Schools
Avon Schools Welcome Public Input on Strategic Planning
The next session is Monday night at 6:30 p.m.
Avon Public Schools' strategic planning process has long been delayed, between David Erwin leaving his superintendent post in 2010 after eight months on the job, a conflict of interest policy that prevented Jody Goeler from rising from assistant superintendent to school chief and the search for a permanent superintendent.
With Superintendent of Schools Gary Mala settled into his leadership position after 10 months, he is spearheading strategic plan development for 2012. The Board of Education approved the last plan in May 2004.
He is seeking public input regarding ideas for what the plan should focus on via a SurveyMonkey questionnaire on the Avon Public Schools website and information sessions. The first was on Jan. 4.
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"I think it went really well," Roell said. "I want to encourage many other people to participate...."
One consistent theme Roell noticed in the feedback at the first meeting was preparation for the world outside of Avon.
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"How do we best prepare our kids for wherever they'll be going when the graduate from Avon High?" Roell said.
That includes career development and some parents suggested working with local businesses to create internships for local students. Roell said that this emphasis became even more of a concern recently due to the tough job market.
Mala is working on the strategic planning process with a committee of the following administrators, staff and faculty, principals, parents, town employees and other community members.
Name Role/Title Jason Beaudin Avon High School Principal Joanne Beers President, Avon Education Foundation Abha Bernard Representative of Concerned Citizens for Avon (CC4A) Brandon Robertson Avon Town Manager Crisanne Colgan Principal, Roaring Brook School John Czepiel President, Avon Education Association Gail Dahling-Hench Principal, Pine Grove School Patricia DeRossi Supervisor, Health Services James DiPace Avon Fire Marshal and Director of Emergency Management Marco Famiglietti Principal, Avon Middle School Peter Gaski Director of Facilities, Avon Public Schools Gwendolyn Hahn Parent Thomas Harrison Chairman, Avon Board of Finance William Hickey Director of Pupil Services, Avon Public Schools Wendy Howard Board of Education member Randy Leaning Parent Houston Putnam Lowry Secretary, Board of Education Glenn Marston Director of Avon Recreation and Parks Department Donna Nestler-Rusack Avon Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning (as of Feb. 1) William Newman Representative, Local Veterans of Foreign Wars Newell Porch Athletic Coordinator, Avon High School Peggy Roell Chairperson, Board of Education Paula Schwartz Interim Assistant Superintendent of Schools (until Feb. 1) Ames Shea Board of Education Member John Spang Jr. Director of Finance and Operations, Avon Public Schools Florence Stahl Director of Avon Taxpayers Association Magda Stayton Parent Virginia Vocelli Director of Avon Free Public Library Anne Watson Principal, Thompson Brook School
Typically, strategic plans are developed every five years, Roell said, and the plan was to do another one in 2009, but the board postponed the process until a permanent superintendent was selected to lead it. Though, she pointed out that, as Mala has said, a strategic plan is a "living document" that may change.
The 2004 strategic plan, developed under the leadership of former superintendent Richard Kisiel, emphasized incorporating critical thinking into education and increasing the school board's communication.
"Prior to that time, public comment at our meetings was not encouraged," Roell said, and since then, she said there has been more public involvement at meetings.
That led to the creation of the school board's Communications Subcommittee, quarterly school board newsletters and building up the school's website so that more information was available to the public.
The next public input session is Jan. 9 from 6:30 to 8 p.m in the Avon High School auditorium. There will be another on Jan. 12 from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Town Hall Building One in the Selectmen's Conference Room.
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