ELY- A state-of-the-art professional development model for teachers got high marks at the Ely School Board meeting on Monday, as Superintendent Anne Oelke reviewed the first two years of the program with board members.
Instead of having four full days throughout the school year reserved for professional development, Ely switch to a model for the 2023-24 school year of releasing students an hour early on Wednesdays using that time for teacher training activities. Most of the faculty was in favor of the switch.
Oelke reported on teacher feedback for the early release system.
“I asked the staff to give me what they felt were the benefits, the evidence they felt they saw, and to suggest some improvements that I can make moving forward,” Oelke said. “Focused development and more consistency is what I heard from staff.”
Oelke provided a grid of teacher comments to the board on the early release program during the meeting.
As a result of the feedback, Oelke will present a revamped early release schedule to the board this summer.
“I’d like to come back in July or August and show the map of the whole year that’s more focused and planned.”
The district did explore whether cutting the early release program and returning to the former full-day professional would save money. There was a small cost savings with the four-day model; however, staff felt that the benefits were really on the early releases, so the Finance Committee decided not to change.
In other matters, the school board:
• Reviewed the district’s plans to revamp the superintendent evaluation process. School board chair Rochelle Sjoberg and Oelke were using the Minnesota School Board Association’s evaluation model and forms and are adapting them to use in Ely. Sjoberg stated that before now, the superintendent evaluation process was “haphazard.”
Sjoberg commented, “I told Anne (Oelke) that I would like something structured and compliant, from not just the statutory perspective. Then, no matter who is in the board chair role, and no matter who is superintendent, the board could pick up this evaluation packet and have all of the instructions and directions. It’s got the timeline for what you do each month and all the forms are.” Sjoberg also stated that she would like to see a parallel process put into place for the board to evaluate its own performance.
• Moved the date of the May study session to Tuesday, May 27, because of the Memorial Day holiday.