District to establish educational task force comprised of stakeholders to explore what future-ready means
At the Dec. 5 meeting of the Guilderland Central School District board of education, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Marie Wiles posed the question: “What does it mean for our students to be ready for their future?” She then presented a blueprint for the district to begin to answer that question.
In her presentation, Dr. Wiles reviewed the district’s mission, which is to inspire all students to be active lifelong learners so they can achieve their highest potential. She also gave an overview of GCSD’s vision, which asserts that the district will provide a safe and welcoming environment, where the pursuit of academic excellence and personal growth is a priority, so that all students are ready for their future.
In short, the mission and vision of GCSD is for all students — each and every one — to be future-ready. The district is newly committed to define what future-ready means for its students.
Board of education priority areas
Dr. Wiles summarized the priority areas the board of education had previously established through SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and timely) goals for the 2020-2025 school years:
- Close the achievement or opportunity gap among students so that all students can reach their full potential.
- Focus on the whole child which encompasses social-emotional learning.
- Focus on diversity to ensure that all members of the school community feel that they belong; that is, all feel seen, heard, welcomed, and affirmed.
- Improve facilities, with particular attention to supporting district-wide technology and cyber-security and to develop a shared vision for “future-ready” facilities to provide students with a learning environment that will prepare them for success in the world beyond high school.
A task force to explore what future-ready means for GCSD
As the district examines what teaching and learning will look like to prepare students for the future, it must also consider what its learning environments will look like. Dr. Wiles proposed that the district establish a stakeholder task force charged with exploring this question.
Purpose: The task force will review best practices and gather input from the Guilderland community to recommend the priorities that will ensure GCSD graduates are prepared for their future beyond high school. The task force will focus on educational programming as well as the implications for the district’s facilities and will make recommendations for improvements to those facilities.
Activities: To fulfill its purpose, the task force of approximately 35-40 individuals, will create sub-groups to work more efficiently. The sub-groups will explore different aspects of the future-ready question, such as innovative programming, technology, career and technical education, music, classroom environments, etc. The larger group and the sub-groups will meet regularly to share research and inform the district’s next steps.
In addition, the task force will plan and implement community engagement activities, such as surveys and forums, to garner input from the school community. Members of the task force may take field trips to neighboring schools for ideas and insights. Finally, the task force will prepare a report of recommendations to the district facilities committee and the board of education.
Membership: The task force will include representatives from all of the district’s stakeholders groups, including:
- Parents/guardians of GCSD students
- Students from the middle and high schools
- Community members
- Employees
- Teachers
- Related service providers
- Support staff (instructional and non-instructional)
- Administrators (instructional and non-instructional)
- Board of education members
GCSD stakeholders interested in participating in the district’s future-ready task force are welcome to send a letter of interest to Dr. Marie Wiles, Superintendent of Schools, 8 School Road, PO Box 18, Guilderland Center, NY 12085 or email superintendent@guilderlandschools.net by Friday, December 22, 2023.
The GCSD Board of Education will review the letters of interest and appoint new members at the Jan. 9 board of education meeting.
Proposed timeline of work:
- December 2023: begin recruiting task force members
- January 2024: task force members appointed by board; initial meeting of task force for organizational purposes
- February-May 2024: meeting of the large group and sub-groups to research, plan, problem-solve, discuss, etc.
- March-May 2024: community engagement; field trips to neighboring districts
- June-July 2024: draft preliminary recommendations to facilities committee/board of education; revise report as needed
- September/October 2024: share recommendations with facilities committee and board of education
Target goal: a potential capital project referendum that would go before Guilderland votes in May 2025.
Additional preliminary considerations:
- Infrastructure needs for Zero Emissions transportation, as required by New York state.
- Needs identified in the district’s building condition survey, which is conducted every five years.
- Needs that have been identified to-date, such as improvements to music spaces, etc.
- Timing of the district’s debt schedule in 2025 and beyond.
- New York State Education Department Blue Ribbon Panel recommendations for public schools, which provide a lens into what it means to be future-ready.
Information gathering
Dr. Wiles and several board of education members recently visited the Queensbury Union Free School District as part of an information gathering trip. Queensbury schools were selected because, like GCSD schools, their buildings were older facilities which, over the past decade, have been transformed to better meet the needs of students today. The Guilderland contingent viewed Queensbury’s modernized music spaces, library, cafeteria, weight room, art rooms, gathering and career and technical education spaces. These spaces serve as examples of how the Queensbury school district’s administration and board of education has made a concerted effort to maximize instructional spaces for collaborative teaching and learning.