Speak up, Huskies
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ANR
Aurora 4R Public Schools needs your input.
For all the students, parents, alumni and community members who have thought to themselves or shared with their inner circle that something could or should be different or better about the Aurora school system, here’s your chance. You now have an invitation and unique opportunity to speak candidly in a forum designed to shape the future of Husky education.
Supt. Jody Phillips has announced plans for a detailed strategic planning process, which kicked off last week with the first of three community input sessions. There weren’t a lot of people in attendance, but those who came were able to offer some very specific thoughts and suggestions on a wide range of topics dealing with all aspects of our local school system.
We talked about academics, facilities, school security, extra-curricular activities, budget/spending and pretty much every aspect of school operations you can think of. The input from that small group discussion will be used to help create a community survey, which will then draw feedback from anyone and everyone who takes the time to participate. In other words, Phillips and the school board will be listening, carefully, to what you have to say.
There are two more community sessions planned Oct. 24 and 27, both starting at 6:30 p.m. in the middle school commons, to be followed by a business leaders input session and later the same deep dive for Aurora teachers and staff.
This isn’t just a feel-good report card type of exercise, Phillips made clear in his introduction. Having joined the district during the COVID era, Phillips shared that he felt like he and the staff were putting out fires day to day, making decisions without a clear vision of the district’s long-term goals, priorities and objectives. Everyone in the room would agree that that was part of the pandemic reality all of us faced at home and work during that crazy time. His point was that it’s not a good way to run a school district.
That’s a pretty candid admission, to Phillips’ credit, and he made it clear that the results of this pending strategic planning process will be a document impacting this school and community for years to come. He promised that it won’t sit on a shelf, but instead will guide decisions involving curriculum, staffing and facility needs.
This is a big deal. Here is your chance to invest a couple hours of your time to speak up when it matters. If you are a Husky at heart, that’s time well spent!
Kurt Johnson
