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Interim Superintendent Michael Cormier speaks about a new draft long range plan for RSU 40 at the board of directors meeting Nov. 21. (D. Lobkowicz photo) |
By Dominik Lobkowicz
Moving forward with a process that began two years ago, RSU 40 interim Superintendent Michael Cormier is asking the district’s board, employees, and public to weigh in on a draft long range plan.
Cormier gave a brief presentation on the plan at the RSU 40 Board of Directors meeting on Nov. 21.
“It’s got what we think are the big items,” Cormier told the board, adding later the plan is the work of many people.
The draft plan includes 27 goals in a variety of areas with some being broken down into multiple “strategies” to accomplish the goal.
Each strategy is further broken down into lists: action items; who is responsible for completing them; a time line for completion; what resources are needed; and benchmarks for evaluating completion.
The focus of the goals cover a broad range of topics, such as adopting new teacher and administrator evaluation systems, expanding adult education, establishing a central supply for paper and other materials, and adding a district-sponsored football program.
Many of the goals are focused on curriculum, such as using data to increase student achievement, moving instruction toward proficiency-based education, and providing updated technology resources for a “globally competitive education” and planning for their effective, efficient use.
Cormier said he hopes the district will hire a superintendent who will carry out the plan on the board’s behalf.
In an interview on Nov. 25, Cormier said, “About two years ago the district had hired a facilitator to come in, Judy Enright, and she worked on something called the World Cafe,” where a significant amount of people talked about the direction and vision of the district.
Taking the items outlined in that effort, Cormier said he broke the items out into sections, which he, other district employees, and board members looked at and used to flesh out the plan.
“There were a lot of people who had input into various sections of the report,” he said.
The plan is not comprehensive, and only hits on high points, Cormier said.
“It’s sort of a road map for the administration to follow, and for the board, as they build a budget and look at things, to use as a guide to see where their priorities are as they make decisions,” he said.
Items identified in the World Cafe process which were not included in the draft plan have been included in appendices with the plan, Cormier said.
The draft plan is available on the district’s website, http://www.msad40.org/.
Cormier wrote in a memo with the plan that comments will be accepted until the holiday break (Dec. 20, according to district’s calendar) and he would present the comments to the board at their Jan. 2 meeting.
A “clean copy” would be ready for adoption by the board for their Jan. 16 meeting, he wrote.
Cormier said the public is welcome to send any questions or comments on the plan to him directly at michael_cormier@msad40.org.
In other business, the board recognized the Medomak Valley High School boys soccer program which received Eastern Maine Class B Good Sportsmanship Award from the Maine Principals’ Association.
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Some players in the Medomak Valley High School’s boys soccer program hold up the Good Sportsmanship Award banner they received from the Maine Principals’ Association at the RSU 40 board of directors meeting Nov. 21. (D. Lobkowicz photo) |
