Dieterich Board Gets Update on Meeting Goals

Setting goals is one thing; meeting those goals is what counts.

Dieterich school board members Tuesday got an update from the District Administrative Team on progress toward meeting goals.

The findings:

--Additional revenue totaling $9,500 has been obtained through grants that will be used to increase WIFI infrastructure and increase bandwidth.

--Dieterich Elementary School is planning Math and Reading Nights to assist parents with understanding the curriculum so they can better assist their children

--A social media calendar has been implemented to assist administrators with posting information to the District Facebook page and website

--The District has committed to administering the 5 Essentials survey this fall to gather additional data regarding the District. Students, staff and parents will have an opportunity to participate in the survey

--Dual Credit offerings at Dieterich High School have been increased by 24 semester hours

--More vocational offerings will be available to students in the fall of 2017. Production Metals (Welding), Manufacturing Skills (dual credit), and Agriculture have been identified by a committee of county superintendents, principals and guidance counselors as programs that will be shared throughout Effingham County high schools beginning in the fall of 2017

--The District has increased the use of technology in the classroom by adding another Chromebook lab, bringing the total for the District to three; increasing bandwidth; adding to the existing WIFI infrastructure; replacing failing projectors throughout the District; increasing use of video tutorials and piloting Chromebook check-out procedures in the junior/senior high school

Also Tuesday, Dieterich board members heard about progress of the Dieterich After School Program. Members heard enrollment is up from last year and daily attendance is up, as well. Financially, the program has been able to be self-sustaining.

In personnel moves, the Dieterich board hired Ted Westendorf as high school boys JV basketball coach, and hired Brandi Wendte as part-time cafeteria worker and substitute bus driver.

The Board approved a senior class trip to Chattanooga, Tennessee April 26-28; approved a proposal from Alpha Controls to update HVAC controls throughout the building; continued discussion of increasing communication by designing a new website and mobile device app, along with the ability to send notices and alerts through text and phone calls; and heard from District Librarian Mary Richars on ways Dieterich students can access books and information, including the Cloud library that grants student access to over 58,000 items in the shared collection and can be accessed anywhere there is an Internet connection.