HODGDON, Maine — Last fall, SAD 70 established a Vision Planning Committee to prioritize the areas the district needs to focus on for the next five to 10 years, and to also establish realistic goals to that end.
That committee, which includes school board members, teachers, and parents as well as the Superintendent Scott Richardson, met monthly throughout the last school year, but the group felt it needed additional input from a wider audience.
Therefore, a survey was created and distributed to the local community asking the public to help solve problems and set future direction. Students were also able to participate in the questionnaire.
“Only through the combined efforts of the whole community can we achieve our goals for the future,” Richardson said.
The survey was available electronically through the district website, on Facebook, and at the schools or central office in paper form.
Of those who participated, 65 percent were students or former students; 18 percent were parents, 13 percent were employees; and 3 percent were community members.
Richardson said most of those responding to the survey felt strongest about putting district resources into the basic subjects of English language arts, mathematics, science and social studies as well as in college/career preparation, and providing support to students through after-school programs, advisory groups and tutoring.
When tasked with naming three strengths of the district, five responses rose to the top of the list. Those answers, in order, were: supportive/dedicated teachers; strong academics; caring/understanding environment; small size of school; and family atmosphere. Other perceived strengths included academic assistance, the district’s after-school program and focus groups.
Richardson said he was not surprised by one element revealed in the survey. That element suggested that the strength of SAD 70 was its small, family-oriented atmosphere found at both Mill Pond Elementary and Hodgdon High schools.
He also was not surprised that the college and career programs were also so highly regarded.
“We really want to emphasize our college and career prep programs,” he added. “Now that the seventh and eighth grades are at the high school, it will be much easier to incorporate those students into that piece.”
Topping the list of areas in need of greater attention were: lack of a foreign language teacher; moving grades 7-8 to the high school building; facility needs (repairs); and the need for more physical education.
Other items mentioned included a need for longer lunch/recess time; more extracurricular activities; and better discipline.
“It should be noted that we have hired a full-time pre-K to grade 12 Spanish teacher this year,” Richardson said. “Facility needs are also being addressed through the DOE School Revolving Renovation Fund Program as well as through local monies in the budget.”
The last question on the survey asked participants to give their overall satisfaction with SAD 70. Respondents who were completely or very satisfied totaled 54 percent, while 32 percent were moderately satisfied and 13 percent were slightly or not satisfied.
“The Vision Committee is pleased with the people who participated in the survey and is using the survey results to plan for the future,” Richardson said. “We thank each and every respondent who took the time to give us feedback and to help us move forward. It is our plan to have a draft plan ready to present to the school board in the fall so that implementation can begin during this school year.”
For more information on the survey results, call Richardson at 532-3015.
