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Superintendent outlines strategic-plan progress: mentorship, curriculum review, safety drills and facilities work
Summary
Edwardsburg Public Schools Superintendent (Dr.) Suchus presented a district update on strategic-plan goals including teacher mentorship, curriculum reviews (social studies and sex-education updates), staff recruitment and retention, safety and emergency planning, cybersecurity, and facilities and bond implementation work.
Superintendent Dr. Suchus presented an update on district goals tied to the board-adopted strategic plan, describing work across teaching, learning and programming; communication and community; and facilities and funding.
Key accomplishments described included a district mentorship program with a draft handbook to support new teachers, a move to a new applicant-tracking system (from Frontline to Red Rover via the ISD), and use of alternative pathways to fill positions. Suchus credited staff partnerships and noted three district employees participating in a talent-to-teacher program.
On curriculum and instruction, the district completed a public hearing on the sex-education curriculum and continued a social-studies review cycle. Suchus said the district will return with non-embargoed state assessment scores in the fall and that the assistant superintendent will continue board reporting on proficiency.
Safety and emergency planning received attention: administrators completed a tabletop exercise for threat-assessment teams, and multiple district leaders completed FEMA incident-command training. Suchus said outside safety assessments were completed for buildings and that the district is preparing layered professional development next year focused on the emergency operations plan, with plans to coordinate live drills with local fire and police.
On facilities and bond work, Suchus described ongoing bond oversight and an upcoming bond tab on the district website to increase transparency. She also noted a state facilities assessment and recovery work after a recent tornado slowed but did not stop facilities planning.
Other operational notes included in-house water-testing certification completed by staff member Jeff Withers, which the superintendent said will reduce contracted testing costs.
No formal board action was required for the update; the board received the superintendent's report and asked clarifying questions about evaluation rubrics and data sources. "It was really great to see... all three different teams arrived at the same conclusion of what level the threat was," Suchus said of the threat-assessment tabletop exercise.
What happens next: the district will finalize the mentorship handbook, continue curriculum review cycles, roll out communication and rebranding work, and continue bond oversight and construction communication.
