School Board To Perform Self-Evaluations

The Douglas County Board of Education will perform evaluations on itself and Superintendent Gordon Pritz in June, the board determined at Monday night’s special called 30-minute meeting.

Unlike past years, the board will fill out the evaluations online through eBoard Solutions.

The school board’s self-evaluation period will run from June 6 to June 15. Board Chair Jeff Morris said he plans to have a discussion about the board’s self-evaluation at the June 20 board meeting.

“Once you get used to using (the new online system), it just rolls,” Morris told board members. “It’s not problematic.”

The superintendent’s evaluation from the board will cover his first year at the helm of the Douglas County School System. Pritz will have all his data to the board by July 1 in order for the members to fill out online evaluations of his performance from July 5 to July 15.

“I’m looking for something (where) we can sit down with the superintendent and talk about strengths and weaknesses,” said Board Vice Chair Sam Haskell of District 4, who has served on the board since 1997. “I like the in-person meeting and hope we can meet just with the superintendent and just do a nice chat."

"It’ll be interesting how the superintendent handles this," he added. "But generally, I’ve been impressed with how calm he is and if you have a criticism, he’s ready for a comment.”

Board member Mike Miller, whose District 1 includes Douglas County High School, also said he was looking forward to evaluating himself, the board and the superintendent.

“To see how we’re doing and making sure we’re representing the citizens of Douglas County properly,” he said.

During the 7 p.m. meeting held after the special-called one, the five-person board passed several agenda items unanimously. They were:

• Purchasing Parent Resource Center Interactive Parent Workshop Kits for the district’s nine Title I schools for $41,863.05 from Title I funds. The kits aim to increase parental engagement and family literacy. “If we want our parents to help, we've got to give them the resources to help,” said Catherine Magouyrk, associate superintendent of student achievement and leadership.
• Approving three technology purchases for Winston Elementary: wireless access for $25,671.19, ActivBoards and devices for 33 classrooms for $216,349.63 from Dell, and 31 desktop computers, 42 laptops and 241 netbook computers from Dell. Purchases were funded through SPLOST.
• Purchasing Read 180 licenses for Stewart Middle for $31,345 from Title I funds and for $49,345 from Title I and School Improvement Grant funds. The remedial reading program targets middle and high school students who continue to struggle in reading comprehension and fluency.
• Approving Title I technology carryover purchases of netbooks, carts, Activboards and headphones with surplus carryover funds of $889,275.69 from federal funds, Title I and Title I stimulus funds. School administrators and Information Technology Director Todd Hindmon determined the needs for each school, Magouyrk said.  
• Approving the April special purpose local-option sales tax (SPLOST) report, which reported an increase from March’s projected earnings of $1.75 million to April’s $1.82 million, Chief Financial Officer Kay Turner said.
• Purchasing 10 desktop computers, 46 laptops and 231 netbook computers for $224,634.20 from Dell for Annette Winn Elementary from SPLOST funds.
• Approving a new job description for the area director for student achievement and leadership; this position previously was called a level director. Rather than being assigned to a level of elementary, middle or high, the new leader will be assigned to attendance areas for each school level to improve “vertical alignment” between schools.
• Approving decommissioning of the oxidation ponds at Alexander High with Carr Contracting for $256,708.40 from SPLOST funds.
• Renewing the annual Microsoft school licensing agreement for $220,634 with PC Mall Gov from the general fund.
• Approving Phase II of long-range plan for Title III for the District Improvement Plan. One of the plan’s goals is to improve the academic proficiency of English Language Learners (ELL), particularly in math, Magouyrk said.