The board had decided during the transition of superintendents to extend its 2006-07 set of goals, where applicable, while developing a new strategic plan.
Fraisse prepared a draft report of proposed initiatives, which he presented to the board Tuesday. Members then placed colored dots beside the goals that they found to be most essential.
He cautioned the board with a favorite quote: “We can do anything we want, but not everything we want.”
The initiatives were broken into research, pilot and action goals; they would be acted on either by an individual or committee based on the level of board member interest.
Research initiatives will be examined and brought back later for board action.
Pilot initiatives have either begun already or will be short-term programs that would be evaluated and tweaked as necessary, following a review.
Action initiatives are improvements or extensions of programs already in place or in process.
The board showed highest interest in investigating the best practices for implementing a kindergarten-through-12th grade foreign-language program, with a focus on students through grade five, and researching the best options for an International Baccalaureate Program and Advanced Placement courses.
Fraisse concurred with the board’s stated priorities.
“We’ve got to get going on this,” he said of the International Baccalaureate program; the district has already delayed it to spend more time researching it.
Fraisse said a decision was needed by the end of the year to develop a policy in spring.
Assistant Superintendent for Instructional Services Nancy Hubbell said she isn’t satisfied that the district has found the best practice for foreign-language instruction, and that she hopes to evaluate other models.
