Board discusses superintendent goals and timing for midterm evaluation

Superintendent Dr. Miller presented draft goals for the 2025-26 school year focused on raising academic achievement at schools below accreditation standards, improving communication among stakeholders, and strengthening unity across the division.

Board members offered detailed feedback. Dr. Johnson asked for clearer success indicators and suggested adding staffing-level targets to align academic-success goals with the division's high vacancy levels. "How can we have academic success if we're constantly filling holes?" Johnson asked, urging a staffing-level indicator as part of success metrics. He also suggested that communication goals include qualitative and quantitative measures for community engagement, such as parent meetings or "Parent University" events, and recommended linking the goals to items already in the division's multi-year strategic plan (for example, discipline-referral reduction targets).

Dr. Miller told the board that a midterm evaluation is required under guidance from the Commonwealth and the Department of Education; board members differed briefly about the expected deadline. Mrs. Turner asked for the documentation cited by Miller explaining the midterm requirement; Miller offered to send the supporting materials. The board agreed to change a draft notation that referenced prior preliminary approval and to finalize goals at the next meeting (the draft will be updated with a target approval date of Sept. 2).

No formal vote was taken on the goals at the meeting; the board requested written revisions and additional success indicators for review before formal approval.