THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, May 11, 1995 TAG: 9505090088
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 16 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JON GLASS, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Long : 106 lines
AN IMPROVEMENT PLAN that will guide the city's schools through the year 2001 calls on schools to search for ways to save money, to promote extraordinary achievement and to be good community neighbors.
``I really think that someone reading this will know what the school system values and the direction it wants to go,'' Superintendent Roy D. Nichols Jr. said.
The School Board adopted the guidelines late last month.
A 54-member committee of teachers, parents and administrators began work last summer on the document, which overhauls the system's previous six-year plan. The effort was headed by Fred Oliver, the superintendent's assistant for continuous improvement, who was hired last summer to monitor the performance of poor and minority students.
``The plan illustrates a strong commitment to improve Norfolk public schools,'' Nichols wrote in a message attached to the 10-page document. ``It encourages us to be responsive to the particular strengths and weaknesses of the school system. It demands that we exercise initiative, responsibility and accountability to the public to carry out this plan.''
Margaret B. Saunders, assistant superintendent for instruction, said she expected the new plan to be followed much more closely than in past years. The new document has been whittled down to essentials and is much more ``user friendly,'' she said. The state requires all school districts to adopt such plans.
``Many of the things have been in there through the ages, but they've been buried in paper and wordage,'' Saunders said. ``We've tried to reduce the volume and identify those things that are important to the growth and well-being of the system.''
Topping the list of goals is improved student performance. Among the strategies outlined are to increase the number of students who become National Merit and Commended Scholars, who take algebra and geometry and who graduate with at least three foreign language credits.
Officials also want to increase SAT scores and the percentage of students who pass the sixth-grade Literacy Passport Test the first time they take it.
Another key goal is to make school operations, including central administration, more cost-efficient. Some strategies are to develop more partnerships among schools, businesses and community groups; to use technology more effectively; and to increase supportive relationships between parents and schools.
A third objective is to create an ``inviting climate'' in the schools, including openness to suggestions for improvement. Among the goals are to create ``theme'' schools to give parents and students more choice, to stem losses of students to private schools, to appoint parents to school advisory committees and to promote ``dignified behavior'' on the part of students, volunteers and employees.
Nichols said administrators will develop ways to measure progress toward the goals. ILLUSTRATION: SIX-YEAR IMPROVEMENT PLAN HIGHLIGHTS
VISION STATEMENT:
``Norfolk Public Schools will provide each student an appropriate
and challenging educational program in a caring, supportive and
cooperative environment which will enable the development of a
successful personal vision of the future, accomplishment of
academic, social and personal goals, and a greater number of choices
and opportunities in life.''
MISSION STATEMENT:
``The mission of Norfolk Public Schools is to educate Norfolk's
students, preparing them for constructive participation in society.
In application, the mission is Teaching for Learning for All through
systemwide educational opportunities whose measurable outcomes
reflect `equity,' `quality' and `excellence.' Underlying this
commitment to continuous school improvement are the beliefs that ALL
students can learn and that schools improve both collectively and
one at a time.''
EFFECTIVE SCHOOLS:
``Norfolk Public Schools defines an effective school as one which
holds high expectations for all students and ensures that all
students master the established educational objectives required for
graduation with no differentiation in the proportion of students
demonstrating mastery of the essential education objectives among
the various socioeconomic levels and genders.''
SCHOOL CLIMATE:
``A caring and friendly environment is provided which is orderly
and structured without being rigid; quiet and peaceful without being
oppressive; goal-oriented and conducive to the teaching-learning
process and to student achievement.''
STAFF DEVELOPMENT:
``The professional development of each staff member is emphasized
. . .''
ACADEMICS:
``A belief on the part of administrators, staff, parents and
students that all students can learn. They accept the responsibility
of assisting students to achieve mastery of essential skills,
regardless of previous academic performance, family background,
socioeconomic status, race or gender. Further, they accept the
schools' purpose as that of educating all students to high levels of
academic performance, while fostering growth in social/emotional
behaviors and attitudes. . . . The mastery of essential skills in
reading, mathematics and communication takes precedence over all
other school activities.''
KEYWORDS: NORFOLK SCHOOL BOARD by CNB