Before embarking on its ambitious workshop on race, achievement and the achievement gap at the high school on Sunday, the District 200 Board of Education had to settle one piece of business.
Last Thursday, the board, with facilitator Bill Gregory, came up with several objectives for their workshops. Gregory, a former Oak Parker and school consultant on diversity issues, had the seven members write down outcomes each wanted to address during the workshops.
The more than two dozen suggestions were narrowed down to four. These outcomes are designed to guide the board’s conversations. Saturday’s was the second scheduled workshop. The January session was cancelled and the next one is March 15.
Outcome I
A. How do the board’s resolutions impact the student achievement plan?
B. Prioritize the plan for student achievement.
C. Decide which initiatives of the student achievement plan will be implemented in 2008-2009.
Outcome II
A. Agree to reach a consensus as we identify the factors that affect student achievement.
B. Make all necessary changes in policy, curriculum, and administrator/teacher/staff behaviors that impact the identified factors.
Outcome III
A. Agree that racism has an everyday impact on activity and education at the high school.
B. Agree that racism can be reflected in everyday/ordinary decisions and actions.
C. Develop a strategy to review those everyday actions/decisions that the board of education has responsibility for.
Outcome IV
Start a personal process of better understanding specific factors that impair/limit achievement of African-American students at the high school.
-Terry Dean