Skip to main content

Thundering Herd

It has been a few weeks since I offered a SUPTs On and I apologize for failing to connect with you prior to today. However, Gibbon Public Schools has been very busy participating in planning activities designed to enhance the learning environment and educational experiences for EVERY member of our family. Since our last edition of SUPTs On, parents, students, community members, teachers, and our board of education have developed a Strategic Plan, created a collaborative planning process, and increased the number of voices involved in decisions that impact our school district and our wonderful community.

The next several editions of SUPTS On will highlight decisions made through this collaborative effort, and we want to emphasize initiatives that will be implemented during the 2018-19 school year. The reason for this approach is connected to communication and informing the community how new initiatives will impact the school district. All decisions are aligned with best practice and research, and all initiatives were identified to ensure high-quality experiences for every student. To begin, I would like to share our collaborative planning process.

I’ve included a visual of the school district’s planning process and my goal is to share decisions made within this structure in future editions of SUPTS On. Nicknamed the Thundering Herd, every teacher, and board member has a voice in decisions that impact our school district, students have a voice in the way decisions impact them, and individuals representing parents and members of the community have a voice in the direction of Gibbon Public Schools. Together, Gibbon Public Schools has reviewed what is going well and how we might build upon this work. Our school district has also considered opportunities where we can grow and enhance educational experiences for all students.

Beginning with the four sub-groups of Culture, Structures, Academic Achievement and College and Career, we are taking a comprehensive look at expectations associated with behavior, curriculum and instruction, school spirit, and the skills that prepare students for college and career. Also, while we take time to review what we offer, decisions must be respectful of the impact of change on an entire community and being fiscally responsible with resources supplied by taxpayers.

It takes time to initiate the level of change occurring in our school district, and changing attitudes, behaviors, practices, and programs doesn’t occur overnight. Especially if we expect to do this well! Gibbon Public Schools does believe the structures we’ve created will ensure continued growth occurs each day, each month, each year for our students and our school district. In the next edition of SUPTs On, I will be sharing information on the best strategy associated with continuous school improvement. Professional Learning Communities.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Access to the School Facility

I was recently made aware of Facebook posts claiming the school district is not allowing representatives of the community to use the school facility. This claim is highly inaccurate and using social media to make posts of this nature creates confusion, frustration and sometimes anger that unfortunately places the school district in a negative light with the community. This version of SUPTs On is intended to address this false information. I’ve listed several “FACTS” that supported the district’s decision to tighten up safety and security through a keyless entry system and a facility use form. FACT: Given events that have occurred internationally, nationally, and within the state of Nebraska, we can no longer ignore the reality that violence can occur in our community or in our school district at any time. Think back to this past summer when an incident that involved a shooting occurred in Gibbon. This reality demands a practice and the commitment to co...
Post a Comment
Read more

Professional Development

Providing ongoing training for educators is absolutely critical to building knowledge and skill in the use of technology, curriculum development, instructional practices, classroom management, and keeping abreast with changes to federal and state accountability measures. Time is required to provide training experiences so educators can build these skills, and time is necessary for teachers to collaborate with their peers on effective practice. Gibbon Public School’s has implemented a concept called Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) to provide that needed time. Experts and researchers have identified PLCs as a powerful school improvement strategy that improves student achievement, increases the level of academic performance expected for all students identifies interventions to help students who struggle, and provides enrichment opportunities for students who have already experienced academic success. Implementing PLCs is a journey and Gibbon Public Schools has begun our jo...
Post a Comment
Read more

Update on COVID-19

Gibbon Public Schools continues to deploy precautionary measures designed to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Students and staff are still required to properly wear masks as they enter the facility and throughout the entire school day. In addition, we will continue to use hand sanitizers as students enter the facility and when they enter each classroom. Wearing masks and using hand sanitizers are two of the most important strategies proven to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. However, there have been a couple of changes based on what we learned through the CDC and NSAA Guidelines. Recent information from CDCs points to the following: CDC does not currently recommend schools conduct symptom screening for all students in grades K-12 on a routine basis. Parents, caregivers, or guardians should be strongly encouraged to monitor their children for symptoms of infectious illness every day through home-based symptom screening. Students who are sick should not attend school in-person. Ad...
Post a Comment
Read more