PUSD looking at challenging 2016

With the new year dawning, the Poway Unified School District board will be facing several challenges this year, while continuing to maintain the district’s high standards.

“Poway Unified enters 2016 ranked as the no. 15 school district in the state and with all five of our comprehensive high schools ranked in the top 100 in the state (according to niche.com). Our students are high achievers in many categories, our dedicated teachers and staff spearhead innovative learning programs, and our community is engaged, collaborative, and supportive. Even with this current standard of excellence, continuous improvement in 2016 remains our goal,” said Board President Michelle O’Connor-Ratcliff in a statement to this newspaper.

O’Connor-Ratcliff said the board will also work toward their goal of maintaining accountability to the community by sharing progress initiatives throughout the upcoming year from district goals as outlined by the Local Control Accountability Plan.

The board will also work to keep district parents engaged and involved in their children’s schools, said O’Connor-Ratcliff. “Parents’ support is invaluable to our schools, teachers, and staff and a strong factor in the academic success of our students. Their leadership in PTAs, foundations, and booster clubs will continue to be recognized and appreciated,” she said.

O’Connor-Ratcliff also said that the district will be working to maintain and expand community and business partnerships that offer support for student programs that might otherwise be difficult to sustain. “We will work to maintain and expand these partnerships with groups like College Bound, SOLE Effects, Jack O’ Smash, Rotary, the City of Poway, San Diego City libraries, community and town councils, and generous private businesses,” said O’Connor-Ratcliff.

The district will also continue to share its most successful and pioneering programs with other districts and seeking out other districts’ best practices for possible implementation in the district, said O’Connor-Ratcliff. “I am particularly excited about the work our teachers and administration are doing as they plan the roll-out of a new “elementary wheel” — a concept that will include visual and performing arts and physical education instruction at every elementary school. This is expected to be a three-year implementation, but the first phase should begin in the fall,” said O’Connor-Ratcliff.

This district will also be facing some challenges in the coming year. The recall effort against board member Andy Patapow will continue to gather signatures during the first few months of 2016, and must gather 10,767 valid signatures before April 26 in order to have an election held.

Patapow and fellow board member Kimberley Beatty will be up for reelection in November. Patapow has said he will retire from theboard. There have not been any official declarations from challengers yet.