M-W School Board approves superintendent's 2011-12 goals

Expectations deal with developing benchmarks for assessing students as well as taxes and union negotiations CENTRAL VALLEY — Monroe-Woodbury School District Superintendent Edward Mehrhof’s 2011-2012 goals were approved by the Board of Education at its Oct. 19 meeting. They are as follows: Goal 1 Ensure the delivery of high quality instruction to improve student achievement. Specific objectives linked to improve student success Provide the leadership necessary to ensure administrators fully implement the comprehensive assessment of staff under Education Law 3012-c, the integration of the Common Core Learning Standards (CCLS) into the district’s instruction and the utilization of data to inform instruction through the establishment of building level inquiry teams and use of benchmark assessments. Provide oversight of all negotiations with respective bargaining units regarding the selection of evaluation rubrics, defining the process for the full integration of the evaluation into Monroe-Woodbury practice, and setting the guidelines to ensure all decisions match Monroe-Woodbury’s academic and professional staff expectations. Faculty and administration will become proficient with the Common Core Standards. In addition, they will become skillful in how the knowledge and skills reflected in these standards are expected to be measured in state assessments. Facilitate compliance with both the Response to Intervention (RTI) and Race to the Top (RTTT) regulations through the full implementation of benchmark assessments in K-5 and the establishment of inquiry teams K-12. Measurable outcomes Complete the implementation of the new Annual Professional Performance Review (APPR) for Grades 4-8, in accordance with Section 3012-c of the Education Law. Grades K-5 will have two assessments in Math and ELA with a third assessment scheduled in June. Grades 6-8 will have three assessments in Math and English, with a fourth assessment scheduled before the end of the year. Grades 9-12 will have one assessment in Math and ELA, with a second assessment scheduled before the end of the year. Goal 2 Design a fiscally sound budget that will not exceed 1 percent and comply with the New York State 2 percent tax cap while maintaining mandatory curriculums. Specific objectives linked to improved student success All current expenditures including staffing, programs, transportation, sports and extracurricular will be reviewed to improve efficiency and cost savings. Zero- based budgeting will be used to ensure core programs will be maintained. Measurable outcomes The district will present a budget that will not exceed a one percent increase in spending and comply with the New York State two percent tax cap while retaining its core programs. Goal 3 Examine the impact of student enrollment on the use and effect of district facilities. Specific objectives linked to improve student success The student enrollment, which has been constant to declining, has significant impact on the district’s mid-range educational facilities plan ensuring that space for enhancement of students’ learning is used economically and judiciously. The enrollment data will assist in assessing educational and support organizations and any expense reduction or revenue enhancements will assist the district’s efforts to allocate as many resources as possible to the education and enrichment of our students, improving the well-being of the child. In the mid-range estimate analysis, the progression of current students through the grade levels will account for the largest part of future enrollment, and trends in the number of new students entering kindergarten or first grade are closely related. An integral part of the planning, which is essential in documenting the need for near term capital projects, is the development of a near term student enrollment projection. Measurable outcomes An enrollment analysis will be completed for the district. The analysis will consist of a listing of present student enrollment by grades, with special or ungraded students indicated separately along with the previous last three years. Based on the data an examination of the distribution and allocation of space within school facilities will be done. Goal 4 Negotiate and settle a new contract for the MWAA, MWEA and CSEA Specific objectives linked to improve student success Memoranda of Agreement should contain multi-year settlements that are reflective of the difficult financial times the district is facing. These settlements will allow the superintendent to utilize actual personnel costs for long-term budget planning purposes and allow for optimal resources to flow to the classroom. Measurable outcomes Ratified memoranda of agreement for each of the associations by the end of the 2011-12 school year. Source: The office of Monroe-Woodbury School District Superintendent Edward Mehrhof