Greensburg Schools Set Goals

GREENSBURG – The Greensburg Community School Corporation Board of Trustees recently approved district goals for the 2022/2023 school year and beyond.

According to GCS Superintendent Tom Hunter, the goals and ideals they incorporate include the following.

Mission Statement
The mission of the Greensburg Community School Corporation is to promote learning through quality educational and life-skill programs that prepare our students to be effective, successful, and responsible citizens.

Core Values of GCSC Stakeholders
High Expectations – All stakeholders will work to master or exceed required educational standards using best practices.

Accountability – Stakeholders are responsible for utilizing and managing resources to make data driven and financially prudent decisions.

Shared Leadership – Stakeholders will collaborate and strive to achieve school and community goals through professional learning opportunities and civic/social engagement.

Continuous Improvement – Stakeholders will persistently strive to advance by using research-based assessment tools, current data results, and consistent oversight in a never-ending effort for growth.

Social Responsibility – All stakeholders will share an obligation to promote and enhance positive character traits, tolerance of differences, a commitment to personal safety, and global citizenship.

Alignment – The school community will use all resources to implement the mission, vision, values, goals and strategies, to move in a unified direction to provide an efficient and effective educational program.

In light of the stated mission and core values of GCSC, the school board set the following goals for the 2022-2023 school year:

• Curriculum

Provide academic programs to our students that are aligned with national and state standards to provide learning opportunities that ensure their competitiveness in a global market place. The following goals will be addressed:

1. GCSC will provide rigorous content at all grade levels that culminates in increased success on the state standardized tests (3-8) and the SAT high school exit assessment.
2. GCSC will administer NWEA to students in grades K-8 three (3) times a year to monitor growth and achievement.
3. GCSC will continue to monitor the evolving graduation requirements and new diploma tracks at GHS.
4. GCSC will monitor graduation rates to meet or exceed state graduation rates. Goal for 2023 cohort is 95%.

• Staff

Provide on-going staff development to promote student academic improvement in the areas where the GCSC has growth potential:

1. Decisions made at the building level will be data driven and include solicited input from the entire staff.
2. GCSC will recruit and retain outstanding teachers and staff.
3. Each new teacher will be assigned a mentor by GCSC.
4. An exit survey will be administered to all teaching staff who leave the corporation.

• Finance

Maintain a stable cash balance for GCSC through the continued use of sound budgetary practices:

1. Promote, practice and show evidence of the prudent use of the community’s financial resources in GCSC practices.
2. Maintain a cost containment plan to address deficit spending to maintain at least a 10% cash balance in the Education Fund.
3. Address contractual concerns that create or alleviate unfunded liabilities for GCSC and negotiate changes that need to be examined:

   a. Keeping health insurance costs at or below the 112% rate of the Indiana State Health Insurance Plan.

   b. Keeping liability insurance costs at a minimum.

   c. Keeping Workman Compensation Insurance costs at minimum.

• Technology

GCSC will deploy and maintain the most effective infrastructure, security, hardware, and software throughout the corporation. In pursuit of this goal, the technology department will:

1. Assist administration, staff, and students with training and support.
2. Support and encourage 21st Century STEM learning throughout our district.

• Policy and Procedures

Audit and maintain existing policies. Align policies, administrative guidelines and student handbooks at each building for congruency.

• Public Relations

GCSC realizes the important role the community plays in the overall education of students. The board wants to engage all facets of our community in this process by:

1. Engaging the community in activities that will get them into schools so they can experience the innovative and challenging programs that are being provided to students.
2. Continue to expand partnerships with local industry to promote vocational opportunities.
3. Continue partnership with Centerstone Mental Health Services and Decatur County Memorial Hospital.
4. Promote the brand “Think Opportunity’ through social media and other available ways of advertising.

• Safe School Environment

Provide on-going needed annual maintenance and upgrading of current facilities:

1. GCSC provides a safe school environment through:

   a. Partnering with Emergency Services for building safety and security.
   b. The use of the Raptor building entry network.
   c. Safe Schools training for all GCSC employees.
   d. Partnering with the City of Greensburg to provide an SRO for each school building; and
   e. Use of ESSER funds to hire an Attendance Officer for 2021-2024.

2. Maintain the comprehensive preventive maintenance plan developed for GCSC.
3. Finish the following projects for 22-23:

   a. New track and turf football field at GHS.
   b. Four (4) new classrooms at GES.
   c. New Innovation Lab at GJHS.
   d. Upgrades at Greensburg Community Learning Center.

• Extra-Curricular

Maintain, refine and provide accessibility for all students with regard to extra-curricular programs:

1. Examine sustainability costs for all ECA programs across the district.
2. Strive to make sure that student participation in ECA is not limited because of cost.
3. Use the Sallee Trust for athletic and music needs where appropriate for 2022-2023.
4. Budget funds to promote and support the Fine Arts across GCSC.

These measures have all been approved by the Greensburg Board of School Trustees.