A Greater Integration of Technology, Curbing Bullying, and More One-on-One Time

Eliminating administrative positions, integrating technology into every classroom, and being proactive about eliminating bullying are all priorities of Wayne Board of Education candidate Donald Pavlak Jr.

Pavlak said that the first priority of the new school board must be to hire a “top quality” superintendent. He said there are several aspects to the job that make it appealing to potential candidates.

“You’re coming to a district that doesn’t have to be rebuilt, that’s working very well educationally, where student achievement levels are very high,” Pavlak said. “I think with contacts expiring in January we are going to get a large pool of very qualified applicants.”

Pavlak is a long-time Wayne resident. A father of two, he is a sergeant with the Wayne Police Department.

Officials need to examine the district’s organizational structure and possibly eliminate administrative positions, including the director of secondary schools and the director of elementary schools, a system that Pavlak said is “antiquated.”

“I would like to see a curriculum coordinator for the entire district to ensure that we have continuality in our curriculum form elementary school to middle school through high school,” Pavlak said. “I don’t need administrators to teach kids. I need teachers. I want people in the classrooms directly affecting the kids.”

Pavlak also wants to keep the district’s student to teacher ratio as low as possible. Giving students an extra few minutes a week could make the difference in whether a student understands a specific concept or not.

“It might only be two or three minutes more a day with a particular students, but those few minutes can make a big difference for someone,” Pavlak said.

High school students need to be offered a selection of courses to ensure their continued success in college and once they enter the workforce, Pavlak said.

Something must be done to curb bullying in middle school. Pavlak said students in the district’s special education program are called “speds,” short for “special eds.”

“I think bullying is an issue that this board needs to take seriously and I don’t think they do and I think that this district needs to proactive in their bullying prevention,” Pavlak said. “We need to create a culture in the middle schools where bullying is discouraged.”

The middle school math program needs to be re-evaluated because it “does not prepare our students for high school,” Pavlak said.

Technology needs to be integrated into every classroom in the district, particularly in the elementary schools and special education program. Putting textbooks on tablet computers so that students who are struggling with a particular word can have that word read aloud to them. Having teachers put a test or quiz on the board one question at a time so students can think clearer is one possibility.

The district’s elementary school math program must also improve. Students must receive focused lessons that reinforce a particular concept for days at a time.

“The days of fuzzy math are over,” Pavlak said. “Kids need to understand their math facts.”