School Board rates Supt. Van Tassel as ‘Highly Effective’

After several closed-door sessions over the last month, members of the Van Buren Public Schools Board of Education voted unanimously in public on Monday that they rate School Supt. Michael Van Tassel as “Highly Effective.”
The board, which is expected to evaluate the superintendent annually, presented a two-page, single-spaced evaluation they had worked together to write during its Feb. 10 closed-door session.
“Just over two years ago, in a time of great difficulties, Supt. Van Tassel was hired specifically to bring the kinds of thoughtful, research-based, yet significant changes Van Buren Public Schools needed to address major problems,” the evaluation began, listing eight challenges, including a $5 million budget deficit.
“Since his hiring, Supt. Van Tassel has made remarkable progress in all of these areas with focused leadership, systematic improvement processes, and comprehensive investment in developing the skills of all employees. Further, the Board of Education commends the Superintendent for his efforts to keep the board apprised of critical district matters,” the evaluation continued.
Progress in all the areas was detailed, including moving from a deficit to a 7.3% fund balance and a projected balance of more than 9% by the end of the year.
“The laborious examination of the budget line by line allowed for $1 million of savings with minimal impact on student learning,” the evaluation stated.
“… Overall, we see sustained and dramatic progress in all areas, and the district is firmly set on an upward trajectory,” the evaluation ended.
Board vice president Martha Toth pointed out that Trustee Kathy Kovach was absent from Monday’s meeting, but would surely have voted in favor of the top evaluation for Van Tassel had she been present.
On Monday, the board held a 15-minute special meeting to adopt the evaluation and then held a work/study session to discuss other items.
Common Core
Michelle Wagner, an experienced teacher, has been released from her teaching duties to help create K-8 English Language Arts curriculum under Common Core.
She explained the district has to “unpack” the curriculum and “chunk” it the way that is best for this district.
Supt. Van Tassel said the state doesn’t require this, so the board might ask, “Why are we breaking down the standards?”
He answered his own question: “So teachers can have good conversations on how to teach the standards.”
He said they have checked and find teachers across the state are not breaking it down, so Van Buren is having to do it for itself. He said they are planning how to group it and teach it to kids.
Trustee Sherry Frazier said this could be a money-maker, if the district copyrighted its work and sold it to other districts.
Wagner said it was targeted for this district and would assure parents that their children would get the same education no matter who their teacher is – “although some teachers will sing more and some will do more art” – the end product will be the same.
“A few short years ago, in elementary schools our classes were teaching different things … and then all the students went into one high school,” said Trustee Scott Russell.
Trustee Russell asked when the district will have everything aligned and Van Tassel said he would expect everything would be aligned in three years. He said the curriculum would be evaluated every year and every three years it would be restacked and readjusted.
“We have lost so many experienced staff,” Van Tassel said. “There’s not a lot of 30-year staff because the state is pushing them out…”
He said they have to set up a program for new teachers to learn the curriculum.
“I’m incredibly impressed with the entire K-4 staff,” Van Tassel said referring to their curriculum work.
Wagner said teachers used to spend a lot of time developing curriculum, but now the school will give them the curriculum.
Toth said there is clearly a lot of discussion on Common Core and she is afraid of what the state is going to come up with for assessment.
“I’m afraid of the assessment, but the curriculum itself is a huge step forward,” Toth said.
Head Start
Van Tassel said the district has been contacted by the Guidance Center which is interested in having its Head Start program move from St. Anthony’s Catholic Church school building to the Haggerty School, where there are empty classrooms and lots of room for expansion.
The board encouraged Van Tassel to proceed with discussions with Head Start, which wants to be in place for fall classes.
Van Tassel said in a contract proposal Head Start has offered $40,000 a year in rent for a three-year commitment, with either side able to cancel with 30 days of notice.
Head Start lost its Sumpter site, reportedly because of the federal sequester cuts, and now it wants to expand.
The school district offers Great Start preschool, available to the next income bracket above Head Start, to about 170 total children in morning and afternoon classes.
Van Tassel said by having Head Start at Haggerty the district could tie all the early elementary programs together so children coming into Kindergarten in the district are better prepared, “Instead of having different abilities – from can’t identify letters to being fluent readers.”
Closed-door session
At the end of Monday’s meeting the board voted to go into closed-door session to discuss an opinion letter from its attorney on an undisclosed subject.