Board seeks input
Public meeting tonight designed to help School Board gauge opinions on two key issues
By JESSICA KELLER
ARGUS OBSERVER
Tuesday, February 17, 2009 10:57 AM PST
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| Ontario Middle School students wearing their uniforms mill around outside or get on school buses after school recently. The Ontario School Board will host a second public hearing regarding possible high school uniforms at the high school, as well as block scheduling, at 7 p.m. today at the school district office. |
ONTARIO — The Ontario School Board hopes to hear from more school district residents about their thoughts on school uniforms and a possible move away from block scheduling at a public hearing tonight.
The School Board’s regular work session will begin at 5:30 p.m. today, with the topic revolving around setting the framework for hiring a new superintendent. The public hearing will begin at 7 p.m. at Ontario School District board chambers.
The public session may, or may not, be the last time school district residents will get to comment on the school uniform and block scheduling topics. The two items are included on Thursday’s regular School Board meeting agenda for possible votes should motions be made, board member Kathie Collins said.
While a public hearing at last month’s meeting generated many comments, largely from high school students, Collins said she hopes the board receives more comments, whatever stance people take on the subjects, tonight.
“We just want to hear what the people, especially the voters, think,” she said.
At a special meeting earlier this month, School Board members indicated implementing a school uniform policy at the high school as perhaps not being a top priority for the moment but also spoke more positively of some sort of switch from the current AB alternating block schedule to a more traditional agenda of a seven- or eight-period day.
Collins said she has worked hard to obtain as much research and information on both topics and is a proponent of improving both the dress code and the scheduling matter.
“The status quo is certainly not good enough in my mind,” she said.
Collins said the most important priority for the School Board at the moment, however, is developing a framework to search for a new superintendent after current Superintendent Dennis Carter announced his resignation two weeks ago.
“We’ve got to get that nailed down because time is of the essence,” Collins said.
The board, however, will likely involve the public in that process as well, Collins said, adding the community was included in previous efforts and it’s important to hear what qualities school district residents want a superintendent to possess.
Collins said, for her part, she wants a superintendent to be an instructional leader who is community oriented, visionary and a good communicator.
She said she also believes those are qualities the community wants, based on previous surveys.
Building up trust is key for the new superintendent she said.
“I’m one of those people that likes change,” Collins said. "I think it can be embraced."
