Amstutz provides VWCS education vision

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

Superintendent Ken Amstutz shared his educational vision for the Van Wert City School District during the October city board of education meeting held Wednesday.

Amstutz narrated a PowerPoint presentation outlining the district’s push to provide 21st century educational schools to local students. The superintendent noted that today’s students are “wired” differently than students a few decades ago, while also adding that the skills needed by today’s students are also different than their predecessors.

The superintendent explained that the impetus for a new district educational program that will “re-focus, re-purpose and re-imagine” traditional education started with the formation of a district leadership team a few years ago as part of Van Wert City Schools’ participation in the Ohio Improvement Process.

One of the primary purposes of that leadership team was to navigate a course through today’s confusing educational environment, with its many acronyms and divergent educational viewpoints.

Amstutz said it became clear that district educators needed to find a path of their own through the “alphabet soup” of competing educational philosophies. “We decided we needed a vision,” he added.

Noting that the district’s implementation of project-based education, spurred by a $750,000 New Tech grant a couple of years ago, is “student centered” rather than “curriculum centered,” Amstutz added that any modern educational program needs to provide the skills today’s students need to be successful in higher education and their careers.

“It’s imperative that we push the envelope to give them what they need,” the superintendent said.

To provide that vision, Amstutz said the district had to re-imagine the function of leadership teams within the district, and refocus them on discovering what students future educational needs might be.

Much of the district’s vision stems from Simon Sinek’s “Golden Circle” philosophy, which deals with the questions of “why”, “how” and “what” but changes the focus from “what” and “how” to “why” – something Sinek says is crucial to providing an organization’s future vision.

Stating that he hopes to have a new educational vision for the district in place by the end of the current school year, Amstutz did note that the district’s new educational programming would provide learning opportunities in six key areas: digital literacy, problem solving, critical thinking, collaboration, creativity and life and career skills — all needed if students are to be successful in the 21st century.

The superintendent also said the district would seek grants that would expedite the process of transforming the district’s educational programs.

Also Wednesday, VWCS Treasurer Mike Ruen said the district is applying for a grant he said could reimburse the district for money spent on new, more secure doors in each district school building.

“The purpose of the grant is to protect kids,” the treasurer said.

Ruen said Van Wert Elementary School is not eligible, while the only other building that may not receive reimbursement, if the grant is awarded, would be the S.F. Goedde Building, which houses LifeLinks Community School.

The board also approved change orders related to the VWES and Van Wert Early Childhood Center building projects, and accepted the following donations: $2,000 from the Cooper Family Foundation within the Raymond James Charitable Endowment Fund, for educational purposes; and $3,500 each from the Edward W. Feldt and Joan F. Jones Fund within the Dayton Foundation Charitable Accounts Inc. and the Van Wert Athletic Booster Club to purchase a track and field sound system.

Approved a memorandum of agreement with classified employees of the district, effective August 17.

Authorized a contract between the city school district and Family Resource Center to provide behavioral health services.