By Desiree Williams
The Zionsville Community Schools board of trustees met Aug. 14 to discuss changes to the teacher appreciation grant policy and a resolution to include webs of support training in the community.
What happened: The board approved the updated teacher appreciation grant policy and a new program within the Zionsville Teacher Evaluation Process.
What it means: The superintendent will determine the stipend amount for teachers rated as effective. Those rated as highly effective will receive a 25 percent greater stipend. ZCS also will offer a new evaluation option called ZTEP+. Teachers rated as effective or highly effective for the last three years are eligible for the program. “We wanted to give these teachers an opportunity to have some latitude with their evaluation process and to form some of their own professional goals and do peer observations,” said Kris Devereaux, ZCS chief academic officer.
What happened: Community Relations Coordinator Lynn Kissel, along with Dr. Amanda Slonaker, two students and a parent volunteer, spoke to the board about their experiences during Derek Peterson’s Aug. 3 presentation on the importance of youth webs of support.
What it means: Kissel said that nearly 2,000 people attended the workshop and that Peterson met with 40 ZCS students beforehand to teach them to co-lead the workshop. Peterson’s work focuses on the importance of building a web of support for youth by adding anchors, or caring adults, to their lives. “I feel that this could really make a difference for ZCS students because I feel that it breaks the barrier between youth and adults,” said McLean Carter, an eighth-grade student at ZMS.
What‘s next: The board adopted a resolution to include the nomenclature of Peterson’s work and training opportunities in ZCS so that developing webs of support becomes more intentional in the community, in coordination with the Strong in Every Way initiative.
What happened: The board approved the request to advertise the 2018 proposed budget.
What it means: The Indiana Dept. of Local Government Finance will publish the proposed budget on its website. DLGF also requires the capital projects fund and the bus replacement fund plan be published in local newspapers.
What’s next: There will be a public hearing at 6 p.m. Oct. 9 to discuss details of the budget with Mike Shafer, ZCS chief financial officer.
The next meeting is at 6 p.m. Sept. 11.
