Upper Arlington Schools: District to focus on wellness, moving forward from pandemic in 2022

With no end in sight to the COVID-19 pandemic, Upper Arlington Schools officials will seek to provide support systems to students and their families in 2022, while continuing to build on community relations.

When UA Schools officials crafted the 2019-24 strategic plan, one of the top objectives was to ensure students and staff members feel safe and connected at school, in addition to creating an environment that strikes a balance between classroom obligations and personal time.

Little did those officials know then the focus on student and staff well-being would face unprecedented challenges brought on by the pandemic.

So, nearly two years after the coronavirus became a global threat, district officials expect the well-being of students, staff members and the community to be a top concern in 2022.

"The past two years have been difficult for everyone," Superintendent Paul Imhoff said. "And I think 2022 will be a great time to refocus on all the positives in our wonderful community and ensure we are hearing every voice in our decision making processes."

In addition to spreading positive vibes, Imhoff said the district will continue to implement a "multi-tiered systems of support" program.

"This program is like the embodiment of our mission to challenge and support every student every step of the way," he said. "It allows a team of educators to meet regularly to take a holistic look at the progress of every student.

"That allows us to ensure students are receiving help in areas of need and are getting that extra push in areas where they are excelling."

As the pandemic continues, Imhoff and Nancy Drees, who with more than nine years on the school board is its longest-serving member, said providing high-quality education opportunities to all students will continue to be a priority.

Drees said the board in 2021 approved making all advanced-placement and International Baccalaureate business programs district-funded as opposed to requiring fees for student participation. She believes the move will provide more students will access to the programs.

"No student should think twice about taking an AP or IB class because of cost," Drees said.

Drees added that providing opportunities for all students to feel safe and encouraged to engage in all school activities "will not only support the mental and emotional well-being of our students, but also our staff."

Imhoff also said district leaders will continue to evaluate how and where it educates to students.

He said new learning spaces created at facilities like the new Upper Arlington High School, which opened last fall, are showing how upgrading learning spaces can improve the delivery of education.

"One major area of improvement are the high school science labs," Imhoff said. "Students used to be cramped in small, outdated classrooms and often ended up using the hallway floor to conduct experiments. The new labs have lots of space, up-to-date equipment, and there are plenty of other collaborative learning spaces nearby if needed.

"In general, the new buildings were designed to be flexible and support many different types of instruction, and that is really starting to show in our schools. More and more teachers are trying new things that weren’t possible before."

Drees said she expects to see teaching-and-learning gains from the district's move to full-day kindergarten for the 2021-22 school year, and she will continue to evaluate classroom programs to ensure they are meeting goals.

"We have a lot of strengths in our academic program, and I want to see us continue to build on those while we review our data to identify and address areas of need," Drees said. "Improving student success is my top priority."

As the district seeks to provide top programs and services, a new operating levy may be on the horizon.

The district last passed a 3.75-mill operating levy in November 2017. It generates $6.3 million annually for day-to-day expenses, such as teacher salaries, instructional and pupil support, technology and transportation.

District officials had intended to put a new operating levy on the ballot in November 2021, but due largely to circumstances surrounding the pandemic opted to hold off.

In the meantime, the district cut $4.6 million from its budget, primarily through a three-year hiring freeze.

The board will decide if and when the district will ask for a new operating levy, but Imhoff said "significant budget reductions will be necessary without additional revenue."

Whether or not the district pursues a new operating levy, Drees said the board and district administrators this year will work with the community "to rebuild a strong sense of trust."

"The past two years were difficult for many reasons, and being able to strengthen relationships with students’ families and community members is really important," she said. "Respecting all voices is key to earning your trust."

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This article originally appeared on ThisWeek: Upper Arlington Schools: District to focus on wellness, moving forward from pandemic in 2022