Green Bay schools present strategic roadmap

GREEN BAY - The Green Bay Area Public School District said Wednesday it wants to make some changes to improve education.

The district unveiled its plans to the media. But they're not set in stone - district leaders want to involve the community.

They said the so-called "strategic roadmap" is aimed at explaining to the community where schools are headed.

"It just helps us to stay focused, and we need that focus because our budgets get tighter and tighter every year," said school board president Brenda Warren.

The district's mission statement reads: "We ensure all students are college, career and community ready, inspired to succeed in our diverse community."

• Click here to view a handout on the district's "strategic roadmap"

"We know that when students are actively engaged in their learning we will see incredible results so we're excited where this is going to go," said superintendent Michelle Langenfeld.

The state issued school report cards last month. Scores from Green Bay's four public high schools showed Southwest is meeting expectations. Preble met few expectations. Both East and West failed.

"We are making growth, we are closing the achievement gap, and while we recognize we have work to do, we're putting into place real education reform initiatives," Langenfeld said.

The district said it is looking at a variety of options for future success. Some, like the one-to-one netbook program, are already in place.

"We feel that will really give some great technology tools to teachers they can start using that because all of their students will have access to computers," Warren said.

District officials are also looking to introduce new programs next school year that will help bring true education reform.

That includes a "nature-based" 4K at the Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary.

But what about cost in a time of increasing budget cuts? That's where community partnerships come in.

"Many of the pieces of the programs that we're talking about are really low cost. For example the 4K wildlife program is no additional cost to the district at all," said Langenfeld.

Green Bay Education Association officials said the district is moving in the right direction.

"I think now we have a plan, a plan to work from that we didn't have before," said GBEA president Lori Cathey.

The district wants public input on the strategic plan, and plans to hold a variety of listening sessions after the first of the year.

So far six sessions have been scheduled. No word yet on when or where they will be held.