August 28 Meeting Notes
The Capital Project Community Advisory Committee held its first meeting on Tuesday, August 28. The committee is comprised of 40 residents who represent a cross-section of the community, including parents (of students at all schools and levels), parents of graduates and preschool children, grandparents, retirees, and staff members who reside in the district. The committee will be working with district consultants, architects and leadership to develop a capital project for the community’s consideration in the fall of 2020.
Consultant Paul Seversky, from SES Study team, facilitated the meeting. SES Study Team is conducting a program delivery study* for the district this year as part of the comprehensive planning process.
Planning for the Future Workshop: Key Questions and Data
At the meeting, committee members were tasked with answering the following question, “What are the key questions/data that our school community needs to answer/discuss about how to best organize and deliver the grades prekindergarten through grade 12 program?
Each committee member was invited to provide their perspective and insights related to the question. Some of the discussion points included:
- Ensuring the success of all students and providing the right “pathways”
- Addressing school safety
- Identifying resources necessary for STEM/STEAM learning as early as possible
- Identifying skill sets students will need after graduation
- Identifying teaching methods and program delivery models not currently being used
- What is the current condition of buildings?
Scope of the Study and Roles
The Capital Project Community Advisory Committee is serving as a “steering committee” as Dr. Seversky conducts the program delivery study this year. It will subsequently formulate recommendations for capital improvements based on the planning process, including the district’s vision for programs and facility needs. The committee is an advisory committee to the Board of Education, meaning it will identify recommendations, but the Board is the decision-making body.
Dr. Seversky outlined the study scope and committee’s timeline for the year:
- August – Planning for the Future Workshop (see above)
- October – District administration shares program vision
- November – SES shares draft capacity and enrollment studies
- December/January – District architect shares current condition of buildings; Committee shares insights about how current conditions relate to program vision and future delivery of instruction
- February – Committee shares insights about how capacity and enrollment studies relate to program vision
- March – Working draft of program delivery study shared at committee meeting
- April – Committee discusses opportunities and challenges for options included in program delivery study
- June – Final program delivery study presented at staff and community meetings
Next meeting
The next meeting of the committee is Monday, Oct. 15. At this meeting the administration will share its academic program vision with the committee.
*What is meant by program delivery? This refers to all aspects of how instruction is organized, including school schedules, the way space is used or the type of space that is needed, and grade-level configurations. The consultant is charged with preparing a study that that identifies if there are “quality and cost-effective” options to deliver the program given the district vision and a projected enrollment increase.