The following is a portion of the Aug. 18, 2014 Westford School Committee meeting. For links to other parts of the meeting, click here.
8:39 p.m. – Olsen said that the biggest goal for the year would be developing a greater online presence and that it was a weakness in this part of the country.
He wants to develop some online professional development sessions for staff as well.
Another topic was when it would be provided, with training during mornings in previous years being not successful.
He then went to the topic of full-day kindergarten as a goal and talked about discussions with Kohl regarding bringing back the “Critical Friends” program.
Olsen also asked more feedback on his goals moving forward.
Murray asked for a goal on more data and said that increased behavioral issues were a topic that should be discussed and that other districts should be looked at regarding that topic.
Keele said that the superintendent should have fewer yearly goals and that that was a bigger goal and that the state has provided new requirements.
Murray said that the data goal was ongoing and that the technology might help.
Keele said that it would be come back with just two goals: data and technology.
Clay said it would be good to keep Olsen accountable will limiting goals so they can be accomplished.
Kohl said that bigger goals can be divvied up into smaller chunks and regarding the data goals.
She went on to say that some of the goals are district goals rather than superintendent goals.
Regarding the data goal, she asked about goals themselves being data driven and wanted to hear more on that.
Kohl then said she was opposed to having Olsen on the Kindergarten committee, saying it should be done by citizens and that he had too much on his plate.
She also said that enough input had been obtained by staff on the issue.
Olsen said he would check in with the committee on a regular basis.
Kohl also said she didn’t see the committee as a goal.
Harkness said she agrees that there are too many goals and there should be two overall goals.
Clay then talked about the technology plan goal and how it will provide a vision of what education will be like and how that will happen.
He then asked the committee that Olsen could come back with a few small goals.
Keele made a motion that Olsen limit his goals to two.
There was discussion on whether it would fulfill state requirements.
Olsen asked for three: student learning, professional practice and a system wide goal.
Keele said he would amend his motion.
Harkness said that perhaps that any goals fit into two broad categories.
Olsen asked to come back to this later at a later date, which was agreed upon by the committee.
