CORRECTED: University City Board of Education Starts Work on 2011-2012 School Year

CORRECTED: Article corrected to reflect that School Board Member Rodney Jennings voted in favor of purchasing 310 Dellcomputer workstations for the upcoming school year. He had some questions about the purchase, but in the end he voted 'Yea.'

The University City Board of Education held its first work session of the 2011-2012 school year Thursday night.

A board meeting was held prior to the work session. The board heard a presentation from Dr. Barcus C. Jackson, the chief information officer for the district’s technical support services, on purchasing 310 Dell computer workstations for the upcoming school year. Each workstation would cost the district $685, for a total purchase price of $212,350.

They would replace 155 computer workstations at both and Elementary Schools. Dr. Jackson went on to say the purchase and replacement would be in accordance with the district’s current Technology Plan.

The board voted to approve the proposed purchase. Board director Rodney Jennings voiced some concern over the replacement of hardware over simply purchasing new software for the old computers. However, he voted to approve the purchase.

The work session focused on superintendent Dr. Joylynn Pruitt’s update on the district’s Comprehensive School Improvement Plan (CSIP) accountability. The plan was created to accommodate the Missouri School Improvement Plan (MSIP) process, which the district has to follow. The plan revolves around five uniform goals:

• Academic achievement
• Governance
• Highly qualified staffing
• Safe and secure schools
• Stakeholder involvement

The district uses 14 indicators, from MAP and ACT scores to student diversity, to measure progress in meeting these five goals. Going into the 2011-2012 school year, the district has achieved at least fifty percent on every goal.

The board expressed a heavy interest in the progress of all five goals, with academic achievement getting the bulk of attention. Dr. Pruitt wanted to stress that the district was making heavy progress on not just preparing students for college, but the work force through career education.

“We are now individually and in special circumstances hand scheduling students,” Dr. Pruitt said on the shift from class to student focus.

This shift has come about primarily through a voluntary interest inventory students are offered. This is a third-party form, similar to a survey, which allows educators to identify a student’s possible career pathway. Starting next year, results will be shared with parents as well so that they can work hand in hand with the district to direct students on the path to success.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for a public-private partnership,” board director Maria Chappelle-Nadal said. “There are people, professionals, in the community who can help nurture students on these pathways.”

Dr. Pruitt said that the district does have a limited form of mentorship already in place, though it is not in scope with what Chappelle-Nadal had in mind.

The board also handed out committee assignments to various members following the CSIP discussion. These committees include:

• Accountability Committee
• Early Childhood Committee
• Family Engagement Committee
• Finance and Bond Oversight Committee