Schools

School Board Debates Goals for 2011-12

Improving technology, hiring superintendent among goals decided upon

The Brick Township Board of Education met Wednesday afternoon to set goals for the 2011-12 school year.

The meeting, held annually, gives board members and central administrators a chance to take a broad look at issues affecting the school district and set priorities for the year ahead. Goals are broken into district goals – goals that are acted upon by administrators – and board goals, which are policy-oriented.

Kathy Winecoff, a representative from the New Jersey School Boards Association, led the meeting.

Find out what's happening in Brickwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"We're finding more and more that school climate and school culture plays a big part in how our students are really learning," Winecoff said as the meeting began, suggesting that these areas be the focus of board and district goals.

In the end, board members focused their goals mainly on classroom experience, and occasionally sparred with Superintendent Walter Hrycenko on whether certain suggested goals should make the final cut.

Find out what's happening in Brickwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Board member Walter Campbell suggested that one of the board goals be ensuring that the district join a national writing program with a focus on comprehension and improving writing skills.

"The more writing you do, the better you get at it," Campbell said.

But Hrycenko said such a plan might not sit well with administrators in the district.

"It may not be a suggestion that, when we talk to the supervisors and administrators, we can deal with," Hrycenko said.

Ultimately, the idea did not make it to the final list of goals.

Another idea that stirred debate was over computers. Board member Larry Reid suggested strengthening the district's emphasis on technology. Hrycenko said Apple iPads were purchased this year to be used by administrators, special education students and certain schools in the district, but the bulk of regular education students would not have ready access to the devices. Reid said technology education should be strengthened, especially on the high school level.

"It's a global economy. It's computer-oriented," Reid said.

That goal eventually made the final cut.

Reid made two other suggestions that eventually made the cut, as well: videotaping all meetings, regardless of their location, and reallocating district funding to improve facilities and purchase items that directly affect students.

Reid initially said the board's goal should be to reduce the percentage of the district's operating budget dedicated to salaries and benefits to fall below 80 percent, a move which was opposed by Business Administrator James Edwards.

"That's a morale issue that you're sending out to your staff," Edwards said.

In the end, the board settled on language which calls for a "reallocation" of resources.

The final board goals were: continuing to review and revise board policies; implement expanded technology programs; hire a new superintendent, investigate videotaping all meetings; and reallocating resources. Another goal was to complete the state's QSAC process, a state evaluation program Brick must complete this year.

As for the district goals, much of the focus suggested by the administration had to do with teacher evaluations. Assistant Superintendent Patricia Lorusso said the district would like to expand a program where supervisors conducting observations of teachers can use Apple iPad software to immediately identify areas in need of improvement and automatically e-mail notes and instructional videos to a particular staff member.

Additional goals include providing research-based professional development to staff, reviewing curriculum, working with middle schools to align a math pilot program with elementary schools and provide parents with workshops and informative sessions.

The goals must be formally adopted at an upcoming board meeting, Winecoff said. Then, board members and administrators must come up with action plans stating how each of their respective goals can be achieved.


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