Big changes are on the horizon for two local elementary schools after unanimous approval by USD 253 school board members during their regular meeting Wednesday.
For the past several months, William Allen White and Logan Avenue Elementary schools have been in the midst of educational redesign efforts to help provide an education for students with a larger focus on social-emotional development. Staff members from both schools joined together to present their final proposal before the board Wednesday.
In terms of the social-emotional approach to education, staff members explained it is about creating a safe and comfortable learning environment that best suits the needs of each individual student.
William Allen White Principal Tell Kirk explains when it comes to the hierarchy of needs, a student’s need to feel safe comes before higher-level cognitive thought.
Support for the redesign effort from stakeholders has been overwhelmingly positive, with 92 percent of Logan Avenue staff and 93 percent of William Allen White staff being in favor. Logan Avenue Principal Jessica Griffin says the support and hard work of staff members for the redesign was an essential component.
Support from parents was also highly positive with 98 percent of Logan Avenue parents and 93 percent of William Allen White parents voicing their approval. Both Kirk and Griffin believe any parents who may have had doubts about the redesign effort will begin to lend their support as they are able to see for themselves the benefits the effort provides to their children.
With the approval, both buildings will continue to pilot redesign concepts for the remainder of the 2018-19 academic year with additional redesign concepts being implemented and refined in 2019-2020 and beyond.
Another item which commanded attention during the meeting was an evaluation of Superintendent Kevin Case and his performance. Following a short executive session, the board unanimously voted to extend Case’s contract through June 30, 2020. This ends the fall review period for Case, which began in September. The board almost ended Case’s tenure in March following another lengthy review period.
The school board’s next regular meeting is scheduled for Wed. Jan 9 at 7 p.m. inside Mary Herbert Education Center.
