Superintendent Outlines Goals for New School Year

Summit students head back to school in just five days. As families embark on the last weekend of Summer, Superintendent Dr. Nathan Parker sent out a letter to parents and students about what’s happening this year.

This year, the Board of Education has added 38 new faculty and staff members, 17 to cover temporary leaves, 22 new aides, six support staff and eight interns. Additionally, Bob Lockhart has been named Athletic Director and Carly Johnson Assistant Principal at LCJSMS.

Additions to Franklin and Jefferson schools, renovations to the LCJSMS Science Classroom and Laboratory, renovation and restoration of the LCJSMS Auditorium and upgrades to the SHS Boiler are underway, according to the board. The projects will go out to bid this winter and begin next summer.

On the Board of Education, Gloria Ron-Fornes has been named to new Board President, while Cecelia Colbert has been named the Vice President of the Board. Rick Hanley and James Freeman are also new additions to the board as members. Board of Education meetings for the 2013-14 school year will be held at Wilson Primary Center.

Here’s a look at the 2013-14 Board of Education goals (courtesy of Dr. Parker’s letter):

1. Make significant, material, measurable improvements in student academic performance annually, K-12, as identified by the HSPA, AP Exams and the 4th and 8th grade NJASK. 

2. Guidance: a) Establish a vision, guiding principles and practices for a comprehensive district-wide PreK-12 guidance program. Identify the resources needed and create an actionable 5-year plan.  b) Deliver a 3% increase, by 2014, in the number of students attending four-year colleges and universities, rated as "Most Competitive" in Barron's Profiles of American Colleges.

3.  Develop a PreK-12 vision and action plan to make Summit a leader in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) education by 2018 as measured by annual increased scores in standardized math and science assessments and student participation rates in co-curricula activities directly related to STEAM.