Williamson County School Board Retreat Highlights

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The Williamson County School Board (WCSB) met on Thursday and Friday of this week to discuss various issues surrounding WCS. The following are some of the topics discussed including Board and Superintendent goals:

Strategic Plan

The Board discussed the WCS 5-year Strategic Plan which concludes this school year. Board member Robert Hullett stated that no changes were made to the plan, however the board noted suggested modifications to keep in mind while developing the next Strategic Plan.

Superintendent Goals

Dr. Looney discussed his 6 Big Ideas:

  1. Fast Track High School – A plan for students who wish to complete high school in 3 years rather than 4
  2. Military Institute – Aims to create a centralized location for WCS JROTC programs and expand opportunity for students whose school programs may not include JROTC at the site of the school.
  3. Me Period – A certain amount of time would be set aside each school day to allow students and teachers to pursue individual interests such as music, athletics, writing, and more.
  4.  Kids on Stage – Time during the day when students may volunteer to showcase their talents to their peers, though attendance and participation would not be mandatory.
  5. Equity/Access – WCS would aim to take greater care of schools and students where great needs exist without neglecting top-performing students and schools.
  6. School Size – Options for dealing with the growing enrollment of students include exploring “new designs of schools to accommodate growth,” said Hullett via Facebook post. One example would be “an 8th/9th Grade ‘Academy’ that functions as part of a school feeder pattern.”

School Start Times

The board also discussed the possibility of switching school start times. Due to numerous factors involved in such a change, including child and adolescent sleep patterns, childcare, transportation, sports, extracurriculars, students with after school jobs, and family time, the board will explore this option cautiously beginning with discussions with the community.

Gary Anderson received the unanimous support of all board members present at the retreat in his bid for Chairman. Board members Jay Galbreath, Beth Burgos, and Robert Hullett have each expressed interest in the Vice Chairman position.

Other Business

Dr. Looney and his staff requested that major rezoning changes be postponed by one year.

The Board of Education conducted a Growth Summit to plan how to work with local municipalities to improve efficiency and effectiveness in areas where WCS is concerned.

Next Meeting

The school board meets on Monday Sept 21 to vote on a new Chairman and Vice Chairman. New District 4 representative Anne McGraw will also be sworn in. The meeting begins at 6:30 p.m at the Williamson County Administrative Complex and is open to the public.

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