SPRINGDALE — School District administrators are four months into working on projects, such as increasing student access to technology and prekindergarten classes, because of a multimillion dollar grant.
Administrators and School Board members spoke at Tuesday's about progress made on the projects. There are 11 projects, which are part of a $25 million Race To The Top Grant the district received from the U.S. Department of Education in December.
At A Glance
Race To The Top Grant Projects
• Seat time waiver: Administrators are seeking a waiver allowing students to pass a class based on acquiring needed skills instead of time in class.
• Schedule: Administrators are researching bell schedules and how they could help schools.
• Advisory: Administrators are working to develop advisory programs where students can complete personal learning plans and student led conferencing.
• Personal leaning plans and student led conferences: Administrators want students to have a learning plan and communicate with their parents and teachers their progress.
• Multiple pathways: Administrators are working on different ways for students to graduate, such as academies in the high schools, personal learning plans, a seat time waiver and other plans.
• Prekindergarten: Administrators are expanding the program.
• Technology: Administrators are increasing its use and access in schools.
• Professional development: Administrators are expanding professional development opportunities.
• Parent academy: Administrators are creating programs to get more parents involved.
• Professional learning community: Administrators are developing programs for teachers to work together on professional development.
• Coaching and evaluation: Administrators are developing programs for evaluating and coaching teachers and administrators.
Source: Springdale School District
At A Glance
Board Action
Springdale’s School Board met Tuesday and approved:
• The school calendar for the 2014-15 year.
• Renewing employee contracts.
• Hiring additional personnel as needed for the 2014-15 year.
Source: Staff Report
So far, administrators have spent $353,126, said Marsha Jones, associate superintendent for curriculum, instruction, accountability and education innovation.
"We're not spending wildly," she said during the meeting. "We're spending small."
One project under the grant aims to supply each student with either a school-owned Chromebook or iPad. Administrators have ordered the first 1,000 Chromebooks and students are already using 700 of them, according to the School Board's agenda.
Administrators also met in March and April to discuss a parent academy, which they hope will help get more parents involved in their children's education. One meeting was to discuss leadership while another was to discuss creating a plan to get more parents involved.
District officials have also made progress toward professional development for teachers and principals, said Kim Garrett, assistant superintendent for teaching and learning grades eight through 12, at the meeting. Officials have scheduled 160 staff members to an event for professional development in June and another during the summer of 2015.
Money from the grant will be spent on the 11 projects over three years, said Jim Rollins, superintendent. He said he thinks administrators have made "enormous progress" over the past four months.
"This is an indication that we're moving forward really well," he said.
The next step for all of the projects is for administrators to reformat plans into what they're calling a "logic model," Jones said. All five school districts in the country that won a Race To The Top grant must submit their plans to the U.S. Department of Education in the "logic model" format.
None of the information going into the format is new, Jones said. The format is structured to explain the resources for the projects, strategies to complete them, what will happen once they are finished and how administrators plan to keep the projects sustainable.
Board members also approved all elementary and middle schools in the district becoming schools of innovation. Members approved a similar resolution in March for junior high schools and high schools in the district, Rollins said.
If the moves are approved by the Arkansas Department of Education, Springdale will become a district of innovation, Rollins said. The change would allow officials to pursue innovative ideas and apply for waivers.
NW News on 04/16/2014