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August 28, 2012

Vigo schools adopt RISE for evaluations

Sue Loughlin The Tribune-Star

TERRE HAUTE — The Vigo County School Board unanimously approved a new teacher evaluation tool, called RISE, that will be used by principals to evaluate teachers starting this school year.

“The administration will continue to monitor this tool throughout the school year,” said Mick Newport, VCSC director of human resources.

A new state law requires districts to evaluate their teachers annually, and teacher pay is to be linked to these evaluations. (In Vigo County, teacher pay will not be affected in 2012-13).

The state doesn’t mandate the system used, although most districts, including Vigo, plan to use the so-called “RISE” evaluation system, developed by the Indiana Department of Education.

Teachers must be placed in one of four ratings categories: highly effective, effective, improvement necessary or ineffective. Also, for the first time, the evaluation must include objective measures for student achievement and growth, such as growth on ISTEP as well as measures for non-ISTEP subjects.

Teachers have expressed concerns about the new evaluation instrument, and the state doesn’t always have answers to questions posed by administrators.

School principals have been given a detailed PowerPoint presentation about RISE to present to their respective staffs later next month, Newport said. But first, central office officials will meet with principals Sept. 4 to go through the presentation and also to answer questions principals may have.

RISE has been a topic at principals’ meetings since December, Newport said, and principals also have received training with a certified RISE trainer.

Board member Alpa Patel commented that the RISE evaluation system “is very difficult to comprehend. It takes hours and hours of studying and still is really difficult,” she said.

The administration has been in discussion with the Vigo County Teachers Association, and there have been some minor changes adapted to Vigo County.

Board President Paul Lockhart said he appreciated the atmosphere of cooperation in Vigo County. People are concerned, and there are unknowns, he said. “I’m glad to hear we’ll continue to evaluate it and look at potential areas we might need to alter somewhat,” he said.

After the meeting, Newport said the district still must determine if it will use the RISE evaluation system for media specialists, counselors and deans. “We’ll meet with them and VCTA” and decide what direction to go, he said.

The board has yet to approve an evaluation system for principals. “We’re a little ways away,” Newport said.

In other matters, the board and superintendent briefly addressed concerns raised by some members of the public about crowded conditions and class sizes at Otter Creek Middle School. No concerns were raised at Monday’s board meeting, however.

Chauncey Rose Middle School closed at the end of the 2011-12 school year, and those students were redistricted to Otter Creek and Woodrow Wilson middle schools.

Superintendent Dan Tanoos said that as of Monday, Otter Creek has an enrollment of 943 students, while Wilson has 920.

Board member Tammy Pearson said she received some phone calls related to concerns at Otter Creek. “I know there was a lot of adjusting the first couple of weeks of school,” she said. “I think the administration did a marvelous job” in responding to those concerns.

“I think parents are seeing that things are getting done,” Pearson said.

After the meeting, Tanoos said that a sixth-grade teacher has been added at Otter Creek. Other changes have been made to “level out” bus routes, not only at Otter Creek, but other schools as well, Tanoos said.

Initially, sixth-grade classes were “imbalanced,” he said, with some having higher numbers of student and others lower numbers.

“We did balance out sixth-grade classes,” he said. Those classes now range from 26 to 35 students, which “is within our board policy,” Tanoos said. “I think things have worked themselves through.”

The board also approved a memorandum of understanding with Unlocking The Spectrum LLC, a firm that specializes in helping children with autism reach their potential. Services include therapy, consultation, family training and other specialized services.

Students receive these services in their home settings as well as in school settings with one-to-one therapists.

UTS works with families to secure insurance coverage for therapy services. There is no cost to the school district. Therapists will begin working with five students in four elementary school buildings, mostly on a half-day basis.

The board also conducted a public hearing on the 2013 budget. No member of the public commented.

The total for all proposed budgets, $143.5 million, is less than 1 percent more than the 2012 approved budget.

The board will adopt the budget Sept. 10, but the process doesn’t end there. The budget is then subject to review by the state Department of Local Government Finance.

Sue Loughlin can be reached at (812) 231-4235 or sue.loughlin@tribstar.com.

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