Special Review Team Required Actions October 23, 2011 Progress Report Special Review Team Required Actions October 23, 2011 MCSS Montgomery County Board of Education

Required Action #1 1. The Montgomery County Board of Education and superintendent must develop and implement a communication plan with timelines to keep stakeholders informed of the district’s purpose and direction. The plan must be an earnest effort to operate in a transparent manner that will lead to a rebuilding of respect and trust among the community stakeholders and school system staff.

Required Action #1 The district website School Improvement Plans which will, ultimately, be the basis or, at least, a major portion of the District School Improvement Plan, or the Strategic Plan. Monthly Superintendent’s Report that is included as a part of the monthly meeting of the Montgomery County Board of Education. (For those that cannot attend the meetings, there is a link on the MCSS website that has the video of the monthly meeting.) Column in The Montgomery Monitor Parent-Teacher efforts at the schools School Councils Three schools are working hard to keep their internet presence updated

Required Action #2 2. The Montgomery County Board of Education and superintendent must develop and implement a strategic plan with timelines that involve representatives from various stakeholder groups in the planning and implementation of the strategic plan.

Required Action #2 The strategic plan that is referenced in the SACS Required Actions is an on-going process. School Improvement Plan process as is based at school levels, School Councils, and stakeholder participation. Community Engagement facilitation by The Georgia School Boards Association (GSBA) or approved facilitator.

Required Action #3 3. All board members must consider and vote at a board meeting to support and uphold the Board Code of Ethics - Policy BH, adopted January 3, 2011 and individually sign a commitment of agreement.

Required Action #3 The Board has considered and passed the Policy BH regarding ethics

Required Action #4 4. The Montgomery County Board of Education must ensure that all actions and behaviors of board members are fully aligned with the official board policies, applicable laws, and all AdvancED Accreditation Standards. The Board is responsible for monitoring its performance and, as such, should consider and take appropriate action when any member of the Board fails to act in accordance with board policies, applicable laws, and Accreditation Standards.

Required Action #4 Board conducts itself appropriately regarding the operation of the school system Board does not interfere with the day-to-day operation of the school system When the Board was in error regarding the adherence of policy about the application of the public participation portion of the Board policy, it self-corrected: follows Board policy and acknowledges and corrects when mistake(s) is/are made

Required Action #5 5. The Montgomery County Board of Education and superintendent must develop a plan and timeline for comprehensive board member training by a recognized training organization with proven experience in training local Board members (i.e. Georgia School Board Association)

Required Action #5 (cont’d) (cont’d) in the areas that follow: board member roles and responsibilities, superintendent and board relations, working as a team, communicating with and involving all stakeholders in the education process, financial responsibilities, board ethics, and appropriate disciplinary action for board members.

Required Action #5 Adopted at the September meeting of the Board Updated to include the Whole Board component which will take place on November 17th by GSBA. (The current schedule for that training is from 5:30PM to 9:15PM.) Prior to the first visit of Special Review Team, BOE participated in Strategic Financial Planning by consultant Doug Ezo at Montgomery County Elementary School in April Session regarding responsibilities of Board members by Dr. Bill Rowe at Heart of Georgia RESA.  Board members have attended and will attend various sessions offered by GSBA Board members recognized for having accomplished all required training by GSBA’s Sis Henry, presented certificates at the October meeting.

Required Action #6 6. The Montgomery County Board of Education and superintendent must develop and implement a plan with timelines for handling the current budget crisis. This plan should provide opportunities for stakeholder input. The plan should include proposed cost cutting processes and personnel changes with justifications for each change.

Required Action #6 Meeting for the presentation of the October Full Time Equivalent (FTE) “count” in November Discussion of the affect on staffing of the Southeastern Early College and Career Academy (SECCA) for electives (Agriculture, Music, and Business at MCES Decrease in enrollment across the system may well affect our ability to maintain the current number of teachers in our system; particularly those that are not specifically content-area related On-going process as is so much of the operation of the school system. Conditions are continually changing and it is the responsibility of the leadership of the school system with input from community and staff to adjust to that change

Required Action #7 7. The Montgomery County Board of Education and superintendent must make decisions based on information provided by the school system staff, data, and other results in support of student achievement. Conflict of interest must be removed from the decision-making process of the school system and the Board and superintendent must demonstrate that decisions are made in the best interest of the school system as a whole.

Required Action #7 Use of information (data) and the consultation with members of the school community is being practiced on a daily basis Data points along the way require adjustment in operation of school system There are issues that call for decisions to supplement the instructional emphasis or financial implications of efforts. These data points must be shared by school and district leadership. Reduction in Force effort in May is example of the use of data and the input of school level leadership. In the case of the high school, it was identified that the instructional needs were not being met and staff was adjusted (increased) accordingly

Required Action #7 (cont’d) At the middle and elementary levels, staffing levels were identified as above the levels that were necessary and positions were reduced. In the case of positions that were funded by stimulus funds that are no longer available, those positions were eliminated.

Required Action #8 8. The superintendent must present a monthly, detailed financial statement to the board and make it available to the staff and to the public.

Required Action #8 Detailed Financial Reports are regularly provided to the Board of Education. “Financials” for the first three months posted on the system website (www.mcboe.net) under the “FINANCIALS” tab.