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Superintendent outlines cell-phone policy work, staff training partnerships and student research opportunities
Summary
Superintendent Dr. Schultz told the board she has asked high-school administrators to produce a cell-phone policy recommendation backed by perception data, described planned staff training partnerships (including SDSU collaborations), and highlighted student achievements and outreach to Research Park.
Superintendent Dr. Schultz told the Brookings School District 05-1 board that high-school administrators will assemble a formal recommendation and implementation plan on cell-phone policy for board review before student handbooks are published.
"We did not do a survey for high school students," Dr. Schultz said, noting that the district instead used perception data gathered from teachers, parents and staff and conducted focused sessions with groups of high school students. She emphasized the need for a clear enforcement plan: "What was a bit frustrating for this year was there was an intentional effort at the beginning and we just struggled...we have to really dig into why that was and how can we do that better so that whatever we do, recommend is fully enforced."
Dr. Schultz also outlined planned professional-development partnerships, including work with South Dakota State University and community partners. She said a 12-month contract with an online resource (identified in the transcript as SmartSocial) will provide staff and parent education and up to 400 on-demand resources paid from reserve/title funds that must be spent by June. The superintendent described additional training on autism supports and the science of reading for staff next year.
On student achievement, Dr. Schultz highlighted FCCLA qualifiers headed to national competition, two students participating at the ISEF science fair in Columbus, Ohio, and outreach to local employers and Research Park to expand high-level research opportunities for Brookings students.
Board members commented that whatever policy the board adopts should be enforced by administrators once finalized. The superintendent said the administration will bring a recommendation back for the board's consideration in time to inform next year's handbooks.
Next steps noted in the meeting record include continued administration work on the policy recommendation and a possible summer review of the district's cell-phone and student-handbook language.
