Superintendent’s Message September 2014

Hello Timberlane!

As your Superintendent of Schools, I want to take this opportunity to share with you my goals for the 2014-15 school year.  There are 8 goals in total, each having numerous areas of action to support the main goal.  In this message I will share with you the main goal and provide some basic information about each one.  A full version of these goals can be found by clicking Superintendent’s Goals for 2014-15.

Goal No. 1: Instructional Audit

I want to know how much time students and teachers are in the classroom teaching and receiving direct instruction.  The results of this audit will directly impact how we deliver instruction in the future.

Goal No. 2: Curriculum and Instruction

In an effort to improve the curriculum and instruction offered by the district my team will:

1. Review all stage 1 curricula and program recommendations.
2. Continue with instructional rounds.
3. Review performance data that will assist in establishing intervention protocol and processes for student learning.

Goal No. 3: Programs

To improve the program offerings at Timberlane, my team will:

1. Monitor the full day Kindergarten program to which I will report on at a later date.
2. Create business and community partnerships to support teaching and learning objectives.
3. Improve the summer program to increase opportunities for students to succeed outside of the typical classroom.
4. Work to increase the rigor and accountability of the Evening Division program.

Goal No. 4: Budget Preparation

In an effort to improve the budgeting process, my team will:

1. Develop a budget priorities survey for community input – the survey period has since ended and we are now collecting and analyzing the data.
2. Develop an ongoing process to solicit public involvement in the budget process.
3. Create a follow up survey that will directly impact the 2015-16 proposed budget.

Goal No. 5: Increase Transparency

The purpose of this goal is to make available to the public the business operations of the school district.  Meeting this goal will include:

1. Posting financial information on the district website – we are now posting monthly financial reports on the budget committee website.
2. Posting school board materials for public viewing – we are now posting school board materials on the school board website.
3. Continue to make myself available to district shareholders – please feel free to contact my office to meet with me.

Goal No. 6: SLT Management

Per the directive of the SAU Board, I will delegate more authority and work to the members of the Superintendent’s Leadership Team.

And finally, Goal No. 7: Capital Improvement Plan

I will co-chair a CIP committee with a goal of reviewing and updating a long-term capital improvement plan.

Although these goals will define the work moving forward this year, they are not exclusive; I will continue to make improvements to other areas of need.  Improvement and change takes time, especially when working with a school district of this size.  I hope that as I enter in to my 3^rd year as your Superintendent, you will begin to see the improvements and headway into the areas of rigor and accountability that have been made.  It’s both good and hard work and I thank you for your support of it.

Dr. Earl Metzler

Superintendent of Schools