Beginning To Look At Conclusions

With the final weeks of our stay here beginning to appear, it is time to look at some wrap-up activities. One of those activities is our visit with the senior pastor this coming Friday evening. The agenda we have created includes questions he may have, what we have accomplished and what we believe to be next steps for improvement of the school.
Accomplishments include a staff created mission and vision statement, A process for creating academic standards, a system of monitoring high school student daily performance and a five page written discipline policy. We have been assured that a board (Junta) system of managing the school will be created with a 5 person board.

Things on the “to do list” include a more comprehensive system of communicating with parents. Most importantly the communication can be just plain information and even good things going on at the school. Communicating with parents now is only a “problem-centered approach.
An entrance exam system needs to be created. It must be more than who can afford the tuition.
We have a high percentage of dysfunctional families where the students are hindered in their school work because of family issues. We need a systematic approach to counseling.
A solid academic program for grades 7 through 10 is badly needed. Junior high and high school students are still treated as “big elementary” students.
How teachers spend their time is now a critical issue. Being required to watch parents play basketball and soccer doesn’t add academic value to students. Teachers now have much more academic responsibility and they seem to run out of time quickly.
We have no system of facilities maintenance and repair. A relatively new facility is beginning to show a lot of wear.
And finally, here even more than most places, putting words into action is a constant problem. Teachers are rightly concerned that we have written a lot of words that may go no farther. I spoke with the Director yesterday about this concern.
Any reader with talents in the above mentioned areas should contact us for continued efforts here next year.