School Board Discusses Ways To Improve District

Improving education programs, enhancing communication and reaching out more to the Bloomfield families and staff were just some of the district-wide objectives the School Board discussed during a training workshop Wednesday night. 

Joanne Borin of the New Jersey School Board Association helped Superintendent Jason Bing and the School Board come up with a lists of district accomplishments, goals and objectives that are still in progress. They also created a list of ways officials could work together to improve the district and ease Bing’s transition into his new job, which he started in January. 

During the workshop, School Board members Robert DeMarino and Paula Zaccone said it was important to also include language that reflects the goal of helping at-risk students as well as teaching life skills to students who are less academically-focused. 

“It’s not just taking a test. It’s the development of an entire individual,” DeMarino said. 

Bing said the New Jersey School Board Association offers a great service and development workshop. 

School Board President Mary Shaughnessy said the workshop and the lists “will help usher us into being a more high-functioning board.” 

The next training workshop, which is open to the public, will be held 9 a.m. July 30 at the school district administration building, 155 Board St.  

The lists created at the workshop are as follows: 

Accomplishments 
- settle teacher union contract 
- pass budget
- hire new superintendent
- Foley Field near completion of stage one
- Bloomfield High School’s title of  distinction high school 
- upgrade technology
- change to online grading
- three-minute walk-through
- upgrade infrastructure
- third party provide utilities
- add 23 new teachers

In progress
- technology
- online grading
- train staff in technology
- professional development days for next year
- block schedule at Bloomfield Middle School 
- response to intervention (a method of academic intervention) 
- inclusion
- curriculum online
- redo Website 

Challenges 
- four schools do not meet annual yearly progress under No Child Left Behind (Carteret, Watsessing, Berkley elementary schools and Bloomfield Middle School)
- parent involvement 
- getting more positive public relations
- space needs/construction 
- redistricting
- enhance SAT/ACT scores
- diversity in staff
- revising curriculum and retaining staff
-  continuity among elementary schools 

District goals
- have all schools meet annual yearly progress, review curriculum, getting parents involved, support at-risk population, diversity of staff
- completing Foley Field
- ensure that facilities meet the educational needs of all students and safety
- increase internal/external communications 
- continue diversity and development
- (find) alternative sources of funding and cost-savings
- (create an online) Parent University
- grant-writing

Board goals 
- restructuring committees
- improve board/superintendent communications
- training and developing the board
- complete superintendent and board self-evaluation