A large turnout by members and supporters of the Konocti Education Association at the district”s strategic plan town-hall meeting was reflected in electronic votes to determine Konocti district priorities for the upcoming year.
While every other vote was split with the highest-ranked option percentages scoring in high teens to mid- to high 20s, the highest Finance and Budget action step scored an impressive 57.1 percent to “Examine each and every available option to provide staff with adequate compensation in the form of both salary and benefits. Settle negotiations with all bargaining units.”
The highest-ranked Human Resources action step, at 50.5 percent, was to “Fairly settle negotiations with all bargaining units balancing need to improve employee compensation with need to assure long term fiscal solvency of the district.”
Every January the district holds a town-hall meeting to set priorities for the coming year in implementing its strategic plan, which was adopted by the district in November 2005.
The backdrop for this year”s meeting, however, was an impasse in negotiations that the KEA declared in December. Union representatives publicly alleged, even before negotiation openers, that the district does not “respect” its teachers. The school board and district staff have responded with letters to the editor and correspondence that was sent to district parents.
Union representatives wore matching KEA T-shirts to Wednesday night”s town-hall event. Some students additionally handed out T-shirts in the lobby that bore messages of support. Wearers of the two groups” swag made Trojan blue and white predominant colors in the audience.
So many people attended on Wednesday that the district”s PowerPoint overview was transmitted through videoconferencing into two overflow rooms.
Community priorities in 2007, according to Superintendent Dr. Louise Nan in her overview, were to:
? Restructure Oak Hill Middle School for Program Improvement Year 5 under the federal “No Child Left Behind.” Nan reported that a comprehensive, broad-based District School Liaison Team (DSLT) met through the spring of 2007 to develop recommendations for restructuring Oak Hill. The board adopted the plan on May 2, 2007.
The district retained consultants from the California League of Middle Schools to assist Oak Hill with restructuring to small learning communities. Oak Hill opened this fall in “pods” of approximately four teachers with 100 students who stay together for most of the instructional day.
Oak Hill site leadership was reconfigured with the addition of a second co-principal.
Oak Hill was also granted state funding from the Quality Education Investment Act to reduce class size and provide additional staff development and resources.
? Plan for a vocational school or academy for grades seven to 14. A planning group met throughout 2007 and identified four career pathways consistent with Lake County”s economic need: automotive technology, welding, construction trades and culinary arts and hospitality. “We considered applying to the State Board of Education for a district-dependent charter school,” said Dr. Nan.
The district ultimately chose to form a career “pathways” program under the auspices of Lower Lake High School. Advisory committee volunteers were identified within the community.
? Recruit and retain high-quality professional staff. Nan reported that a significant number of teachers retired and that in fall 2007 the district was able to attract and hire 32 new highly-qualified staff. “We began the year without the usual vacancies in high-need areas of mathematics, science and special education.”
Nan also explained that “The district uses a rigorous screening and interview process. All administrators are trained in use and scoring of the district interview. We listen for the core values of the person to determine quality and fit for our organization.”
Following a brief overview in each area of the strategic plan — Curriculum and Instruction, Facilities and Operations, Finance and Budget, Human Resources, Technology, Student Guidance and Welfare, School Culture and Community Connections — attendees were next asked to select one among several action steps for each of the strategic plan areas using “Activote” hand-held devices. Attendees could additionally propose new ideas and suggestions on pieces of paper that bore space for each category. Activote answers were instantly tallied with a visual display of the vote percentage awarded to each option.
Top voter priorities in each of the strategic plan areas for 2008 are:
? Curriculum and Instruction ? Develop and implement strategies to close the achievement gap. “Our children of color are lagging in academic achievement behind their Caucasian counterparts,” said Dr. Nan, echoing a trend that has been documented across the state in the latest round of testing results.
? Facilities and Operations ? Apply for state Proposition 1D funding for career pathway facilities at Lower Lake High School.
? Finance and Budget ? Examine each and every available option to provide staff with adequate compensation in the form of both salary and benefits. Settle negotiations with all bargaining units.
? Human Resources ? Fairly settle negotiations with all bargaining units balancing need to improve employee compensation with need to assure long term fiscal solvency of the district.
? Technology ? Network upgrades to continue with new construction and modernization projects.
? Student Guidance and Welfare ? Work to assure consistent implementation of Social Skills Academies at all four elementary sites and Oak Hill. The social skills academies serve students whose behavior is identified as a barrier to their learning.
? School Culture ? Develop systematic methods to involve parents from all groups represented in our school community.
? Community Connections ? Develop and implement career pathways at LLHS with full community participation on pathway advisory committees.
Contact Cynthia Parkhill at cparkhill@clearlakeobserver.com.
