By Mary Drier
Staff Writer
SEBEWAING — Today there is a lot more to education than just teachers teaching and students learning.
Each step in the educational process has to be documented in a written format in order to receive state and federal funding.
Lawmakers are constantly changing rules and regulations of goals and benchmarks they want schools to meet.
A school has to constantly evaluate and improve its goals even as the state keeps making changes, explained Unionville – Sebewaing Area School District Superintendent George Rierson.
One recent change is having schools use “Assist,” which is a state-of-the-art program that allows schools to track success and plan for the future by looking at strength and weaknesses over multiple years.
Rierson noted change is difficult but they are being done a little at a time to make sure thy are done right – yet all the while the state keeps making changes.
“Little steps make a big difference over time… it’s like flying an airplane while building it,” said Rierson noting some changes that were implemented seven years ago are having an impact now.
Another key requirement the state wants schools to do is a district-wide survey of students, staff, parents, and the community; but so far parents and the community in the USA School District have been slow to participate.
The survey looks at a school’s strength and weaknesses.
Also, during the meeting, elementary Principal Libby Treiber accepted the state’s “high progress school” award for “academic achievement,” and middle and high school Principal Josh Hahn accepted the state’s “high performing school” award. The awards were given in recognition of the efforts and accomplishments of students, faculty, staff, parents and community.
“The awards were signed by State Superintendent Michael Flangan and by State Board of Education President John Austin,” said Rierson.
° USA Schools was recognized as being in the top 5 percent of schools in the state.
Mary Drier is a staff writer for the Tuscola County Advertiser. She can be reached at drier@tcadvertiser.com.