At Tuesday evening’s regular meeting, the Ontario Board of Education heard from Curt McVicker, director of operations, about how changes to teacher evaluations and student testing/assessments will affect students and staff during the 2014-2015 school year.
McVicker noted that Ohio’s Teacher Evaluation System (OTES) will be implemented next school year. He said that teachers have been able to complete a trial run of OTES during the current school year.
“In talking with the teachers, I think they’re excited about the potential and possibilities,” he said.
In accordance with implementation of the evaluation system, teachers will be required to develop an improvement plan or growth plan, which will serve as the basis for professional development, McVicker stated.
According to a survey completed by 83 staff members, the most preferred professional development opportunity the staff desires is use of activities to promote independence and problem-solving. “Eighty-five percent of the people that responded said that was a high priority for the classroom, which is exactly what we expected,” McVicker said.
In addition to teacher evaluations, Ontario Schools, along with other schools throughout the state, will witness changes to the student testing/assessments schedule.
Flipping through the pages of next school year’s calendar, McVicker stated, “About all we’re going to be doing for the last six weeks of school is testing.”
“The frustration that I have,” he continued, “is when you take a look at this testing calendar, my goodness.”
He added that the testing/assessment dates are subject to change, “but there’s no guarantee.”
During the public comment portion of the meeting, Ontario residents, Keith Laughbaum and Jean McKinney, shared their concern about the Common Core State Standards.
“I am a firm believer that this program is coming from a higher standard than I would like to see it to be, and I hope you would like to see control in community,” Laughbaum said to the board members.
McKinney stated that she disproves of the content taught through Common Core and said, “The curriculum as a whole is leaving the kids overworked, frustrated, and set up to fail.”
According to McVicker, Ontario Schools began implementing Common Core into the curriculum in 2010.
The next Ontario board meeting will be held Tuesday, June 10.
