The 2011-2012 school year brought about a variety of opportunities for using the talents of students and staff to move forward. I hope that you are already aware of some of these initiatives that are underway, but if not, let me take this opportunity to tell you a little bit about the work we will be doing in 2012-2013.
Strategic Planning: In January of 2012, a group of 28 community stakeholders worked for three consecutive days to develop a strategic plan. A group of 108 community members then came together to work on a plan for the implementation of the strategies. In June 2012, the Westfall Board of Education took action to approve the Strategic Plan. We hope that you will attend our board meetings to find out how we are progressing.
Math Curriculum: During the 2011-2012 school year, our math teacher leaders came together with our district administrators to review and select a high quality math curriculum aligned to the core curriculum. Teachers have been participating in professional development and will continue to have professional support throughout the 2012-2013 school year.
If you haven’t heard, I want to be the first to tell you that we have selected a top notch math curriculum for our elementary school. The curriculum is designed to be both hands on and minds on. It also has multiple tools in order to help our most talented students, but also supports those students who may have gaps in their learning.
The middle and high school math curriculum is equally exciting. Each middle and high school teacher will be using iPads to deliver instruction. Students and parents will have an option of taking home a textbook or doing homework online. Our middle school and high school math teachers recognize that we are teaching “digital natives” and that we need better ways to reach students and to challenge them at their highest levels.
Battelle For Kids SOAR Project:This year, the Westfall Local Schools will become a part of the Battelle For Kids SOAR (BFK) Project. Our administrative team has spent a great deal of time during 2011-2012 seeking out the best practices of the most successful schools. We have studied the schools that are the most similar to Westfall, but also are Excellent With Distinction. What we found was that these districts are part of the BFK SOAR project and have multiple ways of knowing how students are doing before the students take their state tests. Teachers and administrators need data to inform instruction in order to make the proper adjustments for individual students.
The Board of Education and I invite your participation in our schools. Whether you volunteer in our classrooms, attend a student performance or cheer us at a sporting event, your commitment to our schools is vital to our continuing growth and success. We also welcome your thoughts and suggestions via e-mail (criddel@westfallschools.com) or by phone (740-986-3671).
Sincerely,
Cara S. Riddel
Superintendent