Parents Give School District a Passing Grade

In all, 99.5 percent of Haddam and Killingworth parents give the Region 17 School District a passing grade, according to a recently completed teaching and learning audit.

Released this February, 386 parents were asked in the audit what grade between “A” and “F” they would give the Region 17 School District.

According to the results, 78 parents responded by giving the district an “A,” while another 215 parents gave the district a “B." An additional 86 parents with children in school felt the district deserved only a “C,” while five parents gave their child’s school district a “D.” Two parents responded with an “F.”

“I am excited about the results,” School Superintendent Gary Mala told the Region 17 Board of Education in January, before officially releasing the findings.

Auditors spoke with parents, faculty and support staff about their assessment of the district’s performance during recent years, in the areas of communication, school resources, responsiveness, community support and performance and achievement.

“These results will be critical to inform your next generation of strategic planning,” Mala explained to the board.

A majority of parents, according to the audit, feel Region 17 has high academic standards, has improved academic performance over the last five years and that leadership in the district is committed to teaching, learning and high student achievement.

A similar majority of the district’s faculty expressed their belief that the district’s curriculum is clearly defined, is challenging for students and meets the needs of all learners.

In all, 91 percent of faculty in the district agreed that the climate in the district’s schools supports quality teaching and learning.

As part of the audit faculty did provide some written suggestions for improving teaching, including involving teachers more in planning and smaller class sizes.

The audit is the first of its kind done for the district according to Mala.

The superintendent officially released the findings of the audit — which was completed at the end of January — at the Region 17 Board of Education’s meeting on Feb. 7.

“This should serve us as an excellent foundation for the strategic planning process,” Mala told the board. “It serves as a vehicle to move forward.”

The audit — while informing the board what they are doing well — also serves as a guidepost to indicate where improvements need to be made as well, he explained.

Board members were pleased with the new information provided in the audit.

“It really does give us quite a snapshot … of our district,” explained Board of Education Chairwoman Amy Jacques-Purdy.