Over
the past several weeks meetings have been held in the School District
of the Menomonie Area to update our school district’s strategic plan and
continue “The Great Conversation” with our schools and community.
School officials have engaged school district stakeholders in an effort
to ensure that our resources are well aligned with the expectations of
our community. This week’s column will focus on the Technology and Facility goals included in the strategic plan.
There
is no shortage of ideas for how school districts can adapt to provide
students with a more modern learning environment. Schools are expected
to help students become better prepared for their futures, while meeting
increased expectations related to safety, security, and energy
efficiency. Continuing to operate with a model that was designed for the
past or even the present is not an option when many of the jobs that
our students are preparing for do not even exist today. According to a
recent report from the U.S. Department of Labor, 65% of today’s students
will eventually be employed in jobs that have yet to be created. Common
recommendations for providing a 21st Century learning environment
involve improving access to various technologies and providing updated
facilities that promote a more comfortable setting designed to promote
increased collaboration and communication. Through support from the
community and collaboration with school district stakeholders, the
School District of the Menomonie Area has made tremendous strides in
each of these areas, while still maintaining the rigor and relevance of
more traditional methods.
Much
has been celebrated with the opening of our newly remodeled facilities
in Downsville and River Heights elementary schools. The buildings are
now safer and they both are equipped with systems that promote quality
and efficiency. The geothermal heating system at Downsville, the
collaborative learning spaces at River Heights, and the secured
entrances in both schools are good examples of improved features in our
remodeled facilities. Even changes as small as water fountains with
bottle-filling faucets are changes that make our facilities more
attractive and up-to-date.
There
are many other facility needs in our school district that are being
addressed by the recent referendum. The ongoing renovation of Menomonie
High School, scheduled work on the HVAC systems at Wakanda and Oaklawn
elementary schools, the replacement of boilers and the roof at Menomonie
Middle School, and the installation of a generator back up of our
network servers at the Administrative Service Center are much needed
improvements that will be completed in the near future. The addition of a
running track and soccer/lower level football field, along with
improvements to the softball and baseball fields at Menomonie High
School, will provide our students and community much more access to
quality facilities once enough funds are raised by the Sports Complex
Committee.
With
technology, our school district now enjoys a robust infrastructure. We
now have a state-of-the-art network that includes public and controlled
wireless access in nearly all parts of our facilities. Many of our staff
members have become proficient in integrating new technologies while
instructing students, and we have many powerful devices including
computers, chromebooks, iPads, SmartBoards, and document cameras. Our
school district has improved our website and we now have more powerful
messaging capabilities for communicating with parents, students, and
other stakeholders via automated phone calls, text messages, email, and
through the use of social media.
While
our school district is already piloting 1-to-1 student-to-computer
learning in sixth and seventh grade, we are still studying the potential
benefits and costs of implementing 1-to-1 across the school district.
Currently, we have stationary and/or mobile computer labs in all of our
buildings, and some iPad stations in our elementary schools. There are
some blended and virtual online learning options for our middle and high
school students, but this is an area that our school district has
targeted for improvement. Other primary goals in the area of technology
include the completion of the fabrication lab at MHS, ongoing
professional development in the area of technology for our staff, and a
solution for the current bandwidth limitations at Knapp Elementary
School.
There
have been many improvements in the facilities and technology in our
school district, and there are many ambitious goals for the future.
Additional recommendations from the teams working on other areas of the
strategic plan will be included in upcoming editions of this School Crossings column.
Also, a summative report of all recommendations for updating the
strategic plan will be presented to the school board at a meeting
scheduled for 5:00 p.m. on Monday, November 24, 2014. Should anyone wish
to provide additional input, or if you are unable to attend the
scheduled meetings, please feel free to send your comments to my
attention at the Administrative Service Center located at 215 Pine
Avenue NE in Menomonie.