11/02/2021
People asked for a glance at our plans, so here are a few..
Curriculum - Our goal is to return to the basics and fundamentals of our curriculum. We will review materials available on external sites for teachers and students, to ensure they provide added value for students
Teacher Recruitment - Newly graduated teachers often search online job sites for employment, so we would like to improve the way we post and submit applications, to ensure it's a pleasant and effortless process. In addition, WASD representatives could visit local colleges and job fairs to promote WASD. It would be of benefit to invite high school students interested in teaching to shadow current teachers or be matched with a teacher mentor during their degree planning years, so they can learn about the position.
Loss of Funds due to Charter Schools - Charter schools receive fewer public funds because in most cases public funds cannot be allocated towards the cost of charter school facilities. Charter schools also cap their enrollment, whereas WASD doesn't. Several parents have switched their child's learning from WASD to Charter Cyber School, and their reason is that the charter school offers more learning programs and individualized attention, and the WASD policies do not align with their child's educational goals. In order to retain our students, we need to improve our program and learning atmosphere.
State Testing – The Department of Education finds that students in Waynesboro historically underperform on PSSA and Keystone Tests. Part of the problem is due to the curriculum deviating from the fundamentals. Time is spent on topics that are not a part of the testing. Furthermore, teachers are under pressure to pack in as much information as possible, but they do not have enough time to prepare students. The curriculum guides would need to be revisited and reshaped so teachers feel confident in their material and students are prepared in a timely manner.
Bullying – Despite the narrative that "we don't accept bullying in our schools," several parents have reported incidents of bullying that have occurred to their children since school started. The parents also stated they spoke to their principals about the incidents and were assured it would not repeat itself, but it did. The school's anti-bullying policy is not strict enough to serve as a deterrent for bullying behavior. Although we recognize that kids are more reactive, and lack conflict resolution skills, school staff, school board, and parents must remain vigilant and enforce stricter policies. We must lead by example and teach our students how to recognize, stop, and prevent bullying, in addition to policies. We could try a sponsorship program for students that partners students with someone in the community that assists them not financially, but with circumstantial things like getting a first job, applying to college or trade school, legal/ behavioral trouble.
Budget & Taxes - The astronomical cost of school taxes affects all of us. Residents of the community are on the verge of losing their homes due to tax increases. We spend most of our State and Federal funding on staff and pensions, and our local tax dollars are used for new additions and more. We would like to thoroughly examine the District's budget and allocations so as to determine whether the budgeted expenses are necessary and relevant.
Teacher Advocacy - Our teachers are often underrepresented, and have limited ability to speak up in this current environment. Their passion for education is important to us, and we want to encourage more involvement in discussions with the school board.
