Career and technical education update
Anita Jinks, director of Career and Technical Education (CTE), John Page, assistant director, and Cynthia Kemp, teacher at Foss High School, gave an update on CTE and new programs at the Feb. 11 school board meeting. The new programs include a multimedia productions program at Wilson High School and a construction trades program at Lincoln High School. A ninth-grade Tech Team class, Exploring Technologies, at Mt. Tahoma High School was started this school year for students who prefer hands-on learning.
Science and Math Institute (SAMI) update
Jon Ketler, co-director of the Science and Math Institute (SAMI), Michael Knuckles, SAMI co-director, and Kristin Tinder, a SAMI teacher, gave updates on SAMI as the school goes into its second semester.
A vital component of SAMI are the Connections family groups, a school-family partnership similar to a PTA, where adult family members meet monthly in their local neighborhood for a potluck dinner with staff members and other SAMI families. At the meetings, relationships are built, and information about the school’s events are shared. The mission of the Connections teams is to create relationships in which community members engage in the school with the goal of assisting to create change and have a positive impact on learning. As at Tacoma School of the Arts, these family groups can help support each other and the students in times of need, which is an important part of student success.
Strategic planning process
Deputy Superintendent Carla Santorno gave the board a detailed description of the strategic planning process. Strategic planning includes data collection; data analysis and setting priorities; internal and external feedback; the board’s drafting a strategic vision, mission, values and goals; adoption of a strategic plan; and development of an implementation plan. For a look at an outline of the strategic planning process, click here.
Other actions
The board approved the submission of the impact aid grant to the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education Title VIII. The Impact Aid law provides assistance to local school districts with concentrations of children residing on Indian lands, military bases, low-rent housing properties or other federal properties, and, to a lesser extent, concentrations of children who have parents in the uniformed services or employed on eligible federal properties who do not live on federal property.
The next regular board meeting will be held Feb. 25 at 6 p.m., fourth-floor auditorium, Central Administration Building, 601 S. 8th St.