Transparency:
More often than not the public found via bloggers what was going on with the school district during 2011. From information extracted via OPRA to readers' tips the community has found more about the district than the district was willing to share. May this lack of transparency change for 2012.
Human Resources:
Once again the district was found to do poorly on the 2011 state review of the Personnel files. And once again the district is promoting personnel via interim and acting appointments. May the district and the school board find a good reason to explain these actions on 2012, better yet, may the school board stop this practice on 2012 and demands that corrective actions be taken for the 2010-12 appointments that disallowed an open search as well as excluded those who may had wanted to apply for those vacant, appointed or interim positions.
School Facilities:
May the district and school board see it fit on 2012 to inform the community, via schools, the district's website and newspapers, what the Long Range Facility Plans are and if the proposed construction for Woodland and Barlow was approved by the state. Let 2012 also bring a proper statement, with rationale, of why these two schools were suggested.
School Reconfiguration:
Same as above when it comes to timely and meaningful communications. May 2012 bring us a district and school board that properly explain how they arrived to whatever suggestions they may have regarding school reconfiguration. May 2012 also bring enough parents and community members to speak up if the plan doesn't sound right.
School Restructuring Plans:
May 2012 bring us news and updates on how the school district is implementing the mandated restructuring plans for both Middle Schools, Hubbard and Maxson.
Civil Rights Settlement:
May 2012 bring us a full report from the Plainfield school district's Bilingual and World Languages Department that informs us how the district is complying with the Civil Rights Settlement that seeks the enforcement of the proper delivery of educational opportunities to those students whose English is not their first language.
Governance:
May 2012 bring a school board that sets goals and makes them public; may 2012 also bring a school board that follows its own policies and that requests its administrators to start working on the district's own regulations.
With this said, may 2012 bring a better understanding on school matters to all of us and may improvement of the education delivered to the Plainfield school district's students continue to be the main goal for all of us that follow the school district.
Maria Pellum
4 comments:
may 2012 bring us people willing to BE a part of finding the solutions for the problems and not just complaining about them under the umbrella of informing the public. When you step on a nail you don't just walk around with it in your foot complaining about the pain. You BEND YOUR BACK...use YOUR HANDS and WORK to remove the cause of pain.
11:54,
Gee! You make it sound as if we bloggers don't do anything but sit around and snap our fingers to get information out to the public. And I can only wish to have osmosis powers where I can just put my hand on documents and information gets to my brain through the power of my touch. I tried but it didn't work. FYI, much of the pain of this community is the huge gap of information that regular folks have, so in this sense, I pretty much "bend my back, use my hands and work" to remove the pain that lack of meaningful information on school matters gives to our Plainfield residents. Anyway. I wish you a very happy and productive 2012. Thanks.
And Tolerance; its application by Administration and Board for those that question them. Its teaching to the students as a way of life.
WOW, paranoia will destroy ya, Anonymous 11:54! And, that nail reference is very telling...oy!
I emphatically thank Maria for the public service which she so generously and skillfully provides!
TRANSPARENCY is key to REAL solutions! The more info we have, the better the reflection of government excellence...or not. However, when info is hidden and/or admins are incompetent, the public must dig for the truth about OUR government entities. Only then can we solve government problems, as the Founders intended!
BTW, Maria IS a courageous problem-solver and public educator. We are a more efficient and knowledgeable community thanks to Maria's diligence and dedication!
Thank you and Keep up the great work, Maria!
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