.

Brower first presented the transition plan on Tuesday, Nov. 15.

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“I talked about the value added benefit that someone new to an organization gives and it takes some time,” Brower said. “So in the first three months, there’s a lot of taking and then slowly but surely we start to effect change and provide value to a district.”

The goals of Brower’s transition plan will stand as she continues to focus on creating relationships, ensure a smooth transition, create a structure to listen, continue the implementation of current successful initiatives and review opportunities for change, she said.

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Brower presented her findings during her first three months in Lacey, including the district and township’s traditions.

“To have an opportunity to be a part of the culture and the traditions and to understand it as if I could live it was a huge task,” she said. “I have big shoes to fill.”

The first two phases of Brower’s transition, in which she “listened and learned” about Lacey, provided her with a unique opportunity, she said.

“Not many people are able to come into a district with this type of stability of leadership that existed here in Lacey Township,” she said. “When people come to Lacey to work, they stay and they stay because it’s a great place to work."

But her midterm report also highlights opportunities for change. The purpose of the report is to “prioritize achievement, address access and achievement gaps and improve alignment with operations and finance,” she said. It is framed in three categories: teaching and learning, culture and community and operations.

Teaching and Learning

Brower’s goals in this area are to ensure that all students experience academic improvement, strengthen instructional leadership and prepare all students for college and career success, she said.

“The most important thing that we do happens in the classroom,” Brower said.

A major focus will be to ensure that performance and opportunities between and among classes and schools are equal, she said.

“The transition team debated and talked about this for hours,” Brower said.

One way to do this will be through embedded and ongoing professional development, she said. “I’m talking about a different type of professional development that needs to be grounded in the teaching and learning process.”

Disparity and inequity between classrooms needs to decrease, she said. Everyone needs to be provided with the same opportunities and resources to support the schools need to be aligned.

“Technology is hugely underscored,” Brower said.

The district will also work to develop and implement a rigorous and well-defined curriculum with common assessments from pre-kindergarten to twelfth grade, she said. There will be a focus on English and language arts as well as math.

All of this will be done by implementing focused interventions, aligning administrative resources, analyzing performance trends over time, benchmarking successful schools, providing effective professional development, creating leadership teams, supporting and evaluating school principals and teachers and aligning professional development initiatives with school improvement plans.

Culture and Community

Even though Brower is entering the leading phase of her transition plan, she still intends to continue “listening and learning,” she said.

“This is where I understood that Lacey Township is a family,” she said.

In this area, Brower will continue to use listening and learning sessions; continue the ongoing campaign to promote, celebrate and recognize the work of individuals and groups; differentiate community and parent engagement activities and strengthen communication, she said.

Operations

Brower reviewed the current status of operations, including efficiency and effectiveness of finance and facilities, technology, human resources and communications.

The goal of this area is to ensure that the district budget reflects priorities and facilities influence the instructional experience, she said. Services must be effective, efficient and equitable.

Brower could not yet say how it will be accomplished. “It’s up here,” she said as she pointed to her head. “It will be on paper.”

Some strategies include reducing costs to create efficiencies whenever possible, promote equitable distribution of current and future resources and strengthen the technology plan to integrate instruction initiatives, she said.

“Technology, technology, technology is what we’ve been talking about,” Brower said.

More Response Needed?

Lacey resident Bill Moss thought the midterm report was well presented, he said.

“What stood out to me is the way that she’s getting involved,” he said. Brower included not only teachers and students in her plan but aides and bus drivers.

“I like how she has reached out to the community,” he said. “But she needs more of a response.” With thousands of parents in the school district, there are typically around a dozen or so residents who attend Brower’s forums.

Brower encourages members of the community to contact her with questions and concerns, she said.

The Board of Education is “excited” to begin getting into the details with Brower, President Jack Martenak said at the meeting.

“I think she has done an excellent job transitioning into Lacey,” board member Linda Downing said. “She has big shoes to fill.”

Brower’s efforts to meet with parents, students, staff and more are “commendable,” she said.

“She brings a lot of expertise and knowledge in curriculum and technology that will only benefit the kids,” Downing said.

Downing liked that a focus of Brower’s midterm report included technology, she said.

“It’s an area that needs improvement and updating,” she said. “It will give the district an edge to compete and improve communication.”

“I’m overall impressed with her drive and dedication,” Downing said. “She’s very thorough in what she does.”

A group of school district staff could not comment at the school board meeting regarding their thoughts on the midterm report and Brower’s progress thus far.


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