Poland schools planning groups set critical issues, goals for future

POLAND

A cafeteria filled with dozens of community stakeholders and educators came ready Wednesday night to discuss how to improve their school district.

About 60 people, including board members, Superintendent David Janofa, district staff members and parents, attended a planning committee meeting at Poland Seminary High School

It was the first session to address facility needs after Poland voters rejected a bond issue to build new facilities last year. participants split into 10 groups to address issues about the district.

Chordas Studios, led by Youngstown State University instructor Ronald Chordas, lead one group discussion. Chordas said the district’s biggest challenge is understanding the realities of funding limitations for the district’s improvements.

At the end of the meeting, participants narrowing their talking points to themes that include being financially sound, providing 21st century programing/curriculum, communication/collaboration, technology, facilities, enrollment, vision and the pride and district tradition.

“I think we’ve identified some of the areas that we need to focus on to do a better job of servicing our young people and communicating with our community with how we’re doing that,” Janofa said.

The themes will be analyzed on Friday with Janofa, board member Larry Dinopoulos and Chordas Studios to summarize goals for the next meeting, 6 p.m. Feb. 1 at the high-school auditorium.