Novi School Board States District Goals, Hires Several Teachers

The Board of Education has set four goals for the district and superintendent to work toward in order to fulfill the district's mission over several years.

The district's vision focuses on developing each student's potential, creating a world-class education and ensuring that each student has the knowledge, skills and character to be successful, said Superintendent Steve Matthews.

The four goals made are the following:

1. The district will ensure that each student will make no less than one year's growth in one year's time.
2. The district will ensure that all students achieve at a high level. (There will be no achievement gaps.)
3. The district will evaluate and enhance opportunities for students while maintaining a minimum of 10 percent fund balance.
4. The district will improve organizational quality and customer service by creating common standards, systems and principles.

Matthews said these goals are not meant to be accomplished in one year but to drive the direction of the district and himself over the next three to five years or more.

"We want to get better and we want to do everything we can to get better," Matthews said.

The goals were discussed by the board at its retreat in August and were polished at its work session Thursday night.

The board will discuss a work plan at its Oct. 6 meeting to further develop short- and long-term goals that will help the district accomplish these four main goals.

New Staff Hired

The board also approved the hiring of the following new staff members, effective Aug. 30:

• Beth Canales: life management teacher
• Claire Gibbons: high school vocal/instrument teacher
• Veeda Griffin-Alexander: high school special education teacher
• Luma Jarjis: Novi Meadows world language teacher
• Kara Phillips: fifth-grade teacher
• Trisha Wellock: sixth-grade teacher
• Therese Proben: Novi Meadows special education teacher
• Alison Gilreath: part-time psychologist at the Educational Services Building
• Claire Kwolek: paraprofessional for

The board also accepted the resignation of a food service employee.