A new program to ensure better communication between individual school districts and the Indiana Department of Education already has local administrators excited.
“One of the great things (State Superintendent of Public Instruction Glenda Ritz) has done that we’re really excited about is the Department of Education outreach,” Southeast Dubois School Superintendent Rick Allen said.
The program, which Ritz launched in July, is still in its infancy. It puts full-time Department of Education staff members in contact with schools in a particular region. Indiana has been divided into nine regions, with Dubois and Spencer counties located in the first. The southwestern Indiana area is served by two staff members, Karen York and Kara Yates. Yates serves the urban schools of Vanderburgh County as well as Spencer, Gibson, Posey and Warrick counties. There are 13 outreach specialists total working in the state.
York, of Corydon, serves Dubois County, as well as others in the area, and spends part of her time in the Southern Indiana Education Center office in Jasper.
“It’s a grass-roots program,” York said. “It’s getting out into schools and hearing what is happening not only in schools, but in the community.”
The first month of outreach was spent learning all of the professional development opportunities and rules for schools in Indiana. One of the tasks of the outreach coordinators is to support local schools in making improvements to staff skills and student learning.
“School improvement looks different in every school,” York said. “We are here to listen to the school and see what they need and provide that support for each individual corporation or each individual school. Whatever is needed, we do our best to help out the situation.”
Northeast Dubois School Superintendent Bill Hochgesang said his district’s interactions with York are still in the beginning phases — he plans to invite her to the schools for a meeting with principals soon — but the program already has been helpful.
“She’s been very helpful thus far in answering any questions we have that are Department of Education related,” he said. “We’ve emailed her for some clarifications.”
Allen agreed, saying that he sought York’s input when a high-ability grant the corporation normally receives was delayed. York was able to direct him to the answer he needed quickly.
“They know exactly who to talk to in Indianapolis,” he said of the two local specialists. “These folks are fantastic.”
Because York formerly served as the principal at West Washington Junior-Senior High School in Campbellsburg and was once a teacher in the southern part of the state, she says she can be more in tune with the educational needs of rural communities.
“It’s such a difference, the mindset of the southern end of the state from the central portion of the state,” she said. “I understand this culture.”
Hochgesang agreed that it will be beneficial to have a fast and dedicated helper nearby when laws and policies change to affect his school corporation.
“They live in our region. They’re not living in Indianapolis trying to communicate with us,” he said. “They’re accessible with just a short drive.”
When county administrators or teachers have questions or concerns, they can forward them to York, who travels to Indianapolis biweekly to submit those reports to Ritz. When Ritz and Assistant Superintendent Teresa Brown have their weekly meetings, they discuss those issues to get a better idea of the individual problems faced at schools in each region.
“It is a pipeline to the superintendent of public instruction,” York said. “We’re listeners, and we’re the connector for schools.”
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