Longer Lunch Break!

Congratulations students and Student Council on successfully changing school policy. What a great example of proactively using the system to make a change you feel is needed.  What's next?

Steve Stackenwalt

Topic Ideas?

Comment here with any ideas about important topics that deserve discussion.

Class B State Champions!!!!

Trish Johnston has left a new comment on your post "High School Sports":

Congratulations to Alliance High One Act Class B State Champions!!!! What an amazing group of kids. And lets not forget the teachers who invested many hours into this program, it definitely payed off. Congratulations!

School Board, Staff Discuss District Goals

By MARK DYKES

Asst. Managing Editor

ALLIANCE — Monday evening at the Alliance Learning Center, the Alliance Public Schools Board of Education met with school staff to discuss the future of the district. Though I originally thought I was there simply to cover the meeting, I soon became involved in the discussion, and was part of a demonstration for those gathered.

Superintendent Dan Hoesing began the meeting by explaining the goal for the evening, which was to determine what can be done to improve the schools for the kids and the community. He added that his role at the meeting was to facilitate, not to influence, and stressed that there would be no action at the meeting, “only recommendations and next steps,” and a look at what the district hopes to accomplish. Action plans would later be put together for the second semester of the 2009-2010 school year.

Hoesing emphasized the district’s mission statement — “To develop in all students the individual skills, the desire for knowledge and the personal commitment essential for a successful future” — and asked that the school staff reflect and make sure that they are fulfilling that statement, or if it needed to be modified.

Hoesing also showed a video of Dalton Sherman, keynote speaker for the Dallas Independent School District Convocation for the 2008-2009 school year 2008-2009. In the video, Sherman asks educators if they believe in him and other students, and encourages belief in the schools and for the school staff to believe in their colleagues. Hoesing said that last night’s meeting was a step toward giving students of Alliance a chance to believe in the schools. The process would take time and work, he said, but the reward would be to make Alliance and elite school district “where everyone wants to go.” He added that going from a good school district to a great school district would require taking risks and having faith.

As the meeting went on, we were put into groups of two and asked to look at what we think are the beliefs fundamental to the schools. Some of the voiced beliefs were that all students can learn, but in different ways and at different paces, strong schools have a community that believes in them and that all students have the opportunity to learn.

Next, groups of three people were created to discuss what we want the district to focus on. Out of this discussion came ideas such as: connecting with all students through a nurturing environment; showing students they can turn things around no matter what; bringing the school and the community together, in ways such as educating students for jobs in Alliance; creating a school that student will say is the foundation of their success; and exceeding benchmarks, no matter what they are.

Groups also identified the district’s strengths, which included a desire to be the best, having quality staff and students, a willingness to improve, spirit and sportsmanship, and a good open door policy.

Following identification of the district strengths, Hoesing brought me to the center of the room for a demonstration, having no idea of what I was in for. As Hoesing instructed, I held my arms out and effectively resisted his pressing down on them. That would soon change however, as I wondered what could be the purpose of this experiment. Hoesing instructed me to close my eyes and focus only on what he was telling me, which I did, believing this to be a sort of memory exercise.

However, Hoesing’s voice spoke some of the worst insults I had heard, accusing me of many things. When I was told to, I again opened my eyes and was greeted with the faces of everyone at the meeting. My first thought was that they all believed the negative comments Hoesing had thrown at me. The superintendent again had me hold my arms out and resist the pressure he put on them. Despite my efforts, he easily brought them to my sides.

Again, Hoesing had me close my eyes and listen to his comments. His voice carried positive comments rather than negative this time, and when the time came I was able to again resist Hoesing’s physical push on my arms.

Hoesing said the demonstration helped to emphasize the impact positive re-enforcement at the schools, and when students hear negative comments about themselves they begin to think that they can’t do anything.

Further discussion at the meeting addressed the goals for the district, and the priority goals to focus on. Overall goals included improved graduation rates and attendance, smaller class sizes for primary grades, increased improvements in technology, a unified and positive school climate and continued improvement in relationships within the district, as well as relationships between the school district and the community. Overall, the meeting generated over 25 goals for the district.

Though there was discussion on what the priorities were for the district and how many of those priorities should be met in the second semester, Hoesing said nothing would be taken off of the overall goals list. He noted that the list would be examined, and if possible some of the goals would be combined. The next step would be to create action plans for the schools to address the highest priorities.

At the close of the meeting, everyone spoke on what they thought was taken from the meeting, such as the desire for change, setting priorities, getting all the schools on the same wavelength, coming together to address needs and improving communication.

Hoesing said he was extremely pleased with the meeting and with the passion and commitment shown by everyone in setting goals, making sure everyone is on the same page and being brutally honest in what they want for the district. He expects to have second semester action plans ready by December, but noted that this is not just a one-semester project. He is looking ahead to creating plans for coming years, and in six months the goals for the district will again be reviewed to see what progress has been made and to possibly add to the list of priorities.

High School Sports

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