Rome City Schools discusses goals, objectives for 2020
♦ Academic improvement, critical thinking, school safety and providing a positive work environment were all discussed.
Rome City Schools board of education met to decide on the systems goals and objectives for the 2019-2020 school year during a called meeting Friday at noon.
Assistant Superintendent Dawn Williams presented four strategic areas to the board for their consideration and discussion. Academic improvement, critical thinking, school safety and providing a positive work environment were all brought before the board. A final draft of the school system’s goals and objectives will be prepared and presented to the board by their next meeting.
The first strategic area focused on improving academic achievement with the goals of improving achievement in grades K-12 to increase the high school graduation rate and to increase the number of and diversity of students in the gifted program K-12.
Rome City Schools has made it a goal since the 2016-2017 school year to increase diversity as well as the number of students in their gifted programs after a presentation from Holly Amerman, who is now the CEO of The Rome College and Career Academy, presented to the board that those programs had little to no diversity in them. Board Chair Faith Collins asked for specific numbers to be presented to the board in order to get an idea how well the goal is being met and another presentation will be scheduled for the board at a later date.
The board also discussed updates to goals covering career, technical and agricultural and education pathways as well as science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Board Member Elaina Beeman asked if art could be added to STEM programs, fellow Board Member John Uldrick agreed saying art is one of RCS areas of focus and it would be a good fit. In the upcoming school year the system is planning on providing funds to each school to get them STEAM certified. The city schools also are looking to expand the number of CTAE pathways offered at Rome High School as well as increase CTAE options at Rome middle.