Instructional committee discusses goals

Talk about it

WORTHINGTON — The District 518 School Board Instructional Committee reviewed its staff development goals at a meeting Monday.

The goals include improved staff retention, development of the mentorship program that pairs current staff with newly hired teachers and increased in-service time devoted to curriculum development.

Increased participation in staff development activities is another goal, said Tammy Timko, coordinator of teaching and learning in the district.

“We want to see who is using it. Is it a select group? Are there other ways we could present (staff development) that might draw more people in?” she asked.

“I’d like to see them find something they’d find value in,” said board member Steve Schnieder, referring to those who don’t take advantage of extra staff development, or those who do so grudgingly.

Timko also spoke about the Effective Schools Model, which the district implemented this year.

“It’s an organizational model to help with communication and collaboration in our district,” she explained.

Educators in one building may not be aware of what’s going on in another, she said, and administrators and school board members will learn techniques to remedy that at a May 19 meeting with Joe Whelan, an Effective Schools consultant.

In other business, the committee Monday:

• Discussed last week’s interviews for the Activities Coordinator position. The candidates are Brent Schimek of Easton, Mike Traphagen of Worthington, Luke MacLean of St. Cloud and Chad Feikema of Albert Lea. A final decision will be announced today.

• Reviewed a possible cal-endar for the district’s proposed flexible learning year, which could allow for an earlier start to the school year and an added instructional day, among other things. Public meetings to discuss the issue will be 4:30 p.m. today, 7:30 a.m. Wednesday and 7 p.m. Thursday, all in the Worthington High School Media Center.

• Discussed a program for the 2009-2010 school year that will partner Nobles Rock Community Health Services with Early Childhood Family Education and Special Education staff to coordinate health services for children in the district.

• Discussed staff reductions that will be finalized at the May 19 school board meeting.

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