Dr. Neal Has Helped Create Positive Change

Dr. Neal Has Helped Create Positive Change

To the Editor:
This is a Year In Review - Franklin County School K-12 Plan for 2008-2009.
The staff of Franklin County Schools has worked very hard all year to prepare for the 2008-2009 school year. The consolidation process for the new school has started during the 2007-2008 school year. This involved uniting three elementary school sites, and two high schools. Under the direction of the current principal, deans on each campus, teachers and student body, the process has become a unique experience for change and educational enhancement which leads to a prerequisite for success. The current leadership (Dr. Neal) has made this process a smooth transition because of experience, cutting edge ideas, and knowledge of consolidation. The process has taken time and management by the deans of each campus who have been very supportive under the leadership of Dr. Neal.
Throughout the school year I have had many experiences that have influenced and created positive change for the educational investment of our children. We have created a team to networking with school learning communities, parent involvement groups, surrounding county in-service, FLARE (University of Central Florida), and Just Read Florida which has helped to improve and scaffold our educational system for change.
During the year we have successfully completed a working K-12 Comprehensive Reading Plan which will offer all learners success in a learning environment which is student centered. This plan will be implemented during the 2008-2009 school year. The plan targets the best possible framework for reading K-12 using best practices, new ideas in education to ensuring that learning is taking place. The areas the plan does cover will include supporting students for effective classroom management, analyzing data (students levels, scores) to provide effective instruction for each and every student K-12, developing a true Reading Leadership Team to help build fidelity within our program, implementing Standards Based Instruction / Sunshine State Standards, creating and implementing FCAT 101 to help teachers, students and parents to understand the Florida Comprehensive Achievement Test.
Also, the master schedule has included a block for Literacy instruction K-12, and the plan also has helped us to provide assistance from Just Read Florida, create and implement a Reading Adoption fair to help teachers review several program to help assist the needs of their students, attend professional development training to help create highly qualified teachers to implement reading programs with success through the content area PD-CAR, Professional Development on Understanding Children, and students.
The advancements that we have made in our county are due to the current leadership. I have worked with the current principal within this county and have found his qualifications, expertise, and knowledge to be what is needed to proceed into the 2008-2009 school year. The work that has been completed is due to the type of leadership we have been so fortunate to have experienced. We must move forward advancing our curriculum, techniques and strategies in working with our students. Our success throughout this year must continue, by planning throughout the summer months to enter into a modern facility. This does require a strong leader with a vision, knowledge of educational practices utilized in educational systems today, and a concern for each and every student to be successful. Our students deserve the best we can offer them; their time to succeed is now.
The opportunity to work with the current principal and to actually utilize my knowledge in planning for the new school year has been a tremendous learning experience. I do hold a masters degree in early education and elementary, a specialist degree in educational leadership, a doctorate in education /child and youth studies specialization in K-12/ school management, and graduate work in guidance and counseling. I have also experienced teaching at the college level for 14 years.
Through my experiences of teaching / working at all four schools in Franklin County and my educational background I just wanted to take the opportunity to say we need to do what is best for the students. Let us continue the existing leadership under our current principal and make the entrance into the new school with a new outlook on success for our students. The time is now to ensure that we lead our students into an environment that creates a future for every student.
Dr. Neal's vision is to increase academic achievement and school performance K-12. Change is what Franklin County is thirsty for; let us make the right decision for our students. The plan has been completed; let the plan be implemented during the 2008-2009 school year with fidelity and Dr. Neal as our leader.
Thank you,
Dr. Kathleen Cadwallader
Franklin County Schools