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Health & Fitness

Board of Ed Leaders Give Southington Education High Marks

I asked Board of Ed Chairman, Brian Goralski, and former chair, David Derynoski, a board member of 23 years, about their thoughts about the progess, achievements and challenges in Southington's public schools system.   Along with this report you will find a living gallery of Southington Public Schools and students in a cross section of their daily activities, academic pursuits, sports and fun in learning. We hope you will view them for a the old maxim goes: "One picture is worth a thousand words."

Here then, are a few questions we posted to Messrs. Goralski and Derynoski followed by their considered refelections. 

Q.1. What are the top three achievements of the School Board and Superintendent Dr. Joseph Erardi in the past school year?

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Goralski: I'd rate continuing upward achievement of students each year at the top, notwithstanding budgetary limits. Strong communications and collaboration with Dr. Erardi, his staff and others is another area of continuing positive growth. It takes a village to raise a child makes my next point of pride in our system is the continuous collaboration with the YMCA, Clergy, Veterans and government, including shared offices at the Municipal Center, all synergizing our collective talents in making our eduction system great. Teachers and other community resources partner in our goals of excellence in our students. We share the love of our schools, doing better with less.  Dr. Erardi is a key part of all that. A gifted public speaker, honest to his core, focused on making education better. I'd add that education is the foundation for excellence in life and in the community. Joe, (Erardi), lives for his profession. 

Derynoski: Achievements have included the initiation of tight school safety protocols. Improved communications systems ensure each school having direct contact with appropriate safety resources. Teachers have been instructed and the System is fully operational. Next is the implementation of the All Day Kindergarten, a huge success in planning, development and implementation. 

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Challenging details, e.g. transportation, hiring the right staff and keeping parents well-informed all contributed to making it happen. A handful of parents had negative concerns, e.g., too long a school day, children would lose focus. But with the overwhelming educational and social advantages, 20 to 1 favored the program. 

Teachers now spend much more time on early basics and each child gets more attention. We’ve made major strides in technology…including uniquely creative financing of equipment. 

As an aside, but important to note, Dr. Thalberg’s widow bequeathed a sizeable amount of money for computer white boards and also made a substantial trust available to the school for elementary technology. 

Our staff worked with Apple for a modified program, turning over old equipment for new. Successes have been through the collaborative efforts of the Board, the School Administration and the Schools. Board members occasionally visit schools and talk to administrators beneficially.  Dr. Erardi has done a great job. He has a great rapport with the community, the town government and is highly respected.

Q.2. What about disappointments?  

Goralski: Communities are often united by tragedy. Fortunately, Southington is also united in education.  Yet, some don’t understand our mission, questioning our intentions and motivations. We need to gain their support through continued communications with parents and the public.

Derynoski: The Teacher Evaluation program and the Common Core State Standards are unfunded mandates eating away our available resources, (estimated cost: $500,000). We invite state senators and legislators to meet with us asking them to please not enact more mandates without the funds to carry them out. On paper, Common Core Standards look good. Setting the same standards for all districts puts everyone on the same playing field. It’s beneficial to lower performing districts. In my view, any benefit to our educational performance is minimal in comparison and is outweighed by the cost of doing the administrative work at our expense. The differences in performance and adaptability of towns to this situation will dictate the final result.

Q. 3.  What are the goals for this school year?

Goralski:  Some of our most important priorities are to continue with our positive message despite obstacles from outside. The economy continues to dominate all discussion.  But, Education is ever changing and often, unfortunately, many times driven by non-educators, e.g. state and federal mandates and other deficiencies; other communities not evaluating their teachers well, not running the kind of education programs we do. So, we need to focus on Southington, what we can control, not on what we cannot control. Joe Erardi represents us on a state level. He represents the state at the national level, sharing our experience while learning what is going with them. He communicates locally and nationally, an example of great leadership.

Q.4. How do you rate Southington’s Public Schools?

Derynoski: Over many years, the quality of our curriculum, programs and teachers we’ve hired have increased steadily, raising our educational experience today to a very high standard. Special Education scores have gone up; we’re a model in technology; curriculum engineering systems and robotics teams at SHS excel in competition in the country, and are always in the top ranks of performance.

Much more about our accomplishments and future in education have been covered in our previously publlished and posted conversations with Dr. Erardi.

Stay tuned for more reports on the living visions and work of those who make our town as fine a place to live as it is. 

 

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