By MATT PIKE
St. Joseph Post
After a year and a half of meeting with the community, the Vision Forward committee is ready to present its plan to the St. Joseph School Board tonight.
Co-Chair Bob Miller says the plan his committee is set to present the board has long term plans for issues already being addressed by the district
"Things like attendance, behavior in the classroom, graduation rates, which really the district has begun taking action on," Miller tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. "I mean, these are things that it doesn't take a rocket scientist to see these are issues."
While those are already being addressed by the district, Miller says the plan being presented will also address academics, such as early childhood education
"Getting more access in other parts of the city as well and expanding that program just seeing the connection between kids getting involved in early childhood education in terms of their success," Miller says.
Miller says the plan will also address the way the city middle schools are operated, as well as proposing changes in the high schools.
"Wanting to look at block scheduling and getting back to that format," Miller explains. "Looking at creating environments that align with 21st century learning."
Miller says through the Vision Forward process, the new school board has been very receptive to the ideas brought out of the meetings with the public.
"The transition to Dr. Edgar coming in, which also included several new staff coming to upper-level staff downtown, they've been super supportive," Miller says. "I think a big part of that is because several of those new administrators downtown, were actual administrators at our schools."
Miller says having people on the administration that have served within the schools provides good insight to what needs to happen to make proper changes.
The long-term plan formulated by the committee proposes ways the school board can approach issues, from school attendance to academics.