At the Aug. 13 Garden City School District Board of Education meeting - the last meeting prior to the start of the new academic year - members approved all the resolutions the superintendent presented on staffing, school finances, vendor contracts, school curriculum and a new method to evaluate teachers and school personnel.

The board discussed the introduction of a new evaluation plan for teachers and other school staff. Fino Celano, assistant to the superintendent, said that the Annual Professional Performance Review Plan Committee represents a collaborative effort of board members, teachers and parents.

According to the written plan, the committee has embraced the work of Charlotte Danielson, which provides teachers and administrators with a research-based approach to identifying best practices and establishes a common language to guide professional conversations.

The plan rates teachers on various elements with a ranking of unsatisfactory, basic, proficient and distinguished. Celano said the plan "breaks down active teaching within specific elements on an evaluation form, which allows the supervisor to comment on what they see in a particular lesson." Celano added that the ultimate purpose of this new plan is enhanced student learning, which is the "bottom line of what we want to achieve."

The meeting also reviewed staffing changes for the upcoming school year, which begins Sept. 5. Celano said that there was "quite a turnover," including retirements, resignations and short-term leave with a total of 62 vacancies. "The school takes the search process very seriously because we want the best professionals possible," Celano said. He believed that the district "assembled a group of new teachers who are of an extremely high caliber and diverse in background."

One new addition was present at the meeting. William Marr was a sergeant in the U.S. Marines and Superintendent Robert Feirsen joked that he was thus "well-suited for the middle school assistant principal" position. Marr was roundly applauded.

In other news, the board adopted Board Policy 6900, enabling the assistant superintendent of business and finance to dispose of obsolete or surplus equipment or supplies by offering to sell them to local municipalities, to nonprofit organizations or at a public sale. The resolutions also listed for sale breakfast and lunch for the 2007-2008 school year at 85 cents for breakfast and 25 cents for milk.