School board develops strong goals with help of facilitator/retired superintendent Les Douma

Pilot Tribune Staff

The Alta School Board took part in a very insightful meeting last week in which they worked hard to identify district needs, from their prospective, and develop immediate goals and goals for next school year, with the help of Les Douma.

Douma, of Orange City, is a retired superintendent, coach and AEA member. He has great enthusiasm for the district. His son Brent, served as middle school principal several years ago.

Douma has worked with other school districts on their goals, including Aurelia. It is important, the board agreed when they decided to hire Douma assist them with their goals, to be on the same page as Aurelia.

"This is good for boards and superintendents to determine roles and goals," Douma said. "Once goals are established, hold your feet to the fire and follow through."

Douma said it is important for board members to work with each other. The retired coach said, that the members may not always agree on issues, "but when you leave the locker room you're united. It's important to act with professionalism. Listening to the people is a critical piece."

Board effectiveness

The board's focus, said President Ila Galvin, is on the students. Providing technology in the classroom, board participation in school activities, providing educational opportunities for all students so as not to forget any student, providing appropriate advisory support to students and measurement (attendance, drop out rates, open enrollment out, grades and discipline) are effective ways of focusing on the student.

District communication

Enhancing district communication through multimedia, considering community meetings, providing information such as board agendas and minutes to the local cable TV, websites should be enhanced to reach more people, keeping staff informed and even blogging can help this goal be reached.

Financial and budgetary issues

The board shared that at this time there has been great discussion on an addition to the middle school to make room for the Aurelia students when whole grade sharing takes place.

Discussions with Jim Champion at FEH Architects have been frequent but no definite plans have been put in place. Douma said there should be an urgency to get this goal complete. He urged the board to follow these guidelines - meet with Champion again in a group of administrators and two board members, respond back to the facilities committee, develop a timeline on the project and then go to the community and be prepared to provide answers to their questions regarding the project.

Progress with sharing agreements

Douma and the board agreed these guidelines would be followed:

Establish a timeline, share the language of the contract, discuss sports sharing for coaches and staff, involve the staff and board (including planning a joint meeting for planning and then initiating joint board meetings two to three times a year.

He stressed the importance of both boards having common goals and work on them together.

Professional development and staffing

The board emphasized that technology, the new Iowa Core methods and the partnership with Aurelia should be immediate topics for professional development.

Equally as important, Douma said, is to remain in constant communication with the staffs as contracts for the potential first year of whole grade sharing approaches and decisions on who will be teaching what and where come up.

Douma felt the session with the board has very successful and the board will work diligently in these new goals.