BY SUSAN RUMBLE

Special to The Press

Parkland School District Assistant Superintendents Tim Chorones and Dr. Michelle Minotti reviewed 2023-2024 goals, midyear, at the March 19 school board meeting.

Topics included safety and security, school services, facilities and operations, human resources, business office, teaching and learning, special education, student services, technology, communications and community engagement.

The assistant superintendents listed goals which have been completed, ongoing goals and new goals for this school year.

Board member Rob Cohen commented on the matter.

“District goals is a living document our district uses,” Cohen said. “It continues throughout the year.”

Chorones began the presentation with a report on safety and security.

He said Parkland conducts two emergency management committee meetings each year with local law enforcement agencies, a governmental mandate.

Chorones noted the district held a full scale active assailant exercise with law enforcement and first responders to assess the family reunification protocol and communication system which would be needed to bring children and parents together in case of an incident in the schools.

Moving to facilities, Chorones explained the football stadium at Orefield Middle School needs upgrades to enhance its appearance and make it easier to manage.

Turning to human resources, Chorones said Dr. Pam Kelly and other administrators and teachers are looking for new ways to encourage people to go into a teaching career.

Looking at the office of teaching and learning, Minotti reported the district is striving to increase awareness of the Parkland Virtual Academy with the goal of recruiting students from competing cyber programs for online learning.

She stated efforts have been made for a new home school policy and regulations which would allow home schoolers to attend Parkland for up to 25 percent of the day.

Minotti said numerous actions have been taken to use social media, Rise Vision digital boards, the website and Schoology to convey information to students, parents and residents.

“Through continued development of communication tools and community engagement, we will be able to streamline our process of communication with equitable access,” Minotti noted.