Ledyard Bard f Educatin Cmmunicatins Plan Apprved by Bard f Educatin March 16, 2016 Ledyard Public Schls Bard f Educatin 4 Blnder Bulevard Ledyard, Cnnecticut 06339 1 f 11
Ledyard Bard f Educatin Visin Ledyard Public Schls - a cmmunity fr exemplary learning Ledyard Bard f Educatin Missin Ledyard Public Schls facilitates experiences fr ur cmmunity that cultivate a jy fr learning, perseverance, independence, and scial respnsibility thrugh innvative teaching practices Executive Summary The Ledyard Bard f Educatin (BOE), als knwn as the Bard, is cmmitted t having pen, hnest, and nging cmmunicatin with ur cmmunity. The Bard understands that pen dialg with ur cmmunity is essential fr building and maintaining relatinships. These relatinships are the fundatin f a strng schl system. The Ledyard Bard f Educatin Cmmunicatins Cmmittee is chartered t develp and implement an nging cmmunicatins plan t update the Ledyard cmmunity regarding key educatinal issues. The Cmmunicatins Plan shall include the fllwing: Elements f the Strategic Plan that delineate the District s missin and lng-term gals and bjectives Annual update regarding schl peratins that affect the Cmmunicatins Plan Opprtunity fr the cmmunity t interact with the Bard t ensure cntinuus pen cmmunicatin Other duties as assigned by the full Bard This Cmmunicatin Plan is intended t supprt the fllwing Bard f Educatin gal: The Bard f Educatin will develp, implement and maintain a cmmunicatin plan that will supprt the Visin and Missin f Ledyard Public Schls 2 f 11
Purpse 4 Intended Audiences 4 Ledyard Public Schls Overview 5 Bard f Educatin Overview 5 Bard f Educatin Cmmunicatins Channels 7 References 9 Glssary 10 Attachment A Ledyard BOE Member Handbk 11 3 f 11
Purpse The purpse f the Ledyard Bard f Educatin Cmmunicatins Plan is t present a clear and cncise framewrk fr cmmunicating with all Ledyard Public Schls stakehlders in ur cmmunity. This cmmunicatin plan is designed t establish a cmprehensive cmmunicatins prcess fr effective cmmunicatin with all parts f ur cmmunity. The plan will be directly aligned with the Bard s gals and supprtive f the District s Strategic Plan. The plan is a wrking dcument that will be reviewed and revised as required n a regular basis by the Bard f Educatin Cmmunicatin Cmmittee. Intended Audiences This cmmunicatins plan is intended t supprt bth internal and external stakehlders as defined belw: Internal Stakehlders Internal stakehlders are the members f the Bard f Educatin, Ledyard Public Schl faculty and staff, and ur students. External Stakehlders External stakehlders are the members f the twn gvernment, twn agencies and cmmittees, parents and citizens. The external stakehlders include: Alumni Bster club members Lcal Businesses Mayr Parents Parks and Recreatin PTO/PTA/PTC leaders/members State Bard f Educatin State Elected and Appinted Officials Twn Clerks and Staff Twn Cuncil Members Twn Residents 4 f 11
Ledyard Public Schls Overview Visin and Missin: The Bard charges Ledyard Schls t facilitate experiences fr ur cmmunity that cultivate a jy f learning, perseverance, independence and scial respnsibility thrugh innvative teaching practices. The wrd cmmunity is mentined in bth the visin and missin as it is t be emphasized and meant t be inclusive f all schl stakehlders. The jy fr learning, the ability t persevere, the ability t be independent and be scially respnsible are values f bth the Bard and the cmmunity which it serves. Gals: There are fur gals that are adpted fr the 2015-2016 schl year which include leadership, the develpment f a Bard cmmunicatin plan, maintaining and imprving technlgy, and updating curriculum. Mre infrmatin can be btained n the Ledyard Public Schls website: http://ledyard.net Bard f Educatin Overview The Ledyard Bard f Educatin cnsists f nine lcal citizens elected t serve as vlunteers fr tw-year terms. The members reflect a cmmitment and dedicatin t public educatin and t the twnspeple f Ledyard. The public is invited t attend all Ledyard Bard f Educatin meetings. The Bard f Educatin is the gverning bdy f the schl district and derives its pwer and exists under the Cnstitutin and General Statutes f the State f Cnnecticut, the regulatins f the Cnnecticut State Bard f Educatin. Per Bylaw 9010, Bard members have n individual authrity except at Bard meetings r when discharging an assignment made by the Bard. Per Bylaw 9120, the Chairpersn will be the public spkespersn fr the Bard. The Bard is the legislative bdy which determines all questins f general plicy t be emplyed in the cnduct f the Ledyard Public Schls. 5 f 11
Figure 1 belw shws the relatinship f the Bard f Educatin within the Twn f Ledyard. In determining District plicy, the Bard: - Hears and cnsiders facts and recmmendatins - Adpts a plan, plicy r curse f actin - Authrizes the Superintendent f Schls, the Bard s Executive Officer, t carry ut its legislatin and/r plicy decisins The Ledyard Bard f Educatin cncerns itself nly with brad questins f plicy and nt with administrative details. The Bard relies upn the Superintendent f Schls t recmmend plicies fr adptin and t administer plicies enacted by the Bard. Such plicies shall be brad enugh t indicate a line f actin t be taken by the Superintendent in meeting a number f prblems and jbs. 6 f 11
Applicatin f such plicies t individual prblems and jbs is an administrative functin t be perfrmed by the Superintendent. The Bard has established gals fr the 2015-2016 schl year as dcumented in the Ledyard Public Schls Strategic Plan. The Ledyard Public Schls Strategic Plan can be fund at: http://ledyard.ss7.sharpschl.cm/bard_f_educatin/strategic_plan This cmmunicatin plan will prvide the framewrk t fulfill the gal The Bard f Educatin will develp, implement, and maintain a cmmunicatin plan that will supprt the Visin and Missin f Ledyard Public Schls. Attachment A, the Ledyard BOE Member Handbk, prvides an in-depth guide t the rles, respnsibilities and perating principles f the Bard. Bard f Educatin Cmmunicatins Channels The Cmmunicatin Cmmittee will fulfill the Strategic Plan Cmmunicatins Gal by implementing the fllwing effrts in crdinatin with the Ledyard Public Schls Central Office by facilitating the fllwing activities and initiatives: 1. Use f the Ledyard Public Schls Website 2. Public awareness f the Bard f Educatin rles, respnsibilities and accmplishments 3. Interactins with the Ledyard Public Schls Leadership and Staff 1. Use f the Ledyard Public Schls Website The Bard f Educatin will use the Ledyard Public Schls website t prvide relevant and timely infrmatin t all Ledyard residents and students. Infrmatin items that will be prvided using the website include: Bard Agendas Bard Minutes Bard Meetings Strategic Plan Bard Budget Bard Prtal/Bard Live 7 f 11
2. Public awareness f the Bard f Educatin rles, respnsibilities and accmplishments The Bard f Educatin will strive t prvide all stakehlders with user-friendly access t infrmatin regarding BE rles, respnsibilities and accmplishments by using the fllwing tls: a. Hsting f an Infrmatin Night t prvide the public the pprtunity t attend an infrmatin sessin t learn mre abut the Bard f Educatin, ur rle in the twn gvernment and recent accmplishments f interest t the public b. Develpment f an Elevatr Speech fr all Bard f Educatin members t prvide clear and crisp message n the Ledyard Bard f Educatin purpse, rles and respnsibilities c. Recrding f live Bard meetings and rebradcast n Cmcast d. Timely psting f Bard and Subcmmittee meeting minutes n the public schls website e. Ensuring all meeting minutes cntain sufficient and relevant infrmatin t enable citizens t understand basis f decisins and vtes f. Prmting the invitatin fr all cmmunity members t speak at Bard and Cmmittee meetings 3. Interactins with the Ledyard Schls Leadership and Staff The Bard f Educatin will pursue the fllwing methds t prmte increased interactins with the Ledyard Public Schls leadership, faculty, and staff including: a. Allw current emplyees, resident and nn-resident, t speak at Bard meetings b. Include student vlunteers n the Bard f Educatin t discuss current issues at Ledyard High Schl 8 f 11
References Cnnecticut Assciatin f Bards f Educatin (CABE) http://www.cabe.rg/ Freedm Of Infrmatin (FOI) http://www.ct.gv/fi/cwp Cnnecticut Department f Educatin http://www.sde.ct.gv/sde/site/default.asp Ledyard Public Schls www.ledyard.net/ Rbert s Rules f Order http://www.rulesnline.cm/index.html (Rbert s Rules prvides cmmn rules and prcedures fr deliberatin and debate in rder t place the whle membership n the same fting and speaking the same language t enable fair and rderly meetings.) 9 f 11
Glssary Freedm Of Infrmatin - The Cnnecticut Freedm f Infrmatin Act is a series f laws designed t guarantee that the public has access t public recrds f gvernmental bdies in Cnnecticut. The law was first enacted in 1975. Parent Advisry Cuncil (PAC) - The Parent Advisry Cuncil (PAC) is a Ledyard High Schl activity that meets meetings the first Mnday f every mnth. The entire high schl administrative team, as well as a representative frm the guidance department, attends each mnth. The meetings are designed t share infrmatin abut the educatinal experience f yur children, but equally imprtant, the meetings give yu a frum in which t ask questins, ffer suggestins, r simply engage in discussin abut educatinal trends bth within the high schl and in public educatin as a whle. Parent and Teacher Cnnectin (PTC) - Ledyard Middle Schl has an active Parent/Teacher rganizatin called the Parent and Teacher Cnnectin. The gals f the rganizatin are t encurage greater parental invlvement in Ledyard Middle Schl; t act as a supprt grup t the students, parents and faculty; t develp parent, teacher cperatin; t imprve the educatinal, scial and physical well being f students; t increase the pprtunity fr cmmunicatin between parents and staff; and, finally, t supprt student activities. Parent Teacher Organizatin (PTO) - The Parent Teacher Organizatin (PTO) is an rganizatin wrking t prmte prgrams and activities that serve the needs f the schl, its children and the cmmunity. Their gal is t fster a psitive wrking relatinship between parents and teachers and t prvide additinal supprt and financial aid when apprpriate. All parents, guardians and teachers are autmatically members f the PTO. The Ledyard Center Schl, Gallup Hill Schl, Juliet Lng and Gales Ferry Schl have active PTOs. Reginally Cmpetitive The District ffers cmparable class size, academics, electives, extra-curricular prgramming, and instructinal resurces as ther schl districts in ur gegraphic area. Schls f Chice Any public, magnet, r charter schl which students are eligible t attend. 10 f 11
Attachment A Ledyard BOE Member Handbk 11 f 11