Newly appointed Superintendent Michael Fitzwater has stepped into his new position at Calhoun County Schools with vision and hope for a successful school year for children, higher academic results and to foster a sense of community support and involvement.
On Thursday, September 14th, Mr. Fitzwater presented his goals to the Board of Education with all five board members present: Hortz Motz, Tammy Yoak, Jenna Jett, James Gregory and Mitchell Morgan. It is unfortunate that there was not more community present.
His primary objective is to enhance academic achievement for all students across the board. “We have set specific targets to measure our progress toward this goal,” he explained as he laid out his goals for Calhoun.
For students K-8, we aim for a minimum of 3% growth in their academic performance during each grading period. Additionally, for students 9-12, we aspire to see a significant decrease in the number of Ds, Fs and Incompletes (D/F/I) in their report cards for each grading period. By focusing on these metrics, we are dedicated to ensuring that ever student in our education institution not only meets their academic protentional, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and success.
Our commitment is to consistently maintain and further enhance the social-emotional well-being of our students. We recognize the paramount importance of addressing their emotional needs to create a supportive and nurturing learning environment. By implementing comprehensive programs and support systems, we aim to empower our students with the essential life skills and emotional resilience required to thrive academically and personally.
Our goal is to foster a stronger sense of community support and involvement within our school system. We recognize that a vibrant partnership between schools and the community is instrumental in the holistic development of our students.
Having already been to visit the local schools, Fiztwater intends to keep an open dialogue with all involved, including having monthly advisory meetings at all schools. “It’s important to have interaction with our students, and we need to be seen in the public by attending games and events.”
He has plans to spotlight students and staff on social media sights to increase community awareness of the faces of Calhoun County Schools.
Mr. Fitzwater’s words of encouragement included his own personal touch by saying “I was born and raised here, my kids and wife are here, I have skin in the game.” He further said that he was competitive, and the scores of the past are not acceptable, “We don’t want to be mediocre. We won’t turn it around in a day.”
The members of the Board voted unanimously to accept the plan of Superintendent Fitzwater.
