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STAMFORD, Conn. A lack of improvement on standardized state tests is forcing 11 public schools in Stamford to form School Governance Councils by Nov. 1 to get input to improve schools.
Its taking parent involvement to the next level, said Mike Meyer, director of student services for Stamford Public Schools.
According to the state Department of Education, a School Governance Council provides an opportunity for parents and teachers to collaborate in finding ways to support student success. Meyer said the formation of the councils, mandated by the state, should not be seen as a bad thing. He said progress has been made, pointing out that 2009 state test scores were used in determining which schools had to form councils. Had 2010 scores been, only four would need to create governance councils, he said.
The 11 schools are: K.T. Murphy, Roxbury, Springdale, Julia A. Stark, Davenport Ridge, Hart, Dolan, Turn of River, Rippowam, Stamford High School, and Westhill High School. The four schools that would have qualified with 2010 scores were Davenport, Dolan, Stamford High and Westhill, Meyer said. He did not evaluate the 2011 scores but said it would have been less.
Connecticuts Department of Education developed the idea to assist principal and administrators in creating ways to improve student performances at schools that did not show progress in mathematics and reading at the whole school level, a letter sent to the district said.
The councils at the elementary and middle schools will consist of 15 people: seven parents or guardians, five teachers, two community leaders in the district and the principal. The high school councils will also have two student members. If a school cannot get the full 15 members it can still form the council, Meyer said.
The parents and guardians will elect their seven members; the teachers will elect their five members; both will choose the community leaders; and the student body will elect their representatives. Although Meyer would like the councils to be as diverse as each school, he said there are no quotas. He also said members should be passionate about helping all students improve, not just their own children.
Meyer will lead a forum for parents-guardians, teachers and others to explain how the governance councils will work and what they will do Monday night, Sept. 26 at the Stamford Government Center. The meeting will take place on the fourth floor café with dinner beginning at 6:30 and the forum to start at 7 p.m.
This is a new frontier, he said.
Email reporter Anthony Buzzeo at TBuzzeo@TheDailyStamford.com.
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