by Beecher Threatt
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Earlier this month Ridgway School Board members attended the four-day annual convention of Colorado Association of School Boards in Colorado Springs. At last week's board meeting they shared their impressions.
Roger Sagal, a new board member attending the convention for the first time, deemed the experience comprehensive and fantastic, yet somber. It helped him to understand the complexities of education funding at the state level.
New board member Sue Williamson took away a better understanding of what is expected of school board members and the "importance of what we do."
Julie Wesseling noted that "what we are up against" was the theme of... many sessions. She said increased school funding will eventually come to a vote and school boards need to start educating voters now.
Board Chair Jeff Synowic said he learned that it is not just the economy, but demographic change will affect revenues also.
Board members, minus member Bart Skalla, also discussed with Superintendent Cheryl Gomez the new teacher and principal evaluation standards mandated by SB 10-191. The state agency charged with defining effectiveness and establishing levels or performance has released the standards for school principal evaluations but not teacher standards. Gomez said Ridgway is waiting for a framework from the state to start implementing the teacher standards.
Half of teacher and principal evaluations will be based on students' academic growth and half on the standards prepared by the 15-member state Educator Effectiveness Council.
Former RSB member Steve Larivee is forming a committee of community members to find out how other school boards have implemented such standards, in order to assist the board in establishing a procedure and guidelines for evaluations.
Gomez reported to the board that Richard Willis, Technology Coordinator/Director, has resigned. Gomez said the entire staff was saddened by the news. Willis said in a letter to Gomez that he will be available for consultation if necessary.
Board members also discussed the required Annual Report to the Public — how best to distribute it, how much information to include, cost, etc. No final decision has been reached.
Board members will make short visits to classrooms in January. Each member will arrange with the principal 10-minute visits to several classrooms. "This is not for evaluation but to show support," Synowic said.