Expectations for Excellence Announced at EVSC Board Meeting

A set of “expectations” for student success were rolled out at tonight’s (9-13-10) meeting of the Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation Board of School Trustees by Superintendent Vince Bertram. Signage promoting the expectations has been distributed to every EVSC employee for posting in their classroom, office, bus, or wherever they and others can view it daily. These expectations also fuel the EVSC’s customer service campaign, “Expect the Best,” also rolled out at the start of the school year. “We want to have the highest performing schools and the safest schools in the State of Indiana,” Bertram said.

Bertram pointed out that equity and excellence for all children – the EVSC’s mission – happens when the EVSC, its students and faculty, families, and community, all partner together. It is not any one group working on behalf of the students, but everyone with a shared responsibility.

“We talk a lot about engaging students in the curriculum,” Bertram said. “But before engagement can occur, students need to come to school every day, on time, and ready to learn. They need to be healthy and well rested.” He explained that the community health clinics at each of the K-8 schools this year, are one way the EVSC is helping families address health needs.

The EVSC must also provide safe, disciplined school environments, he added. “We know the effects of bullying. “It is absolutely unacceptable,” he emphasized. Although a recent stakeholder survey indicated that most students feel safe at school, the EVSC must understand the viewpoint of those that replied they did not feel safe and did not want to go to school. Bertram said the EVSC must find out what is happening and eradicate unwanted behaviors. .

“We must promote mutual respect and build relationships,” he said noting that having high expectations for all of our students will lead them in the right direction. “We all must believe that students can be successful and refuse to let them fail.”

Bertram pointed out that we are at a critical point in our community. “We have community partners stepping up in major ways and we need to be ready to let them know how they can help.” Bertram said an example of this type of partnering occurred two years ago, when Old National Bank CEO Bob Jones wanted to know how ONB could help EVSC build relationships with families. Soon after, ONB provided the offices for the Center for Family, School, and Community Partnerships at 123 Main Street for $1 a year, moving their employees at that location to another building and paying for utility and insurance costs. Another example was recent advertising paid for by members of the Superintendent’s Business Council announcing “When We Partner With Our Schools, Students Succeed.”

Bertram said he was asked by a mayor from California recently what some of the biggest challenges are to building collaborations and bringing resources together. “Really, the biggest challenge is assuming people know how to collaborate,” Bertram answered. “We can’t make that assumption. For the most part people do not know how to collaborate or what the EVSC needs. They are not unwilling, they just don’t know and it is our job to help them on behalf of our students.”

“The EVSC cannot do this work alone,” Bertram said. “If we are to achieve our mission of Equity and Excellence for All Children, everyone must realize this is a shared responsibility.”