School to pilot new accountability system
Holyoke School District Re-1J has been accepted to participate in a pilot program for a new accountability system called Student-Centered Accountability Project.
Superintendent John McCleary reported at the Aug. 1 school board meeting that SCAP will not replace district and schoool performance frameworks and ratings, but it will replace the old unified improvement plan process.
The next step for the board of education will be to pass a resolution acknowledging awareness that the district is participating in the pilot program.
While some areas will be familiar, others, such as student learning dispositions, will be entirely new, according to the SCAP explanation in the 2017-18 staff handbook.
Staff in each building will agree on four areas of focus that revolve around curriculum and instruction, professional learning, vision and leadership, and learning climate.
Once four goals are established districtwide, teachers and administrators will develop plans and work toward identifying what these goals look like in the classroom, school, district and community.
When this critical work is completed, the district will host a Systems Support Review.
This will involve a two-day intensive process in which trained colleagues from other schools, professional educational consultants, school administrators, Colorado Department of Education personnel, etc. will visit the school and classrooms to provide actionable feedback and a report on how the district is performing on the identified goals.
Urgency noted for finding boys golf coach
With the first day of boys golf practice set for Monday, Aug. 7, last week’s board meeting included discussion on the urgency of finding a coach.
It looks like five HHS students and four from other districts are interested in participating. Athletic director Sandra Rahe said she's exploring all possible options for the golf program.
In other personnel discussion, Tancy King was hired as a first-grade teacher for the 2017-18 school year. She has worked for the district for the past 11 years, including nine years as a kindergarten paraprofessional and the last two as full-time secretary at the elementary school.
King started an elementary teacher prep program through Grand Canyon University last fall and expects to complete that in December of 2018.
Natali Goytia was hired to fill King’s position as elementary school secretary. For the past four years, Goytia has been employed by the district as a paraprofessional in the English Language Learner program, in the special education department and as office support staff.
Other business
In other business at the Aug. 1 meeting, the school board:
—Noted Aug. 9 is the first day nomination petitions may be circulated for the three seats that will be open in the Nov. 7 election.
—Reviewed the fourth-quarter financials for 2016-17. McCleary reported that the unaudited figures look to signify a decrease in the general fund balance of $156,229, even though initial calculations indicated a possible increase.
—Approved nonresident students Jillian Hunter, Jalen Hunter, Jerren Hunter, Bailey Hamaker, Michell Trejo and Jesus Trejo, including transportation requests for the Trejos from Yuma County.
—Noted board meeting dates that have been changed from the regular first and third Tuesdays in the 2017-18 calendar. New dates are Monday, Oct. 2, Thursday, Jan. 4, Tuesday, Feb. 27, and Thursday, March 22.
—Scheduled a new teacher reception at 6:15 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 19, in the board meeting room, prior to the regular meeting at 7 p.m.
—Reviewed the staff handbook changes.
—Held a work session prior to the regular meeting to discuss the board’s self-evaluation.