While summer vacations are winding to a close, teachers, administrators, support staff and other employees of the Vicksburg Warren School District are buckling down for the 2014-15 school year — one that promises to bring a shake up to the old model of business for the district.
Though Superintendent Chad Shealy came on board in October, this will be his first full year after having a summer of preparation to oversee the district.
Anyone who has heard his speeches at various civic clubs knows that he’s an enthusiastic educator with a heart for children. That drive, and his basic approach to the district should be encouraging ahead of the implementation of the much-discussed Common Core State Standards as well as the early stages of the third-grade literacy gate law.
Shealy, an adherent of data-supported answers, described to the community earlier this week his plan for keeping the district on track ahead of a year that promises to present many challenges and opportunities for students and teachers alike.
His plan, which begins with taking a system-wide approach to improving the district’s education, creates a standard set of expectations for teachers regardless of school, grade or experience.
The next step, aligning the district with state standards, is something that was put into place during the previous school year and should yield even better results during the 2014-15 academic year.
Supporting his decisions with data and redefining what leadership in education means were the next two steps to taking VWSD beyond its current “D” rating by the Mississippi Department of Education.
The fifth step, implementing accountability, is one of the most important components to improving the district. The catch? The school district can’t do that alone. While accountability can be improved in every school, parents, guardians, siblings and the community as a whole must be on board. A student who does not miss a single day of class still spends less than 20 percent of their year in the classroom. What happens during the other 80 percent of the day? The answer to that is often the answer to why a student is succeeding or failing.
Step six, introducing external thoughts and development procedures, gives teachers the ability to continue honing their skill. Considering that the statewide curriculum changes about once a decade, professional development is no longer simply a bonus.
Finally, and most importantly, there must be full commitment to sustaining reform. Now is the time to see that commitment.
The VWSD Board of Trustees voted last month to request more funding from the previous budget for the first time in nearly two decades. While it would not be fair to describe this year as a lithmus test for these philosophies, the 2014-15 academic year will certainly be an indication of where this district — and in turn this community — are headed.
Having seen what we have in the last 10 months, it’s fair to say the community will be eager to see where the district can go from here.