Leading to change: USD 257 develops goals

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October 6, 2015 - 12:00 AM

For many years high schools often were referred to as preps — a contraction for preparatory schools where students readied themselves to continue their educations at a college or university.
“Now, we realize that not all students have to go to college to be successful,” Steve Parsons told more than 50 people gathered on Monday to develop a plan for the immediate future of USD 257 schools and their staffs and students.
Parsons, former superintendent of schools at Humboldt and Chanute, was joined by Bart Swartz, director of administrative services and leadership programs at Greenbush, to facilitate and guide discussion that ranged on about four hours.
The process will be in two sessions, the second on Nov. 3.
Monday’s interactive discussion led to agreement on five goals. In November specifics, including how to go about reaching them and what outcomes might be expected, will flesh out the document that will be handed to board members. That four were involved may make that portion of the process less tutorial and more simple ratification.
Those asked to participate were a cross-section of public and private Iolans, including several from the district staff. Glaringly absent in the minds of several participants — an oversight that may be corrected — was inclusion of parents whose children might be more likely bound for a post-high school career than college.
Students also may be asked to weigh in, at the behest of Mike Ford, school resource officer with Iola Police Department. “We should have students at the table,” Ford said, to give voice “to what they think they need.”
Nine goals were suggested after post-lunch roundtable discussions, throwing together six to eight people in each to review strategic plans developed in other districts. They were winnowed to five by a vote.
— Improve student attitude, pride and personal responsibility.
— Have graduating students career- or college-ready.
— Recruit, retain and reward highly qualified staff.
— Provide students with world-class learning facilities.
— Improve school, parent and community partnerships.
Prior to those conclusions, another list was made, with such topics as the plan should embrace “the big picture;” student welfare (philosophical) always the first consideration; limited verbiage and in simple format; resources (staff and financial), timeline and evaluation much a part; and the bar for goals should be set high — great expectations.

TONY LEAVITT, board president, prefaced the session: “We want to listen to where the community wants to go — all aspects of local education” are on the table. “We need the input so we can all pull in the same direction.”
In reference to Parsons’ comment that success nowadays isn’t equated solely to a college degree, Swartz pointed out a survey found workaday accomplishment was pegged 19 percent academics and 81 percent being adept at soft skills, such as arriving at work on time, working well with others, being able to communicate and taking pride in what was being done.
Mark Burris, a former BOE member and local industrialist, allowed that while soft skills were important, community thought and lifestyles had changed, even in the past decade or two. “Lots of people don’t know what’s out there,” in the job market, because, in some extreme cases, “they’ve never been out of Iola, or Allen County.”
In a luncheon pitch, Parsons illuminated what was expected of participants.
“A strategic plan is a tool for improvement,” which metaphorically is of little worth unless it is used, he said — in a comparison to his penchant for buying tools, and then using some extensively in his workshop and laying others aside to gather dust.
Swartz allowed what the district was doing well should be an important component of the plan, in helping to decide “where we want to go,” along with proposed improvements.
Parsons capped the plans’ aim by agreeing with David Toland, who said students should be encouraged to be the best in all they did. The district should stress “high expectations, so students will leave here and be able to compete (successfully) with all they do in the real world.”

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