Notes from the May 7, 2007 Public Input Meeting

Agenda

1. Welcome, Introduction of Members, and Introduction of Facilitator
2. Overview of  Strategic Planning Process
3. Foundations for the new three year Plan
4. Community Comments and Recommendations
5. Developing Our Strategic Goals

Facilitator Jim Brown of Leadership Associates welcomed attendees which included members of the public, parents, teachers, Core Team Members, and other School District staff.

Mr. Brown asked the group to review the 2002 Strategic Plan and the 2006 Board Adopted Goals and to identify the differences between the two.  He noted that the Board goals are similar but not identical to the 2002 Strategic Plan. Superintendent Ken Benny explained that that while much of the 2002 Strategic Plan has been realized there is still work to do inside of the current Strategic Plan. The Board has used the Plan as its guide.     

To get started, Mr. Brown asked the group to participate in identifying the following:

• What are the major issues and challenges the district might face is the next three years?

• Of these, what are the most critical ones to be addressed?

• What are the five most important strategic goals that should be addressed in the planning period?

Community Comments

Questions asked of participants and led by Facilitator Jim Brown :
What knowledge, skills, and values do we want our students to acquire?

•   Parents would like to see a balance between project based learning and teaching to prepare for state mandated testing. Parents were asked to think about how much test scores play a role in measuring success.

•  Life skills are important: both character skills as well as practical life skills

•  The culture of teaching in Mill Valley is “teaching to the whole child”. Teachers do so much more than respond to tests. Teachers ask how do we fit this into an already extensive curriculum?  

•   Both parents and teacher agree that formative assessments are necessary

•   Some parents would like to see more “intellectual risk taking”

• Community service and social service should be part of every childs life

What is the critical work we do to make that happen?

• Teachers as role models
• Parental involvement is key
• Cooperation between parents, teachers, and the community. The Community can be defined in many ways-( Mill Valley citizens, other school districts, non-parents, civic groups)
• Communications- Email and web site communications are increasingly important to busy families
• Safe schools- both the facilities themselves as well as the environment within them-dealing with bullying
• Teacher satisfaction- addressing costs of living issues, providing professional development

What do you think the critical issues are over the next 3 years?

•  Property taxes not increasing at the rate of increased enrollment 

• Uncertainty of future of basic aid vs. reverting back to revenue limit

•  Seeing a decrease of parental involvement

•   Increased dependence on technology- both in the classrooms and the management of information

•  Teachers finding the time to teach to the “whole child”

What should be the top 5 goals and strategies?

(Individuals were asked to write out and share with group)

1. Get arms around fiscal issues: facilities and increased enrollment costs- identify long term funding opportunities
2. Maintain academic excellence and increasing consistency in differential teaching
3. Continue to build a strong technology infrastructure
4. Implement community service requirements to ensure a more well rounded student
5. Children become global citizens- environmental consciousness
6. Engage new families in the District- get families involved early
7. Maintain positive environments for both students and teachers
8. Continue positive interactions between teachers and parents