Rich 227 Board Member Demands Better Evaluation Process: Letters to the Editor

Chicago Heights Patch is accepting letters to the editor, which will be posted on the site as received.

The following letter was submitted to Patch by Olympia Fields resident and Rich High School District 227 board member David E. Morgan.

Morgan has served on the board since 2009 and has a background in education. He was an assistant professor of education at Northern Illinois University, an associate professor at Eastern Kentucky University and an administrator at Chicago Public Schools.

In the letter, Morgan expresses his opinion of how the Aug. 16 board of education meeting was conducted.

Update on School Board 227 Meeting on August 16, 2011

Given the same conditions we will get the same results. The looks of District 227 board meetings can be very deceiving. 

At the August 16, 2011 board meeting, (there) was an item on the agenda by Dr. David Morgan to establish a district wide program of assessment. This means that student progress will be monitored and assessed throughout the school year, and through meetings with the superintendent on a monthly basis, amended  as needed to assure raising student achievement levels. 

Since all three high schools are on the academic watchlist and are under performing, a program of this type is desperately needed to provide ongoing board-administration discussions and feedback. To best meet the needs of students and to plan successfully toward raising student achievement levels, District 227 must improve or we face drastic state consequences. 

How do we know, without waiting a year for annual test results, that our present instructional program is giving the superintendent and board adequate board-administrative discussions and feedback on student program progress? 

Today, it appears that some of the present school board members do not know or are not interested in raising academic achievement levels in the district. In all high-achieving districts a program like this already exists. If we don't know where we are going, then how can we plan to get there?

As expected, this item was not given an opportunity to be heard by all board members and stakeholders on August 16, 2011 because of the dictatorial actions of the board. I will attempt to reintroduce this program at the next board meeting on September 6, 2011 at Rich SouthHigh School. 

I will also provide to the public an explanation of this program. In another letter to you, I will explain what the program is and how it works.  This way, all stakeholders in District 227 will know what we are attempting to establish.

-David Morgan

If you're interesting in submitting a letter, send an e-mail to christopher.paicely@patch.com.