Bradford Area School District administrators, teachers, parents, school board and the community were represented Wednesday during a meeting at Floyd C. Fretz Middle School regarding the district’s comprehensive plan.
“The comprehensive plan is a roadmap for where we want to go in the future. This is our time, collectively, to dream big and find a new mission, a new vision for the district,” said BASD Superintendent Katie Pude. She noted the plan will last three to five years, based on the goals set.
Kelly Compton, district director of curriculum and instruction, explained the meeting was a first step on a timeline toward completion of the Comprehensive Plan. Committees will be created and community involvement will be encouraged. Compton noted she hopes to see the Large-Group Instruction room at Fretz filled for the meeting Nov. 7.
“The Bradford Area School District is committed to the continual cycle of improvement, so we are constantly in the loop of ‘How do we get better?’” Compton said. “This is the first official meeting, and we are laying the groundwork” of the new comprehensive plan for the district as a whole. Some preliminary meetings have been completed and others will be held with various groups to support the creation of the plan.
Compton explained that the state Department of Education is in the process of changing the online portal for plan submission. Therefore, certain elements of the plan are on track to be submitted by Nov. 30, with the understanding that those segments can be revised after they are submitted. Those plan components are Professional Development, Induction Services (how new teachers are integrated into the school district) and Student Services (assurances that the district follows the policies set forth by the state).
Wednesday’s meeting included a brainstorming session on the needs of the students, teachers, parents and community, as well as a listing of the accomplishments of the district thus far and concerns to consider going forward.
Committees for the comprehensive plan are to be created with the following areas of focus:
— Student Support Services
—Professional Development and Instruction
—School Climate
— Community and Parent Engagement
—Resource Development
The timeline for the comprehensive plan is as follows:
— Building level Professional Development Committee meetings (to be held at each school)
— Oct. 14 — School Board Meeting (7 p.m.): Professional Development, Induction Plan and Student Services Plan will be presented and go on public display
— Nov. 7: Community Wide Stakeholder Meeting #2: Mission, Vision and Belief Statements (time TBD)
— Nov. 30: Professional Development Plan, Induction Plan and Student Services Plan to be submitted to the PA Department of Education web application (which can be revised after submission)
— January 2020: Committee meetings will be held
Feb. 4: Community Wide Stakeholder Meeting #3, 4:15 p.m. at Fretz: Committee Report and Action Planning
Feb. 10: School Board Meeting (7 p.m.): All components of the Comprehensive Plan will be presented and go on public display
March 30: The entire Comprehensive Plan will be submitted to the PA Department of Education via new web application portal.
*Monitoring and evaluation of the plan will occur on an ongoing basis.
