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Fremont Public Schools Sณ Strategies for Success Strategic Planning Process Community, Staff, Student Input Summary
As part of the Strategic Planning Process for Fremont Public Schools, teachers, administrators, staff, students, parents and community members were asked to give input concerning several key topics: The strengths of Fremont Public Schools Areas where Fremont Public Schools could improve Critical issues Fremont Public Schools will face in the next 5-10 years What must we do to achieve our Vision - prepare students to be World Ready? Of teachers and staff on opening day of school What are 21st Century Skills? What do we need to teach our students to prepare for this future (World Ready)? Provided in this report are comments made during input sessions conducted by planning facilitator Olga Holden, through electronic responses and during the opening session on the first day of school. All parents, community members, teachers and staff were invited to provide input for the process. In all, well over 100 people contributed input. The meetings and electronic methods used to gather input were productive. All readily gave their opinions and ideas. Those attending input sessions were very courteous and appreciative of the opportunity to provide input. One thing was clear with every group - there is an unwavering commitment to Fremont Public Schools and to helping the district become successful. The input provided by community members, parents,
administrators, students and school staff members gives the Board of
Education and the Sณ Stakeholder Team valuable background A summary including those comments most frequently given are on pages 2-3 of this report. SUMMARY
Most noted by all groups Strengths All staff/Teachers Tradition/Community Pride/Cohesiveness Safe/caring Family structure/good core values Comprehensive/balanced program offerings in spite of $$ constraints Programs/extra-curricular/RESA/Math and Science Center/athletics Programs Drama/Tech center/music High ranking of schools Elem and Middle Schools A; HS B Collaboration/involvement/partnerships Parental involvement especially elementary Teacher and administrator visibility Caring teachers and staff Working relationships with Union/community Areas for Improvement/Issues to address in next 5-10 years Must have a world focus in community Lack of global offerings Aligned curriculum in all areas Stable funding Prepare students for transition to work and university Students need adaptive/analytical/critical thinking skills Multi-cultural/diversity focus Multi-language focus New technologies Understand need to change/willingness to change Facilities, especially high school Upgrading facilities/infrastructure/equipment
Adjust to changing Safety and Wellness challenges Community relationships/trust Internal relationships/cohesiveness between all groups Increased parental involvement especially at secondary level Continue to develop/improve teacher capabilities Cohesiveness of goals/priorities Technology Smaller class sizes Image: School pride/positive attitude/unified school family Tapping into all resources/invite divergent views and thinking Vision World Ready Build classrooms of the future Must educate differently/change the way we think about education Teach basic skills balanced by 21st Century Skills Health/Wellness/Safety focus Provide more guided opportunities for students Relationships internal and external Cultural awareness Open the world to students through technology/teacher experience and personal experiences Bilingual education for teachers and students New technologies 21st Century Skills Bilingual/multi languages Communication/critical thinking/adaptive/change/independent/creativity skills Cultural skills Writing skills Global thinking Knowledge of technology usage Geography skills Research skills Listening skills Learning focused Multi-tasking Emotional intelligence Various learning styles Information/synthesis skills Lifelong learning What to teach to
prepare students for this future
New technology connectivity
Problem-solving
Writing
Global issues Interpersonal skills Teambuilding Creative thinking Tolerance/open-mindedness Flexibility/adaptability Listening/empathy Continuous learner Character building Math Hands-on/experiential learning Independent learners Work ethic Strengths Community (45) ุ
Family
structures with good core values ุ
Teachers/Support
staff**
Teachers; all staff
Committed servants ุ
Students ุ
Tradition of
educated excellence ุ
Visibility of
administration and teacher ุ
Historically
strong partnerships with entities ุ
Character
counts ุ
Respect of
core academics/assistance for all ุ
Proactive in
incorporating family in students activities ุ
Extracurricular
opportunities ุ
Good academic
rating - Elementary, Middle School,
A status, High School B status ุ
Dual enrollment ุ
Expectations high ุ
Drama program ุ
Attendance rate high ุ
People Community/staff supportive ุ
Upper-level classes available ุ
Ability to teach at student level ุ
Extra-circular opportunities ุ
Schools ranked high (elementary) ุ
Community pride/people care ุ
Attitude of collaboration/cooperation ุ
Great technology center ุ
Students ุ
Safe ุ
Quality teachers ุ
Many quality programs in place ุ
Solid teaching and support staff ุ
Small community involvement with community makes
district stronger ุ
Vision ุ
Technology ุ
Administrators (15) ุ
Program
Offerings (In spite of money constraints)
Variety
Quality ุ
Strong people
Teachers; all ุ
Parent
involvement especially in elementary ุ
High School
average given 54% disadvantaged ุ
Working
relationship with community
Resources
(collaboration) ุ
Elementary programs
strong interventions good ุ
Interventions
is impacting Middle School ุ
Tradition
community pride ุ
Working
relationship with union ุ
Good maintained
facilities ุ
Welcome and
inviting ุ
Solid moral
foundation community and schools ุ
Safe ุ
Caring ุ
Cohesiveness of
community ุ
Website Students (5) ุ
Everyone helps each other ุ
Good teachers/long time commitment ุ
HS Principal is a graduate/positive air ุ
School spirit ุ
Participation high ุ
NC RESA and Vocational Center a plus i.e. math and science
center ุ
Dogwood (Fine Arts) Center ุ
Variety of classes and programs ุ
Classes more rigorous ุ
Career pathways (take 2 elective credit) Board (2) ุ
Caring, dedicated teachers ุ
High community
standard ุ
Balanced education
(Arts, PE, Core, Electives) ุ
Long term teaching
staff ุ
Outside opportunities
for students (rain forest, yahaba, etc) ุ
Strong elementary program,
strong reading program ุ
Parent involvement ุ
Community participation ุ
Committed teaching staff Teachers and Staff (20+
electronic responses) ุ
A caring, dedicated staff, administrators, and school
board* ุ
Communicate with parents and community through frequent
published news and website ุ
Community involvement through Coats for Kids, Food Drives,
etc. ุ
Encourage and promote extra curricular activities ุ
FPS is a caring environment that is driven to provide the
best possible future for our students ุ
We are committed to preparing them socially, academically
and technologically for their futures ุ
Incorporating career pathways has been positive ุ
ุ
Caring, educated staff********* ุ
Opportunities for extra-curricular activities ุ
The Students!** ุ
Supportive parents ุ
Caring community*** ุ
Quality teaching staff ุ
H.S. departments working to give a good education to
students within the state standards ุ
New high school principal ุ
FPS are on the cutting edge of new teaching practices, and
keep on top of state educational guidelines ุ
TFAF funding and support ุ
Great facilities at the 1-3 building ุ
Good offerings in athletics and music programs ุ
Safer than average schools** ุ
Ability to see the need for change ุ
Small school ุ
Good academic ranking ุ
No gangs Areas for Improvement Critical Issues we must address in the Next 5-10
years Community/Parents ุ
Have lost world focus in community ุ
Maintain/strengthen partnerships ุ
Funding stabilized ุ
Same fiscal year as legislature/state ุ
Technology and resources to adapt ุ
Class size ุ
Educate parents about needs ุ
Prepare ุ
Schools connected to community ุ
Give kids adaptive skills ุ
Inspire kids to want to learn ุ
Acknowledge kids learn differently ุ
Demographics in Fremont Public Schools ุ
Changing creates challenges to meet needs of all ุ
ุ
Meet needs of all students ุ
Safety and wellness ุ
Facilities ุ
Retain and recruit families for whom education is a
priority ุ
Welcoming for all families ุ
Lack of diversity ุ
Understand need for change?
Stakeholders/All
Education process ุ
Stronger need for parental involvement especially at secondary
level ุ
Confidence in system ุ
Recruit lack of new teachers who speak/trained new
language and know new technology ุ
Increased collaboration with in community ุ
Community raise expectations of students ุ
Nurture arts and creative capabilities ุ
Bus and industry assistant ุ
Explore consolidation/aging high school facilities ุ
Build for the future ุ
Challenge of providing services for all ุ
Continue to improve teacher capabilities ุ
Continue to improve student accountabilities, behavior and
academic ุ
Lack of global offerings ุ
Upgrading facilities/infrastructure ุ
Building grouping ุ
More staff to allow FPS to offer necessary classes for
H.S. students and to avoid overloading cases at all levels ุ
Money to replace/repair existing equipment update others ุ
Failing emphasis on education excellence ุ
Board needs to take control of their responsibilities
they are the group that stresses our district administration consistency ุ
Update school buildings ุ
Smaller class sizes ุ
Trust between Administration Office and school staff ุ
Community trust in district ุ
We need to teach tolerance and acceptance of differences,
diversity of cultures and various disabilities in our community ุ Prepare our
students by teaching them math and science, more hands on experiences in our
community and have learning centers to help ALL students learn though all of
their senses not just by sitting in a classroom ุ We need to
build a climate and community of learners that are supported by everyone
involved
families, community members, government, teachers, and parents ุ
Accept the
fact that the State of ุ
We need to
work collaboratively with businesses and parents school administration
needs to be acce3pting of the offers ุ
Generate a We
Can Do It approach/attitude positive thinking despite the odds ุ
Financial
cant do a great deal about this ุ
Effective
leadership not scattershot, changing message each year ุ
Keeping up
with technology ุ
Money ุ
Keeping teachers
up-to-date with knowledge base ุ
School Funding
ุ
Continued
growth for students and staff ุ
Image: school pride, positive attitude by all
employees, unified school family ุ
Rebuilding
trust with community and school district ุ
New high
school Administrators ุ
Tradition
always done it this way resists
change ุ
Sportsmanship ุ
Cohesiveness
of goals/priorities ุ
Renew image
In community
Kids all behind the
floatation (respect etc.) ุ
High School
facility ุ
Good s enemy
of Great Conservative nature of community ุ
Difficult to
be an outsider ุ
Caring ุ
Communication
Community to
understand ุ
Community
doesnt understand
Changing
landscape/economy
White collar เ Blue collar ุ
Old money many
students lower economy class ุ
Need for more
cohesiveness with staff ุ
Communicate the positive i.e. staff personal and
professional compliance ุ
Website ุ
State
money/employment ุ
Decreasing
enrollment ุ
Facilities ุ
Health care
costs ุ
Union
relationships ุ
Curriculum
changes
21st
century skills ุ
Technology ุ
High School
curriculum will change
Operations/challenges ุ
Aging
staff - Teachers and Administration Teachers and Staff ุ
Updated computers and phones in the classrooms and
computer labs ุ
Improved or better air filtering system. Too much dust contributes to illness, and
students asthma and respiratory problems ุ
Continue to build the academic opportunities for gifted
students ุ
Honors English ุ
Advanced history ุ
Staffing. Due to
budget constraints the district is under extreme pressure to perform with
fewer resources. continue to be
creative in how we address this problem ุ
New high school**** ุ
If not a new school, then address environmental control
issues in the H.S. building ุ
Facilities ุ
Technology***
Computer
Scanners
Power point
Projectors
Screens ุ
Central Administration ุ
Teaching gifted and talented as well as at-risk students ุ
School Spirit* ุ
Updated materials/textbooks ุ
Cleaner building upkeep on said buildings* ุ
Focus on technology ุ
Smaller class sizes* ุ
Harassment and unfair treatment of students at the MS and
HS ุ
Substandard HS building ุ
2nd language opportunities at early elementary
levels ุ
More parental support ุ
Healthier choices ุ
Encourage students to attend a 4 year college vs.
community college ุ
HS academics is not varied, too basic ุ
Be creative and develop more for the brighter students ุ
Advanced classes ุ
Upkeep toilets, shades and ant infestation at FMS ุ
School vision or ุ
Advanced technology in the music department ุ
Emphasis on public relations needed. Staff members need reminding that they are
all ambassadors of good will ุ
Size ุ
Parking ุ
Clean air ุ
As always,
funding shortfalls ุ
With the new
graduation requirements more teachers will be needed at the H.S. ุ
The changing
socioeconomics of ุ
Aging
technology***** ุ
High school
building**** ุ
Funding**** ุ
Teach so our
students are ready for tomorrows challenges ุ
Crumbling high
school ุ
Student count
as population decreases for job markets ุ
Elective
choices for HS students with the merit curriculum ุ
Declining enrollment and lack of funding that will bring ุ
Changing demographics of our student population ุ
True teaching of Life Skills outside the ABCs of learning ุ
Getting
students to be global thinkers ุ
Multicultural
experiences ุ
To tap into
all of the talent that is available We currently have leadership that looks
to find people who think like them rather than look for divergent viewpoints
to see how we can gain the most with the least ุ
Physical exercise, kids spend to much time glued to computer, Computer games, TV, cell phones etc. ุ
Involve the whole body emotional, social, physical etc. ุ
More advanced jobs ุ
Develop positive businesses ุ
More PR about our schools receiving A categories form
the state ุ
Teaching ever-changing new technologies with aging
equipment and teachers who may themselves, not be up on the latest Board ุ
Stronger K-12 curriculum ุ
Enhance high school
standards, facilities improvements, and parent involvement ุ
Strengthen program
at middle school ุ
Add foreign
language in the elementary schools ุ
Update technology ุ
Parent participation can be better ุ
Smaller class is critical ุ
Facility planning must be assessed ุ
Seek more secure funding ุ
Increase performance at the high school ุ
Align curriculum K-12 in all areas, stay committed to offering
a broad range of programs for students, improve high school facility ุ
Increase fund balances Students ุ
Inconsistencies in treatment of students ุ
High School building needs updating ุ
Sometimes punishment for all (currently open campus
of 11th & 12th) ุ
Worried about catching kids in trouble ุ
Need better transition for freshman i.e. mentor who would
get service hours ุ
Tutoring program ุ
Teacher interns (could be tutors) ุ
Trimester scheduling has become a problem ุ
Technology ุ
New High School (hopefully in less than 5 years) Vision World Ready Community ุ
Build classroom of future ุ
Must educate differently/change the way we think about
education ุ
Opportunities to adapt to different learning styles ุ
Adaptive skills ุ
Connections ุ
Expand the world of families and students ุ
Preparing students for opportunity for local area ุ
Communication must be targeted to all groups ุ
Consider violence and terrorism ุ
Health/Wellness/Safety ุ
Culturally ุ
More languages at lower grades for all ุ
Cultural awareness/diversity ุ
Teaching in a digitized environment infrastructure
starting at elementary ุ
Teaching thinking globally expanding learning opportunity
i.e. marketing/sales/budgeting ุ
Arts and music for critical thinking skills ุ
Must maintain basic competencies ุ
Careers by design-start in Middle School ุ
Funding ุ
Partnerships to expand capacity ุ
Utilize graduation experience ุ
Foreign language offer at elementary level ุ
Technology stay abreast ุ
Support exchange students coming and going ุ
Offering classes at secondary level that will prepare kids
languages, social studies and sciences not just math ุ
Providing more guided opportunities for kids and
strengthening the basics Administrators ุ
Build
relationships with community, parents, and students
To become student centered ุ
Help kids see
possibilities for success ุ
Communication
To Level
Content why how
etc.
Listening
Open lines of
communication ุ
Technology
Keeping up
Access for all ุ
Focus on
post-secondary culture of learning ุ
World ready
Rigor and relevance Students ุ
Independent ุ
International focus/competition ุ
Technology updated ุ
Bilingual ุ
Cultural awareness in class work ุ
More emphasis on science and math ุ
Bigger push to get students prepared for college level ุ
More knowledge about post-high education and career opportunities at the
secondary level Board ุ
Open the world to our students through technology, teacher
experience, and personal experiences ุ
Provide consistent, strong curriculum K-12 ุ
Focus on educating the person, not focusing on test
performance as a measure of achievement ุ
Enhance Life Skill education ุ
Provide a caring, inviting environment ุ
Provide opportunities to participate in the world outside
ุ
Create community understanding of the importance of being
world ready for all students, not just talk about, define it. Teachers and Staff ุ
More bilingual
education for staff and students ุ
Improved
technology*** ุ
Green school
that promotes and encourages saving our planet and energy ุ
We need to
teach our students to be critical thinkers and problem solvers ุ
Life-long
learners who are flexible and can easily adapt to the ever changing world ุ
Provide them
with as much technological experience as possible so they have a basis for
the continuing changes happening everyday ุ
Teaching
students to be readers, problem solvers, evaluators and effective
communicators at the elementary level ุ
Second
language introduced by the upper elementary level ุ
Critical and
creative thinking have to be practiced in the classroom ุ
Geography* ุ
Foreign
language* ุ
Languages* ุ
Math ุ
Science ุ
Communication
skills ุ
Making sure
that students have an education that prepares them for every aspect of the
world market so that their skills are marketable and up to date ุ
Creative uses
of technology ุ
Teach students
to think globally rather than just locally ุ
Give students
a wider lens ุ
The world
doesnt revolve around their ุ
Teach students
to find and use information rather than memorize it ุ
How can we be
expected to complete with other countries, when we keep all students in the
same school setting, where other countries weed them out, No wonder their
test scores are good and they have huge graduation rates. Theyve already taken out the ones that
wont make it. Now, Im sure that
wont fly here, but really, lets be realistic ุ
Keep current
in the way we teach math, science and technology ุ
Adequate staff
and materials ุ
Social skills
for the community, workplace and family ุ
Increase
multicultural experiences for our students.
Problem solvers, creative thinking, flexible people ุ
Train kids
beyond technology, conversation, discussion with peers ุ
Global economy ุ
In vision what
the world will need in the future and
educate our children with that in mind ุ
Verbalize to
students what we do in class/homework/projects prepares them for the real
world ุ
Make our
district more attractive as a place to work ุ
Hire quality
administrators ุ
Recognize the
broad range of traits our kids possess ุ
Teach
tolerance through our acceptance ุ
Help students
broaden their view to the world ุ
Dont assume
every kid is middle class white Christian with two parents at home ุ
Yahaba program* ุ
Rainforest
program ุ
More
discussions about national and international events ุ
Religious
tolerance ุ
Importance of
education ุ
Shown
curriculum that is taught in other countries and encourage students to
connect with students outside the ุ
Make reading
newspaper mandatory, to better understand their world ุ
Educators need
to be positive models ุ
Bring speakers
in to impart the vision ุ
Mandarin
offered as a language and International trade ุ
More
project-based learning 21st
Century Skills (opening school session) Teachers/staff (32) ุ
Communication skills***********
Think
Analyze
Speak
Listen*
Foreign language********
Without being face to
face ุ
Languages to compete in the world* ุ
Writing skills***** ุ
Listening ุ
Knowledge of technology usage******************
Ability to adapt and
change
Internet
Computer******
Wiki
E-business
Repair
Language
Understanding
Keyboard
Literacy ุ
Basic skills** ุ
Adaptability** ุ
Entity learning ุ
Self control ุ
Think for themselves* ุ
Diversity* ุ
Social skills** ุ
Outside the box thinking* ุ
Collaboration (respect differences)***** ุ
Ability to problem solving ( creatively) ********* ุ
Ability to work with others ุ
Ability to focus ุ
Ability to manipulate situations ุ
Geography (language skills) incorporate English ุ
Flexibility** ุ
Creative thinking/problem solving***** ุ
Ability to evaluate where to research/reference (quality
of source)** ุ
Traditional skills must still be present ุ
Understanding and adapting to diversity* ุ
Global thinking (kids dont realize what is out there)*** ุ
Project-based learners ุ
People skills (customer skills) ุ
Cultural skills*
Awareness
Differences ุ
Ethic - work ethic*** ุ
Teachers need to change ุ
Life-long learners* ุ
Strategies for team work, etc. ุ
ุ
Health education ุ
Behavior/follow directions ุ
Prompt attention ุ
Involved ุ
Decision making ุ
Critical thinking* ุ
Creativity* ุ
Research ุ
Student centered kids first preparing them ุ
Learning focused ุ
World ready** ุ
Cell phones ุ
Multi tasking*** ุ
Be able to learn new skills easily search out
educational opportunities on own to prepare for several careers over a
lifetime* ุ
Knowledge of cultural differences** ุ
Prepared for constant change ุ
Discern real factual information from false ุ
Logic ุ
Emotional intelligence ุ
Information synthesis scanning ุ
Planning/organization ุ
Filter information* ุ
Meet individual needs
Academic
Social
Emotional
Physical ุ
Learning styles ุ
Developmentally appropriate ุ
ebusiness ุ
Life long learning What to teach to prepare students for this future? (opening school session) Teachers/staff ุ
Interpersonal skills ุ
Team building ุ
Evaluate ุ
Play skills ุ
Problem solving****** ุ
Questing skills ุ
Tolerance love for other people* ุ
Open mindedness* ุ
Accept constructive criticism ุ
Problem solving without computers ุ
Training both adults and children ุ
Team work ุ
Learning at home should be first ุ
Slow down and concentrate ุ
Current events ุ
Geographics ุ
Flexibility* ุ
Vocational awareness ุ
Analyze ุ
Teachers need to become more technological savvy Test us
(dont ask us) on what we know then teach us what we need to know ุ
Writing (concise/clear)*** ุ
Skill of continuous learner ุ
Language classes**** ุ
We need to be open to other educational systems and
cultures ุ
Ability to work
with other people ุ
Math ุ
Health education** ุ
Communication** ุ
Model Behavior ุ
Cooperation ุ
Parent attitudes receptive to new ways ุ
Discipline ุ
Let go of old
ways and be open to new ways ุ
Access to current media ุ
Ability to pass the buck ุ
Dynamic Staff ุ
New technology connectivity*********
Competent teachers
Keyboarding*
Searching the web
correctly
Staff up to date
Computers up to date*
Training
Research
Every class room
projectors
PowerPoint
equitable technology
for core teachers vs. co-curricular teachers ุ
Curriculum ุ
Global issues** ุ
Provide experiences - internships ุ
Open to change/open mind ุ
Money ุ
Support system ุ
Critical Thinking/problem solving* ุ
Facilitation skills ุ
Access to global information ุ
Project based learning focus
Collaboration
Adaptability ุ
Educational degree (degrees) ุ
K 12 education step forward ุ
Creative thinking out of the box* ุ
What to do with content ุ
ุ
Group-thinking ุ
Future projection ุ
Teachers need to change ุ
Students need to realize the competition ุ
Listening ุ
Character ุ
Empathy ุ
Work in cooperative groups/collaboration with other schools ุ
At elementary level still need hands on, experiential
learning experiences ุ
Start teaching languages early! ุ
Work ethic perseverance ุ
Critical thinking ุ
Teach how to find information not just memorize ุ
Independent learners ุ
How to staff foreign language*
Spanish
German
Japanese ุ
Time on task ุ
Clear goals and outcomes ุ
Meaningful tasks ุ
Learning styles ุ
Real world tasks ุ World ready* ุ Student
centered ุ Learning
focused |