Approved Budget, More Advanced Placement Classes Lauded

The 2010-2011 school year was a good one for the Jefferson Township district, according to superintendent Kathaleen Fuchs. In her regular report to the board of education at its meeting on Monday, Fuchs discussed the many accomplishments of the school during the year that just passed.

“The first thing I’d like to mention is the passage of the 2011-2012 budget,” Fuchs said. “Our track record for passing budgets is improving.”

Fuchs also discussed Professional Learning Communities (PLCs), wherein teachers gather to work collaboratively on different aspects of education.

“Our PLCs were a tremendous asset to the district this year,” Fuchs said. “With PLCs, there is no room for ambiguity. These communities promote learning.”

For the first time in the 2010-2011 school year, students at the high school were allowed to come in late approximately twice a month, so that teachers could have the time in the morning to work with their PLCs.

Cynthia Scott, head of the board’s education committee, announced that there would be either late openings or early closings on certain days at the middle school and elementary schools, so that teachers at those schools could have the same opportunities to work with their PLCs.

Fuchs also pointed to the implementation of the Pyramid of Intervention as a high point of last school year. The pyramid works to address the needs of students who are not meeting expectations, Fuchs said.

The addition of a number of advanced placement courses to the high school curriculum was also a high point, according to Fuchs. Advanced placement Psychology will be added to the coming year’s high school class schedule.

Finally, Fuchs said she is excited about the new math curriculum for second grade students, and the implementation of a new social studies curriculum throughout the district that is coming in the 2011-2012 school year.