APS to give update on Goals.

According to an (unlinkable) article in the Journal this morning,
School Board President Marty Esquivel has asked the
administration to update the board on their progress in reaching
the eight goals that had been established for the district, by
APS Superintendent Winston Brooks last summer.

By way of review, the goals are;

1. Three-year academic plan - Brooks wants to develop the plan with measurable targets by the end of the 2010-11 school year. He wants to focus on improving student achievement, narrowing achievement gaps, increasing graduation rates and improving attendance. Administrators will work out the plan and present it by the end of September.

2. Build confidence in APS - Brooks wants the administration to improve relations between the school district and the community, media, other organizations, business and government. The plan for that is due by mid-October.

3 (tie). Create a communication plan - Brooks wants the administration to develop a communication and evaluation plan between the district and the community, media, school board and others. The plan for that is due by mid-October.

3 (tie). Schedule board training workshops - Brooks wants to train the school board on the role and responsibilities of a school board, creating a more student-focused organization. The first workshop is due for mid-November.

5. Review and enhance facility upgrades - Brooks wants plans for facility upgrades to be completed and publicized by mid-October.

6. Improve the district's money management - Brooks wants a "transparent, sound and effective financial stewardship plan" with well-documented processes in place, with reports due every quarter starting with the 2008-09 school year.

7. Transition APS from site-based management to district-based management - Brooks wants the plan to include fair distribution of resources. The plan is due in the spring.

8. Enhance school crisis plans - Brooks wants a template for crisis management provided to all school and non-school sites, and wants those sites' administrators to create and file a crisis plan based on that to the district offices.

I would like to focus on three; goals 2, 3a, 6.

6. Financial transparency.
Winston Brooks still will not tell stakeholders the truth about
spending at the Uptown Administrative Complex.

Honest grade; F

2. Build confidence in the APS.
Winston Brooks traveled all around the district, schmoozing
stakeholders. He is a very affable guy. Confidence in the APS
has probably improved.

However, if the Journal were reporting the truth to
stakeholders, and they knew that there was still secrecy
surrounding the spending of tax dollars, and if they knew that
the leadership of the APS has abdicated as role models of the
Student Standards of Conduct, and is currently refusing
to lay administrative and executive standards and accountability
on the table for an open and honest discussion, the public
perception of the APS would not have improved one iota.

Apparent grade; A
Honest grade; F

3a. APS' "communication" plan.
APS is as inaccessible as it ever was. Their website is as useless
and user unfriendly as it ever was. And, there is still no one in
the entire leadership of the APS who will point to a time, a day,
and a place, where they will sit still and answer legitimate
questions, candidly, forthrightly and honestly.

Apparent grade; who knows?
Honest grade; F

The administration is scheduled to begin their defense of their
progress on the goals at the board meeting this evening.