D-S Regional School Committee Discusses Goals For Upcoming School Year

The Dover-Sherborn Regional School Committee met to discuss the goals of the district for the upcoming school year, on Tuesday.

Superintendent Valerie Spriggs showed a new draft of her goals for the school district that include academic excellence, outstanding teachers, a focus on K-12, an efficient and effective school system, technology and diversity.

School Committee member Ellen Williamson noted that the superintendent’s goals were similar to those of the Regional School Committee’s and said she would be comfortable with adopting those goals as the Committee’s. “What more as a school committee can we do?” she said. 

School Committee member Robyn Hunter noted that the Superintendent’s goals are “macro” and strategic to the district.

Williamson felt that if there are any goals that come up throughout the year the school committee could add them, but felt what Spriggs had laid out was sufficient. 

Spriggs said that she sent copies to the school committees of Dover and Sherborn. She received approval from Dover but not from Sherborn. She believes Sherborn will also approve the plans. 

During discussion about the goal pertaining to diversity, Regional School Committee member Richard Robinson said he believes it would be a good idea during the year to start a discussion on why French is still taught in the school system.

He called French, “a nineteenth century language,” that barely fits into the twentieth century. Robinson said he believes the schools should be teaching languages that are of more use in our contemporary culture.

Middle School Headmaster Fred Randall said a change like that would put the Middle School in an interesting pivot position once a change like that is made.

Robinson also said he believes there is a problem in adopting the Superintendent’s goals as the School Committee’s because her goals are that which the Committee evaluates the Superintendent by.

He referred to last year’s evaluation as a “crisis in her leadership.”

Spriggs said she would write a memo to everyone stating that the goals presented as both hers and the Committee’s will be those that she is evaluated by.