Superintendent’s Report – August 2020
We are very busy planning for the reopening of schools for our students on Tuesday, September 8th. We have established an implementation team for our Hinsdale Elementary School reopening plan and an implementation team for our Hinsdale Middle/High School reopening plan. Our HMHS principal is leading the implementation team at Hinsdale Middle/High School and our HES principal is leading the implementation team at our elementary school. Board member Kaylah Hemlow and I are regularly meeting with the leadership of the Hinsdale Federation of Teachers in order to better coordinate the process we use to safely reopen our schools. In addition, Board member Holly Kennedy and I are meeting with the leadership of the Hinsdale Support Staff Association to assist in our cooperative effort to reopen Hinsdale Schools.
Our new Facilities Manager, Shawn Lee, has developed a new inspection check list, by zone, that our custodians will use to ensure appropriate cleaning as we prepare for the reopening of our schools for students. We are also in the process of improving air filtration in our classrooms and are installing devices to reduce the possibility of a spread of any virus in our schools. Our Facility Committee meets on Friday, August 21st and most items on our agenda are related to safely reopening our schools.
Our Director of Human Resources, Ann Diorio, is regularly meeting with the school nurses to review the process of ensuring a safe reopening. This team is also acquiring the needed personal protective equipment for the reopening of our schools.
Our transportation providers have been notified and it appears we will be able to fully accommodate those students that need school transportation. Based on our parent survey many more parents than usual plan on transporting their children.
At our August 5th Hinsdale Schools Administrative Team meeting the preliminary development of action plans were discussed for the 2020/ 2021 Board Goals. It was decided that we would attempt to draft an action plan for each goal at our first A-Team meeting following school reopening.
The 2020-2021 Hinsdale School Board Goals are as follows:
- Curriculum and Instruction
Ensure that all students receive personalized guidance regarding post-secondary education or career options.
Provide students with educational opportunities and learning based upon the student’s unique needs, interests and learning styles.
Establish continuity and collaboration in instruction between the school buildings.
Ensure all staff has access to pertinent trainings.
PACE-All grade levels will move towards performance assessment and enhance personalized learning.
- Communication
Internal-Improve overall communication.
External-Maintain communication to promote a collaborative relationship with the community in the following ways:
Continue to hold a minimum of two community forums during the school year.
Maintain a presence on other committees, boards and through attendance at community events in town.
Maintain relationships with town governing bodies.
- Culture
Promote a culture of kindness and open communication.
Ensure clear behavioral expectations are communicated and followed up on regularly through the development and implementation of a district-wide behavior plan, the progress of which will be reported to the Board monthly by the Superintendent
Promote an atmosphere that supports an inclusive, professional learning community.
Support and promote anti-bullying practices and ensure policies are being followed
Superintendent will spot check the bullying logs and report monthly to the Board
Support the development of a diversity plan that can be integrated throughout the district.
Acknowledge the diversity of student accomplishments in all areas.
- Personnel
Support initiatives to recruit and retain professional, high-quality staff that are innovative, dynamic and dedicated to the success of all students.
- Financial
Support ways to conduct business in the most efficient and effective manner
Work with the administration to identify and secure additional sources of revenue.
Work with the administration to present a warrant article to rebuild the expendable trust funds.
Work with the Administration to proactively monitor the fund balance
Maintain ongoing communication with the Budget Committee regarding any potential changes in funding and expenditures and continue to provide detailed backup information for the budget.
- Security
Continue to review security audit information and move forward, in a fiscally responsible manner, to ensure our building are secure and our students and staff are safe.
- Technology
Continue to align the district budget to support the 5-year plan of the Future Technology Committee.
Ensure all staff has access to pertinent trainings.
- Facilities
Twice yearly School Board tours of all school buildings –1 tour during the school day and 1 tour when classes are not in session.
Fully utilize all building spaces.