Leland Superintendent Stephanie Long has been given a glowing review from the Leland Board of Education.
The board unanimously adopted the review which was conducted this month and integrated into a narrative format.
“Stephanie Long is identified as being a highly effective superintendent of Leland Public School (LPS),” the document states. “She is a kind, caring, and intentionally thoughtful administrator, leader, and individual who always looks for ways to maintain, improve upon, on make better the (school district).
Board members focused on the areas of governance and board relations, community relations, staff relations, business and finance, and instructional leadership using the following scale: highly effective, 90 to 100%; effective, 75 to 89%; minimally effective 60 to 74% and ineffective, less than 60%.
Long’s professional practice rating overall was 94.17%.
Six of the board members found Long to be highly effective and one effective. Four of the focus areas found her to be highly effective with staff relations, effective.
“This past year (Long’s) efforts extended beyond the LPS district and Intermediate School District and took her throughout Michigan, the country and eventually to Washington, D.C. where she championed for LPS and schools similar to ours,” the evaluation stated.
Leland is among schools throughout the country who receive federal Impact Aid. Long represents the school district as part of the National Association of Federally Impacted Schools.
Highlights of the past year included:
• Finishing and adopting a new strategic plan including a new vision statement, mission statement, values, and goals
• Formation of a Sex Ed Advisory Board and approval of the curriculum
• Hiring a principal, a new music teacher, two new elementary teachers, two new special education teachers, and additional lunch and recess aides just to name a few.
• Revamping the secondary schedule to expand offerings
• Working on and negotiated two employee contracts
• Completing Performing Arts Center sound system upgrade
• Partnering with the health department to form a school wellness clinic with a nurse and a social worker
• Replaced a well for the schools water
• Approved and implemented new Social Studies curriculum
• Replaced the Ipad fleet for students
• Adopted updated Spanish materials
• Installed air conditioning throughout classroom areas
• Launched Parent Teacher Organization with interested parents
• Pursued multiple grants to sustain an additional counselor, before and after school care, K-5 instruments for future classes,
• Secured a cooperative agreement with St. Mary for middle/ high school baseball/softball
• Started a monthly coffee hour for parents and the superintendent to chat.
“Stephanie Long once again has demonstrated that she is a highly effective leader, educator, and superintendent,” the report states. “She is not afraid to take on tough challenges, make tough decisions, and be humble and receptive to professional critique and suggestions.
“Going forward, staff relations, though vastly improved over the last year, is still an area that requires attention and creativity in dealing with unsettled issues.” The board asked Long to use her skills to bring out new approaches to ask, possibly, already asked questions that could provide the key to foster trust among all staff.”
In other business during the regular monthly meeting the board adopted a resolution to hold a May 7 election seeking its annual request of 10.9013 mills on non-homestead properties. If approved, when levied in 2024, the millage is expected to generate $5,208,315 in revenue.
