BY JESSICA STEELEY
Clarkston News Staff Writer
The new year ushers in new opportunities for residents and students, say local school and township leaders.
“We’ve gotten all the mundane stuff off our plate and we can focus on what’s really exciting, and what really matters, teaching and learning for our kids,” said Board of Education President Steve Hyer said.
For the newly re-elected Independence Township Board, the new year launches four more years of work, said Supervisor Pat Kittle.
Kittle’s main goal is to get a hospital/trauma center built to provide closer residential access and care.
“We can start taking care of our own locally, instead of having to transport them 20 miles north or south or east,” he said. “That, to me, is the most important thing. Somehow we’ll get it here in the next four years. I’ve got to do it. If I don’t, I will consider my term here as less successful.”
Kittle said he hopes the board continues to build on their strengths in the upcoming years, most notably their ability to have healthy personal and professional relationships with each other.
“We’re all friends, and it’s so easy to communicate to people you’re friends with and you respect,” he said, “and even when it’s things you disagree about, it’s things you can communicate and come to some consensus, so you just don’t let things stew.”
He hopes to continue that communication during the next four years.
“We’ve had a pretty good business model the past four years, trying to stay as transparent as we can, to continue to collaborate amongst not just ourselves but other organizations in the community,” Kittle said.
Along with transparency, there are four other areas Kittle has specific goals for in 2017: fiscal, operational, economic growth and community.
He said the Independence Township Board is fortunate they respect, care for and like each other. It allows everyone to speak their minds and be confident in voicing their opinions. Not to mention, it makes work easier.
“[2016] was a great year – we got a lot done the past four years,” Kittle said. “I do wish everybody a good new year, from the bottom of my heart. It’s a great community and it’s unbelievable the amount of community support.”
The school board has three goals this school year. Hyer said the first goal is successful implementation of the bond, which so far includes a new roof for Clarkston High School. Future plans include adding school security and technology features.
“Successful implementation of that bond is really number one, and includes devoting the time in our annual calendar to overseeing that, making sure we’re getting updates to the community. We want it to be a very transparent process,” Hyer said.
The board’s second goal looks at student growth and achievement and how to provide resources to Clarkston students.
“Not every student has to receive perfect test scores or be able to pass calculus to be successful,” Hyer said. “The board wants to offer resources for the success of all the district’s students.”
They’re trying to provide students with more career technical opportunities, going above and beyond the high school option of taking classes at Oakland Technical Center, he said.
“What we don’t feel like is one standardized test score at the state level tells the story about what we have going on in Clarkston or tells the story of any individual student,” Hyer said.
Goal number three focuses on advocacy.
“We’ve been very involved as a district,” Hyer said. “We want to have an impact and I think that starts with the board.”
Modeling behavior for parents, providing information and giving them opportunities to get involved is how Hyer said the board intends to make advocacy appear less intimidating. Parents are passionate about their kids and want to help advocate for them, and the board does as well at the local, state and federal level.
“We’ve got a great team in the board, we’ve got a great team in the administration. I feel like we’re firing on all cylinders and we’re all pulling the rope in the same direction,” Hyer said. “I’m thrilled to be a part of it and I, I know other folks are excited about it, too. We certainly want to tell that story to the community and bring them along in that effort.”