To-do list includes a superintendent search, language immersion, school sale consideration and Common Core standards

Lake Oswego School District faces a giant to-do list next year with tasks ranging from beginning a superintendent search and developing a full K-5 Spanish immersion program to completing a real estate study and demographic survey to inform a decision to sell one of its properties.

Additionally, changes at the state level will occupy administrative time.

“This is the most enormous high-stakes agenda I’ve seen in 25 years,” Superintendent Bill Korach said. “This is going to be a monster year in terms of time commitment.”

The board discussed the desire to add an administrative position in the future, especially because the district is looking for a new superintendent to start in 2014-2015. Korach is known to work nights and weekends, and the “next guy may not be 24/7,” said School Board member Bob Barman, who pushed for consideration of another administrative position.

However, the other board members agreed that it is not something to pursue for next year but possibly in future years.

Some priorities on the school district agenda for next year include:

1. Restructuring school configurations

After closing three elementary schools in two years, the district is still in transition. The school board has agreed that the district should complete a permanent change by remaining a six-elementary district, down from nine elementaries, and studying the potential to sell a school property to finance the construction of more classrooms in the remaining six schools.

2. Achieving side-of-lake balance

After being alerted by Lakeridge High School families, the school board will also continue to work toward solutions for smoothing enrollment at the two high schools because of the perceived elective course disparities. Last year, the south-side school had 1,104 students, while Lake Oswego High School enrollment was at 1,288. As teachers are assigned based on population, the larger LOHS had more selections of classes available.

The district has already begun to encourage out-of-district transfers to Lakeridge, restricting residents living on the south side of Oswego Lake from transferring to the north side and simply adding extra electives at Lakeridge. The board has suggested that it may revisit the potential to redraw the north-south boundary in the 2012-2013 school year.

3. Superintendent search

By September, the school board expects to approve a contract with a search firm. Then a community process, which should take 16 to 18 months, would begin to define the qualifications that the school district is looking for in its next superintendent.

The job could be posted next summer or fall. Then, an interview committee would narrow down the applicants. In early 2014, the final candidate would be selected and negotiating a contract would ensue.

4. Local option levy

The school district will also begin to develop its campaign for the November 2013 election to renew its local option levy. Currently, the rate is set at $1.39 per $1,000 of assessed property value. This year, the school district was able to collect $6.5 million, which is about 9 percent of its budget. The district’s current levy has been in place since 2004 and expires on June 30, 2015.

5. Spanish immersion

The school district will focus on structuring a K-5 Spanish immersion program, which is moving forward this year with first- and second-grade classes for the first time. Earlier this year, the school board committed to carrying this fall’s students through fifth grade in an immersion program.

This spring, Korach suggested holding on starting a Mandarin immersion program for the 2012 year. But while the school board had hoped to work on creating a K-5 Mandarin program during the 2012-2013 year as well, Korach said he is looking at a 2014 implementation for Mandarin.

6. Improving technology

In the last couple of years, parents have pushed the school board to revamp its use of technology.

In the spring of 2011, a technology advisory committee recommended the Lake Oswego School District replace its antiquated servers and software at a cost of between $1.4 and $1.5 million. Next year, the board plans to develop a strategic plan to address long-term funding strategies for improving technology.

7. Common Core State Standards

The administration will be busy working on Common Core State Standards, a set of rigorous math and English/language arts standards adopted by 45 states. The standards require higher accountability, and the new CCSS tests will be given for the first time in 2014.

8. Teacher evaluation

The state is also working to develop a new teacher evaluation system as a part of the No Child Left Behind waiver, a process allowed by the federal government that exempts states from meeting achievement targets if a local plan is found to be a sufficient accountability measure. The 2001 federal No Child Left Behind act sets a goal of 100 percent of students meeting federally mandated achievement targets by 2014.Korach explained that the district has standards for its current teacher evaluation system but no rubrics. “Either we develop our own or we adopt what has already been developed,” he said.