Students will not be in school on Friday as administrators and teachers meet in several different sessions during the third of five designated professional development days.
District Curriculum Director Stephen Rizzo, a former longtime elementary school principal, said sessions are scheduled from 8:00 AM to 3:30 PM. “Our focus will be to maintain the momentum of our two previous professional development days as we discuss and develop strategies at both the building and district levels to achieve maximum student achievement,” Rizzo said.
The district’s action in developing a plan for success was praised by Ohio Department of Education officials at the board of education meeting on October 18. “We are very impressed with how this district has embraced the process toward improvement. The district is on a trajectory toward greater student achievement,” said Clairie Huff-Franklin of ODE’s Center for Accountability and Continuous Improvement.
Huff-Franklin and other ODE officials visited Mansfield City Schools for an entire week last November, then issued a 74-page report detailing recommendations for improvement in several areas to elevate academic achievement.
Superintendent Brian Garverick said the five waiver days for professional development are part of a comprehensive plan created in response to the ODE report. “We have an action plan in place for student achievement and success. It is a living document. As needs arise, we will make adjustments,” he said.
ODE officials will return in about six months to monitor progress.
Garverick said the five days that students are not in school do not impact the required number of instruction days during the 2016-17 school year.
