Board of Trustees
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Our school board is dedicated to fostering an environment where every student can achieve academic excellence and personal growth in a safe and supportive setting.
As elected representatives of our community, we are committed to making informed decisions that shape the future of our schools. Our responsibilities include:
- Policy Development: Crafting and implementing policies that promote high educational standards and equity.
- Budget Oversight: Ensuring that financial resources are allocated efficiently and effectively to support student learning and well-being.
- Superintendent Supervision: Collaborating with and providing oversight for the Superintendent to ensure the district's strategic goals are met.
- Curriculum and Instruction: Evaluating and approving curricula that meet the diverse needs of our students and prepare them for future success.
- Facilities Management: Overseeing the maintenance and improvement of school facilities to provide a safe and conducive learning environment.
- Community Engagement: Encouraging active participation from parents, students, teachers, and community members to foster a collaborative educational community.
Our mission is to support every student in reaching their full potential by prioritizing safety, equity, and excellence in all our decisions. We invite you to explore our initiatives, participate in our meetings, and join us in our dedication to student success and safety.
The School District of Oconee County Board of Trustees approved the following goals:
Student Achievement – The board is committed to the academic success of each child with a goal of ensuring that our students reach their highest potential and are well prepared for success in college, the workforce, military service and life. Specific areas of focus will be:
- Increasing literacy and math scores as measured by SCReady for grades 3-8
- Increasing math, science, social studies, and English proficiency as measured by EOCEP for high school students
- Increasing student performance on the “WIN” assessment which measures a range of workplace skills that are important for job success
- Ensuring that all students are equipped with current technology, instruction and experiences to equip them to be successful in a briskly changing technology landscape
- Increasing district graduation rates as well as the percentage of students designated as College or Career Ready
Student Well-Being – The board recognizes that ensuring the best possible outcomes for our students includes support of the whole child. Specific areas of support will include:
- Continuing to work with local law enforcement and other community agencies to provide safe and secure schools for students and staff
- Focusing on improvement of the IGP process (Individual Graduation Plan) to enhance authentic partnerships with parents and students in planning for graduation and beyond
- Promoting character education and bullying prevention programs at all elementary schools
- Supporting coordination of counselors and healthcare providers to improve the quality of mental health services for students in need
- Continuing to promote student leadership programs including Peer Mediation and Conflict Resolution at the high school level
- Improving implementation of the MTSS framework at the elementary level and extend this work to include middle schools
High Quality Workforce – The board believes that attracting, supporting and retaining the very best people in each job category and position is vital to ensuring the success of our district, schools, and students. Specific areas of focus will be:
- Developing specific strategies to improve recruitment and hiring in all areas
- Researching salary and benefit offerings of local and regional competitors in order to ensure competitive pay for all positions
- Equipping teachers with professional development and resources that are aligned to desired student learning outcomes and inclusive of relevant research and technology skills including the use of advanced technologies such as AI (Artificial Intelligence)
- Promoting and maintaining a positive working culture with a focus on positive staff morale
Parent & Community Engagement – The board understands that strong partnerships with families and the community are vitally important in providing the best possible school experience for students. Specific priorities include:
- Reviewing and amplifying district marketing and communication strategies
- Expanding and strengthening community partnerships
- Highlighting and celebrating student and staff accomplishments
- Expanding and promoting opportunities for parent and community input