By DEBBIE ROSEN
Staying focused on the coming school year and the years to come, Oceanside School Superintendent Dr. Herb Brown announced the district's "Goals and Objectives 2000-2001" at the Monday, August 21, meeting of the board of education. Enrichment, technology and overall improvements to the district's educational programs were the key issues.
"After careful consideration, I have put together a set of goals and objectives I'd like to set forth to keep the staff focused and to keep a focus for the entire school community," Dr. Brown said.
In order to make sure students are reaching their highest potential, the district's first goal is aimed at inspecting instructional programs., Dr. Brown explained in a conversation following the meeting. The district will focus on four curriculum areas -- literacy, math, technology, and health and wellness. Staff development programs, as mandated by the New York State Education Department, will also be implemented. Dr. Brown said the district must review teacher performance, as they have always done, but in accordance with the state, must include additional specifications in a teacher's annual review.
"If we are assessing kids, we need to assess teachers, as well," he said.
In addition to state math and language testing in the fourth and eighth grades, the district will give assessment tests in grades three, five, six, and seven. "We want our assessments to be congruent with the state's assessments," the superintendent said.
Extra help and enrichment at the elementary level will be provided during the free school period commonly known as period "X."
In addition, Spanish instruction, which begins in kindergarten, will now continue into the second grade.
The essence of enrichment
Enrichment is the essence of the district's second goal, put in place to "better prepare all students to meet new learning standards." Here students, who are in need of help, will be identified and services provided. Special education inclusion classes, now known as collaborative model classes, will be monitored and class size guidelines developed. The development of "life skills" for special education students in grades 9-12 will not only be expanded, but monitored. "There are some [special education] students at the high school who are just not going to college," said Dr. Brown. "These students may work in an internship, for example," he added.
Project Extra, classes for gifted students, will be reviewed and altered slightly. Currently, these classes are three and a half hours long. The classes will remain the same length of time for fifth and sixth graders already participating in the program. However, those who start anew will have an hour less, allowing for two Project Extra classes to be given in a day. Entrance requirements for both Honors classes and Project Extra will also both be examined. "We want to get more kids involved who, for a variety of reasons, don't go into the [honor classes at the high school]. We feel the system needs to be looked at and improved upon."
Technology improvements
Technology is the focus of Dr. Brown's third goal. He feels the district needs to be more aggressive in this area and intends to update the program. Teacher training in technology will continue, but at the Teacher's Center rather than at individual buildings.
An information database allowing access to student information at all schools is also in the works.
"To continue to promote and provide opportunities to become involved in community service and service learning," is another goal aimed at keeping Oceanside schools in the forefront of education. Here, the district will investigate opportunities within the community for children to learn about, and be involved in, community service.
Perhaps one of the most important goals, Dr. Brown said, is to continue to develop health and wellness programs. The district's Drug, Alcohol, and Wellness Committee has been charged with the task of coming up with ways to curb substance abuse by students. "We think this is a very serious problem and want to keep it on the front burner," said Dr. Brown.
Capital improvement plans
The monitoring of capital improvement projects earmarked for this year, such as the building of a cafeteria at School #4 and an addition to School #2, is part of the goal to keep facilities in shape and up to date. Chimney work at School #3, roof work and construction on the front circle at School #5, ventilation in the high school science lab, and work on the concrete walks and asphalt overlays at School #6 are also being planned.
The Comprehensive School Building Safety Program, as mandated by the state, will be completed by January and the district is working to develop its own five-year comprehensive capital improvement program.
The renovation of seven classrooms at the former South Shore Y facility, now known as the Castleton Court building, is part of a two-year phase in plan, which calls for the expansion of the Pre-K, Teacher Center, Kindergarten Center, and Dept. of Community Activities area. Pre-K students will call these classrooms home this year.
In addition, Dr. Brown said a large portion of the kindergarten center will move downstairs. Work at the facility will also include renovations to the offices and the gymnasium. Monies for these projects are already in the current budget for the coming school year and the work is slated to be done by the end of next summer.
Following Dr. Brown's goals presentation, in which he also announced that 50 teachers have been added to the staff, Board President Phil Steinberg congratulated him on a job well done. "I don't think people realize how on top of things Oceanside is," he said. "We have our goals drawn and our people in place. This is not the norm. We should be congratulated as a district for making things happen."
Goals and objectives are set annually, Dr. Brown said. They are reviewed through the course of the school year, as well as at the June meeting to determine if goals are met and what steps to take to if they fall short.
