WEST CENTRAL BOARD GOALS 2012-2013

FINANCIAL STABILITY: The goal of the West Central School board is to assure that future expenditures do not exceed future revenues while expanding student opportunities.
Actions:

• Keep tax rate low
• Maintain a minimum solvency ratio of 25%
• Increase spending authority each year
• Keep a prudent eye on expenses
• Continue to stay up-to-date on state and local school financial issues

FACILITIES: The West Central School Board is committed to maintaining existing facilities and exploring opportunities to improve and/or replace existing facilities.
Actions:

• Develop a 5-year facility plan beginning with a facilities needs audit
• Develop facilities priority needs lists for each building each year
• Create user-friendly facilities and improve interior aesthetics
• Continue to use available monies for updates

TECHNOLOGY: The West Central School Board is committed to providing current technologies for students and staff.
Actions:

• Develop a comprehensive technology plan beginning with a technology audit
• Provide professional development and training as needed to all staff
• Increase student access to technology
• Use technology to improve communication with community and parents
• Improve community access to district information
• Provide opportunities for teachers to demonstrate to the board and others how they are using technology

ENVIRONMENT: The West Central School Board will foster a culture that supports a belief that all children can learn at a higher level by providing safe schools where a learning environment of trust and respect are top priorities.
Actions:

• Expand character programs involving staff
• Increase community service opportunities
• Provide more access to school on a social level
• Increase student-led activities

ACADEMIC OFFERINGS: The West Central School Board will strive to provide top quality, innovative, academic, and vocational programs for students of all abilities.
Actions:

• Review graduation requirements and expand course offerings as needed to promote high expectation levels for all
• Direct provided resources to instruction
• Provide professional development resources to promote innovative programs and instruction
• Maintain the success and philosophy of the charter school partnership, NICHS
• Use the Iowa Core Curriculum to continue to provide updated curriculum and alignment  as mandated by the State of Iowa
• Maintain current achievement levels of standardized test scores, graduation rates, attendance, and participation in extra-curricular activities
• Preserve the instructional day

Communication: The West Central School Board will enhance its communications with all stakeholders by developing pro-active communication plans for its diverse audiences and purposes.
Actions:

• Develop a PR campaign that publicizes the success of the district
• Ensure that community members are kept well-informed of district events
• Continue to stay up-to-date on latest educational issues through IASB communications, information provided at school board meetings, and reading articles or attending workshops
• Improve communications among students, parents, and teachers
• Create a “template” that illustrates the appropriate communication channels for all stakeholders to use to reach resolution, disseminate or retrieve information, and clarify expectations
• Provide opportunities for teachers to demonstrate to the board and community how they are using innovational instructional practices

LEGISLATIVE PRIORITES

• Supports a funding mechanism for school disticts' transportation costs that does not directly or indirectly impact funding for the educational program.

• Supports continuation of sufficient incentives and assistance to encourage sharing, reorganization or regional high schools to expand academic learning opportunities for students and to improve student achievement. IASB supports expansion of sharing incentives to include special education, curriculum and other critical administrative positions. The incentives must be available to districts regardless of geographic proximity to each other.

• Supports legislation that provides flexibility for school disticts to meet changing needs, become more efficient, protect natural resources and save public funds.

• Supports incentives for school districts to offer extended days and/or innovative calendars. School districts receiving these incentives should evaluate such initiatives to determine the impact on student learning.

• Supports the use of physical plant and equipment (PPEL) funds for the purchase of computer software, payment of software licensing fees and maintenance and repair of equipment or infrastructure that can be purchased or financed with PPEL funds.