THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, August 19, 1996 TAG: 9608190028
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY DENISE WATSON, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHESAPEAKE LENGTH: 110 lines
School watchers in Chesapeake have been hearing about the district's seven action teams for months now.
All the talk about organizing parents, residents and teachers into teams to improve the schools piqued tons of interest. The communitywide effort made for nice election platforms. But all the chatter and speculation left many wondering when the work would materialize.
It finally has, in an inch-thick plan Superintendent W. Randolph Nichols presented to School Board members last week.
``I think we've killed a lot of trees,'' joked JoAnn Chertoff, a parent who worked on two teams for the past year.
``But a lot of people put a lot of hard work into this. I think they should be very proud of it.''
The action teams were one of the first, and biggest, challenges Nichols took on when he became superintendent last summer.
Nichols targeted seven areas to raise the quality of the city's schools, and he decided a cross-section of Chesapeake folks should have a say in devising a plan. The teams' recommendations, if carried out, would touch virtually every aspect of school life, ranging from safer schools and better-trained teachers to more rigorous courses for students.
The action teams' plan, a list of 178 recommendations, is expected to be put into place over the next five years.
``There are some recommendations that will cost money, but the ones that have no cost, or low cost, we can get try to get to those soon,'' said School Board member James Reeves.
``If we can find money to carry out those other items, that would be great.''
The work began last year after approval of the school system's goals for the next few years:
To ensure school safety
To ensure rigorous educational standards
To evaluate effectiveness and efficiency of the school system
To strengthen staff training
To integrate technology
To broaden community involvement
To provide adequate school facilities
School administrators hit PTA meetings and community groups to ask for volunteers to serve on action teams, one for each goal.
Some team members, like Aerica Antoine Williams, were recommended. Williams, a second-grade teacher at G.A. Treakle Elementary, sat on the technology action team after spending three years in a national program that studied science and technology education.
``I thought it was an honor to be asked to be a part of the team,'' Williams said. ``We all came from different aspects of life; I think that was a plus. We all had valid reasons on how we could improve the school system as far as technology.''
More than 300 school officials, parents and community leaders began meeting in January. The teams met weekly, developing their own objectives and mission statements that would help them tackle their team's theme.
It wasn't easy.
``Something like planning staff training is difficult work,'' said Charles Tapp, a community representative on the staff training team.
``A lot of people don't like extra training if it takes them out of their regular school schedule. Or the training might be on a Saturday and they have small kids and need a baby sitter.
``But if you're not properly trained, you can't properly teach.''
By May, the action teams submitted reports to an overall planning team that read them, revised them, and sent them back for fine-tuning. The action teams had two weeks to make adjustments.
Nichols received the teams' recommendations last month. Some goals, such as providing adequate school facilities, have as many as 46 proposals. Community involvement has 11.
In some cases, the plan calls for simple tweaks in the system, such as revising conduct codes to specify punishment for drug and weapons offenses.
Other recommendations are broader, such as involving community members in establishing curriculum and enhancing parental involvement.
No-cost plans such as surveying buildings for painting every two years will begin this school year and satisfy the goal of making sure school buildings are in good shape.
Other recommendations require money or more planning. A proposal to place surveillance systems in every school as needed is slated for the 2001-2002 school year.
It wasn't within the teams' purview to put price tags on their recommendations.
``We felt it would be an exercise in futility,'' Chertoff said. ``With the bid process through the school system, we knew administrators would come up with the best price.''
At the end of this school year, the planning team will reconvene to evaluate the first leg of the plan.
``Finances definitely play a part in this. Finances permitting, we can get great results,'' Chertoff said.
``I think, unfortunately, so many people (in business) are looking at quality management but they aren't doing it. But I don't think that's the case with the school system.'' ILLUSTRATION: Color graphic
Chesapeake parents, teachers and residents devised 178
recommendations expected to be put into place over the next five
years. The plan took shape last year after the School Board approved
the following goals:
* Ensure school safety
* Strengthen training
* Ensure rigorous educational standards
* Evaluate effectiveness and efficiency of the school system
* Integrate technology
* Broaden community involvement
* Provide adequate school facilities
Chart:
Chesapeake Public Schools Improvement Plan
For complete information see microfilm
KEYWORDS: CHESAPEAKE SCHOOLS by CNB