"Renewal for the Pontiac School District. A Strategic Action Plan."

PUBLISHED: Tuesday, April 22, 2008

School board reveals long-awaited strategic plan

By DIANA DILLABER MURRAY
Of The Oakland Press
PONTIAC - In a celebratory atmosphere, trustees unveiled new goals and a new commitment to do whatever is necessary to improve student achievement in Pontiac schools.
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For new school Board President Damon Dorkins and Vice President Gill Garrett "it feels like 'Day One' of a new school district," Dorkins said. The board held a news conference Monday night to release its 'Renewal for the Pontiac school District: A Strategic Action Plan.'

Dorkins and Garrett said they are hoping for strong parental and community support to carry out the plan. The two school board leaders pulled back black velvet curtains to reveal the board's new Vision, Beliefs and Commitments and Core Values, written on large boards decorated with colorful charts firmly attached to board room walls in the Odell Nails Administration Building.

"The strategic plan will allow us to address all of the problems and concerns identified in a comprehensive study conducted last year by the Chartwell Education Group," Dorkins said. Chartwell is led by former U.S. Department of Education Secretary Rod Paige. Scott Jenkins has been Paige's representative in the district for more than a year.

Dorkins said the plan will implement 'revolutionary change.'

The six core values the board announced for the district are safe and orderly schools, student learning as the central priority, accountability at all levels, respect for diversity, parents as partners and community ownership of the district.

Dorkins said the board and administration have already accomplished much in the last four months, even before the plan was made public. Garrett said the board wanted a vision, values, goals and beliefs and commitment that everyone could see every time they came into the school administration building.

Trustees will insist on setting high expectations for every child and will provide the resources to ensure they can attain those goals, he said.

Under the strategic plan, the board expects the administration and teachers to ensure all schools in the district will meet the annual yearly progress goal set by the federal No Child Left Behind program by the year 2013. At this time, 70 percent of schools have achieved that goal. In fact, the number achieving AYP have declined since 2005.

In addition, the plan dictates that all Pontiac students will significantly increase scores on standardized achievement tests, including the ACT college readiness exam, the Michigan Merit Examination, the Michigan Educational Assessment Program and a quarterly assessment program done within the district. Average scores now are below state averages.

Linda Paramore, acting chief academic officer, said for the new district curriculum to be successful, it will take parental involvement.

"When parents send their children to school they have to send those high expectations from home," she said.

City activist Brenda Causey-Mitchell said, "We need a plan to bring parents into the school and engage them when they get there."

Garrett said that in the past, schools had always played the role of community centers and he'd like to see that happen again. Trustee Alma Bradley-Pettress pointed out, "We listened to the community and made sure all their priorities are in this plan."

For her part, Trustee Karen Cain said, "We've already started under Dr. Paramore. The curriculum already has been strengthened this last year and she has been training teachers.

Trustee Robert Bass said getting ready to announce the strategic plan made him "feel like a kid with a new toy who couldn't wait to pull it out of the bag."

Bass said resources will be redirected to classroom instruction. Trustee Christopher Northcross said he will be happy to see the district use data from testing to improve teaching and student achievement.

Key to everything is upgrading technology, not only for students, but to analyze data, and support teachers.

Dorkins acknowledged former board President Letyna Roberts for having the vision to begin the process in 2006 with Chartwell, and former board President April Hernandez for her work to move the strategic plan forward.

Paige, chairman of Chartwell, said in a written statement, "the strategic action plan is the result of the board's diligence and perseverance.

"My colleagues and I are proud to have been part of this endeavor that will help ensure a revitalized school district and a bright future for all of the children in this community."