Anthony explains goals, objectives for the year

On September 4, the Fallbrook Union High School District Board asked Superintendent Tom Anthony for an update on the district’s 2007-2008 Goals and Objectives. The familiar document is updated annually and has been the district’s compass for 11 years.

Initiated by Anthony when he came aboard, no such document existed before. Thirty-five people, including administrators and teachers from the school sites and district administration, develop the goals document.

“I couldn’t do anything without this, plus it holds me accountable,” says Anthony.

The seven goals cover every aspect of managing a comprehensive school district and reflect the complexities of its myriad needs. While the goals include attention to student assessment data, recruiting qualified employees, maintaining a safe, clean campus and opportunities for professional development for its teachers, three goals take precedence: fiscal responsibility, academic rigor and maintaining an open environment among its teachers, administrator and the community.

Managing the complicated district budget, which is influenced by unexpected fluctuations that reduce its ability to fund projects, requires daily scrutiny.

“We never know exactly how many kids are going to show up – or when we’re going to get special education students who have major needs which, we did this year – or when something is going to break,” Anthony says.

Topping the list this month is replacement of deteriorating equipment, upgrading technology, installing cost-efficient heating and cooling equipment, increasing revenue through its food service and effective use of site specific spending.

The county department of education visits its districts annually to see that they don’t get in financial trouble, Anthony says. When they came to FUHSD they found the district in good shape, he adds. Further, auditors check every aspect of district spending.

“What gets districts in trouble everywhere is when they overestimate their ADA,” Anthony says. “For example, they build their budget on 6,000 students and only 5,000 show up. So, if anything, we underestimate.”

To keep a watch on future attendance, they track the numbers of students in the Fallbrook, Bonsall and Vallecitos elementary districts. They meet with housing developers to discuss their future plans for area projects and look at past enrollment projections. It’s this data that indicates 2008-2009 enrollment will be less than this year.

Even though the Passerelle developers tell the district they’re going to start construction on 1,000 homes in 2008, Anthony says he’d “rather come in short.” At present their budget is in balance by one teacher; in other words, the district now has one teacher too many. When he arrived, the district was overstaffed by 12 teachers.

Still, the future is uncertain. KB Homes stopped building, the Arrowood project in Oceanside inside the 300-square-mile district boundary expanded and Camp Pendleton is adding 600 more homes. But financial management is crucial, so by January 31, 2008, budget development workshops will determine the fiscal 2008-2009 budget.

The district’s academic goals for students are equally important. Attention to these goals is ongoing, but this month district administrators began meeting with school site administration to find out what precisely is needed for its students.

Given the nature of the three schools – FUHS with its conventional educational approach; Ivy, its continuation school that offers half-day classes and a limited academic program; and Oasis, an independent study high school that offers contract learning through individualized instruction – the process is daunting.

The objective is to get students prepared for the tests they take to graduate, including the California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE), Anthony says.

To enhance education for its students, the district is in the process of building the Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) concepts into every course it offers.

AVID is a college preparatory program for students who are often economically disadvantaged and underachieving. It enables them to succeed and increase their opportunities to enroll in four-year colleges. Students learn how to take notes, how to study and how to take tests, among other things. Providing staff development to achieve the district’s educational goals is critical.

This month the district will meet with site administrators to align academic standards in English, math, science and social studies and prepare to train site administrators on the use of state-adopted materials in English and mathematics.

Further, approximately 70 percent of their teachers have been in the district for five years or less, so they’re taking advantage of the development opportunities offered by the district. These teachers also have a broad-based knowledge of technology, so teaching is changing rapidly, he says.

To draw the community closer to the FUHS district and the activities of its teachers, administrators and students, an educational council is being formed. Their job is to make sure everyone associated with the district’s three high schools know what’s happening all the time.

To get the word out, dial-outs from the district office are designed to reach parents; personnel will be assigned to community civic groups; and frequent contact with local media will occur. Soon, the district will conduct a community Town Hall meeting to discuss district issues with parents and business members.

Finally, Anthony says while other goals may appear on the annual list, finance, academics and technology, with their ever-changing requirements, will always be part of the annual goals and objectives.