Results of Community Conversations

August 1, 2008

  

PREAMBLE:

Our ideas for connecting our community and public schools throughout Monroe County are broken out below.  These ideas are grounded in the notion that public schools play a vital role in our community and the community must play a vital role in public schools.

Part 1

 

The Community we want:

 

• A variety of Recreation and Entertainment for adults and children
• Safe & Clean environment
• Community of citizens caring for each other and supporting each other as parents – Older adults helping to train younger citizens
• Improved Services from Government
• Public Transportation
• Growing Economy with better job opportunities
• A stronger commitment to all aspects of Education – Aptitude/Job Skills, Adult Literacy Education, Technical/Education Learners/Leaders/Innovators, Tutorial, Job Training Center, libraries
• Affordable Housing, Apartments and Assisted Living Facilities
• More regionalism (sharing of resources & cooperation) between neighboring cities, counties, and communities

 

The Situation we face:

 

• Residents leave here to spend money in other communities that offer recreation and entertainment opportunities. Monroe County tax dollars supporting other communities, leaving ours dry and deserted
• Residents leave here to work and live in other communities
• Pocket area of residents that cannot find jobs or attend schools because of lack of transportation
• Lack developers that are willing to build affordable housing.

 

What needs to happen for us to fulfill our aspirations?

 

• Earmark tax funds for specific educational usefulness.
• Government entities should work together to focus on ways to encourage increases in tax dollars, i.e. recruit outside retailers to locate in our communities, consider annexation of smaller neighboring communities, market our community assets in neighboring communities
• Government should welcome developers and make it easy for developers to do business in our communities i.e. relax or revise strict coding that does not involve safety hazards.
• Encourage residents to raise expectations of government officials to grow the community  Establish citizen-based initiative to ensure long-term change

Part 2

 

The Public Schools we want:

 

• Capable, caring, highly-qualified teachers
• Programs focusing on manners, ethics, respect, self esteem building, talents, gifts, abilities
• Community Centers on School campuses
• Curricula that prepares students for life, not test
• Unity in Community, individual schools and School System
• Diverse Teaching practices – advanced placement classes, basic skills, vocational skills
• More local funding for schools
• Capital Investments & upgrade of facilities
• Adoption of Schools/classrooms by individuals, businesses, & churches
• Safe and Drug Free schools
• Administration/Leadership that  display a commitment to working with the parents and schools to optimize education (meeting in district 2 times/year)
• Raise Expectations for students in academics, work ethics, community involvement, appearance and behavior
• 5 Year plans for School System
• Counselors working with small groups, job opportunities, resolution of student conflict
• Enlighten students to alternatives to 4 year college degrees
• Have more students qualify to graduate –ready for success
• Strong parental involvement
• More vocational training options
• Teachers with diverse expertise
• More classrooms equipped with state-of-the-art technology

  

The Situation we face:

 

• Students are graduating/dropping out unprepared for college/workplace and lacking motivation to excel
• Lack communication between schools, teachers, administrators and parents
• Students lack respect and motivation
• Inability to recruit more highly qualified teachers
• No long range vision for schools
• Inequitable disbursement  of funds
• Teachers that are not driven to inspire students
• Lack of connectivity between schools and community
• Negative behavior among students due to drug and alcohol abuse
• Lack of Leadership and motivation among students
• Increased unemployment, crime and drug abuse

 

Why we face this Situation:

 

• Lack of Motivation of students/teachers to raise expectations
• Lack of Parental Involvement in lives of children and schools
• Lack of Stable Funding Base
• Poor communication between leadership and families
• Lack of vocational/technical training
• Students being taught to meet AYP, not necessary Life Skills
• Lack of 5 year Strategic Plans
• Lack goals for individual schools
• Insufficient pertinent Professional Development for Educators
• Lack of appropriate evaluation/tenure system for teachers/staff/faculty
• Support from city, local businesses and other organizations is not present
• Students don’t see consequences/rewards of behavior
• Students need more instruction from home and school on character, behavior, leadership
• Inadequate partnership between business, government and schools

 

 

What Needs to Happens for us to fulfill our aspirations?

 

• Entire Community assumes ownership of MC Public Schools.  Get Community (Citizens, Government, Businesses, Churches, etc.) to become “Partners In Education” to produce high quality schools
• Ask citizens to offer solutions and to make sacrifices to implement them
• Schools and School Board must improve communication with parents and the community through various mediums, such as websites, newspaper and public forums
• Elect Officials that will seek a stable funding base to help support school system
• Seek additional funding sources such as grants, tax increase, and eliminate programs that do not produce significant financial or social results
• Frequent evaluations of Teachers, Faculty, Departments and Schools. All departments, each school, all teachers and faculty members need to be evaluated to ensure they meet highly qualified requirements
• Offer pertinent Professional Development opportunities
• Create Merit-based pay based on classroom and/or subordinate performance
• School Board must develop a 5-Year Plan tied to a firm timeline and Review and modify strategic plan annually to ensure goals are being met 
• School Board discussions need to include more topics dedicated to finding ways to raise the level of student/faculty performance and accountability
• School board should conduct open meetings in community
• Make counselors and educators aware of varied post-high school opportunities, (Technical School, Associate Degrees, 4 year Degrees, etc.) to encourage additional career opportunities for our students
• Hold school and government leaders accountable for the results  
• Build support for Initiative
• Ask Citizens to use agreement to raise expectations
• Establish Citizen Based Initiative to ensure long term change
• Increase expectations for all students