After his first 90 days as the Monroe County School District’s Superintendent of Schools, Edward Tierney gave a report to the School Board about what he has observed, what his team has accomplished and what his goals going forward are as he continues to become more familiar with both the district and the Keys Community.
Click here to see the presentation document
Tierney told the board he has focused on listening, learning and collaboration during his first three months, talking with students, families, staff and community members; he said he favors a rigorous, engaging, high-quality educational environment and he and his team will be going forward with that goal in mind. He said they have made strides in a number of areas, including staffing and recruitment, fiscal responsibility, improvements to facilities, expanded graduation options for students and on environmental stewardship.
Some highlights:
Statistics on staffing show a teacher vacancy rate of just .6% and an overall vacancy rate of just 2.4%.
The district achieved a balanced budget during a financially challenging time for Florida schools, managing to maintain essential services while still ensuring fiscal responsibility.
As far as infrastructure and facilities are concerned, the district has painted classrooms, upgraded air conditioning, made improvements in technology, and resurfaced and upgraded playgrounds and athletic fields.
Monroe County continues to improve in areas of graduation rates, college and career readiness and parent involvement in exceptional student education (ESE) with the goal of meeting or exceeding the state of Florida averages in those areas.
Tierney said he and his team have focused on engaging with key stakeholders like school board members, elected officials, law enforcement and other community leaders as well as partnering with local organizations.
In addition to meeting with community leaders and groups, Tierney and his team have made it a priority to visit schools, making 31 on-site visits in the first 90 days. Only by visiting in person, Tierney said, can he truly understand each school’s environment, how each school operates and what each school needs to be successful.
Tierney’s goals for the future:
Continue to recruit and retain world-class talent by making sure the pay is competitive and that there is a positive workplace culture.
Expand Career and Technical Education by increasing the training and education necessary to meet workforce demands.
Enhance opportunities for college bound students to earn college credit and increase college readiness.
Support students with special needs in the areas of Exceptional Student Education (ESE) and English Language Learners (ELL).
Going forward, Tierney says he envisions a rigorous learning environment that cultivates a belief in every student's potential and empowers educators by encouraging professional development, leadership and innovation. He wants to set high expectations for both students and staff and then foster an environment that helps them reach those goals.