Inside Williamston Schools: Spring Updates and Summer Plans from Superintendent Spina

Welcome back to the Hornet Hive, where we dive into the vibrant developments in the Williamston Community Schools! This week's conversation between Dr. Christopher Lewis and Superintendent Dr. Adam Spina offers an insightful look into the bustling activities shaping our schools. From strategic planning to infrastructure improvements, there’s plenty to get excited about.

As the academic year rushes towards its close, the pace at Williamston is picking up. Dr. Spina shares how the district’s proactive approach, leveraging real-time student data, sets the foundation for both immediate interventions and future planning. This holistic use of data ensures our students receive the necessary support to thrive, making Williamston a model for educational excellence.

Summer may mean vacation for students, but for the district, it opens the door to critical projects. Thanks to the generous support of the community's recent bond approval, big-ticket improvements are on the horizon. Tennis courts and lockers are set for renewals, while classroom furniture upgrades reflect thoughtful staff input. Plus, a major revamp of the softball facilities promises to make it one of the finest in the area by 2026.

The conversation also highlights the importance of community engagement through upcoming events. The "Be Nice" initiative stands out with its dual mission of mental health awareness and bullying prevention. The Be Nice soccer game and the inaugural Be Nice Festival are not just school events; they’re community rallies for a vital cause. Dr. Spina invites everyone to participate, reinforcing that our schools are committed to fostering a supportive environment for all students.

Additionally, the annual Williamson Schools Foundation Golf Outing offers a lighter note, combining fun with fundraising. This popular event helps fuel the district’s diverse initiatives, further strengthening the community-school bond.

Dr. Spina and Dr. Lewis capture the essence of what makes the Williamston Community Schools a cornerstone of community pride and development. They remind us of the many ways we can engage with and support our schools, whether through participating in events, keeping up with newsletters, or simply staying informed.

Dive into this episode of the Hornet Hive to explore how data-driven strategies and community support are shaping our children's futures. Your involvement and support can make a difference. So, listen in and become part of the exciting journey that is Williamston Community Schools!

 

TRANSCRIPT

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:00:20]:
Welcome back to the Hornet Hive. I am your host, doctor Christopher Lewis, one of the members of the Williamston Community Schools Board of Education. Really excited to have you back again this week. It's been a really busy semester and a lot of things happening within the schools. And it's always exciting to be able to hear from our superintendent, doctor Adam Spina, about the amazing things that are happening in our schools. And I'm really happy that he is back with us again this week. Doctor. Spina, thanks so much for being here.

Dr. Adam Spina [00:00:50]:
Thanks, Chris. Glad to be back with you. As you mentioned, it's been a busy semester, Hard to believe that it's after spring break already, and I'm watching, some of our elementary students outside my window here in the office playing in the sunshine. So it's, good to see that, we're finally getting some warmer weather, although begrudgingly, getting here. And hopefully, by the time this comes out, we'll have some more consistent, sunny days and warmer temperatures. But looking forward to being able to provide some updates on what's taking place this spring and over the summer with you.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:01:21]:
You know, I know that as you look at the end of the school year and as you are preparing for looking at the fall, this is the time of year that you and your team do a lot of that planning to prepare for the next academic year. So talk to me a little bit about some of the things that are in the works.

Dr. Adam Spina [00:01:41]:
So spring is always our our busiest time, especially in in central office. But I know in the at the school level, it's it's the same as well as that's a combination of revving up all the special events and activities and all the things that encompass, a school year while simultaneously planning and preparing for the following school year. So we find ourselves kind of in the middle of that at the time of this recording. You know, I was gonna think of it if you're running a race, April is kinda like where you would start to pick up the pace a little bit, and then May is kinda that sprint to the finish. So we are the the pace is accelerating, but it's going to get more into a sprint type mode here in another week or so. And it's just how it goes. So a lot taking place right now. One of the things I want to just talk a little bit about was our district day to day process and how we utilize data from student results to inform our practices both during the year and then into the following year.

Dr. Adam Spina [00:02:38]:
And this is really the the heart of education and it's the heart of what we do here in Williamston regarding our multi tiered systems of support or MTSS processes. Throughout the year, our buildings, and actually down to the grade level or department level, review student academic achievement, as well as behavioral and emotional data over the course of the year. And then in real time, through a series of meetings, we call them day to days or data walls, depending on the level that they're taking place at, A staff respond to those data, by being able to, inform intervention and enrichment opportunities for those students. One of the nice things here in Williamston is that we don't wait on student progression over a long period of time before we react. You can see that almost as it's happening and then be able to respond to it with those real time interventions. At the district level, what we do then is grab those student data and we look at those holistically at a building level to determine how the district is gonna support those schools moving forward in terms of staffing needs, curriculum needs, instructional support, which could also include professional development for the following school year. So we are just about getting to the point now where buildings are gonna start to put together those data and then bring those to central office where we'll discuss those holistically, looking at their achievements, their opportunities for growth and improvement in the next year, and then we take those and we utilize that for as part of our planning process. And that'll drive, again, like I mentioned, staffing, curriculum purchases, intervention, resources, and onwards, down that line.

Dr. Adam Spina [00:04:15]:
So a lot going on. But that's really the heart of education, like I mentioned, in our district in terms of how we leverage student data and then respond to that both at the instructional level and then also at the resource allocation level at the district to ensure that, we're providing the resources that our schools and our educators need, to make sure our students are successful.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:04:34]:
It's always exciting to be able to see how that data comes together and then what we do with that. I know at the board level, we see that, but I know for many of you that are listening, for you, you may not have seen this data before. You know about testing, you know that it happens, but know that as Doctor. Spina was just saying, there's a lot that goes on in the background to make sure that we are doing what we can as a district to be able to leverage what we're learning and adjusting, making changes to make education even better. Doctor. Spina, I know that beyond this spring planning, as we get toward the end of the school year, things don't slow down. A lot of times they amp up, especially during the summer because there's a lot of projects that tend to happen over the summer as we are having students leaving the building, amping up projects that we need to do throughout the summer to prepare for the fall. But I also know that we're in the midst of looking at a lot of these bond proposals, thanks to all of our community that supported the bond.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:05:43]:
So talk to me about what's on the docket for this summer. What's in the plan in regards to some of the summer projects that are happening and how are things moving forward with the bond thus far?

Dr. Adam Spina [00:05:54]:
So summer always provides us that rare window of time where we get a a few weeks to get in facilities enhancements or technology improvements even that wouldn't be possible during the school year with classes in session. Although, again, we still run summer programming, there's summer camp here, there's athletics, and then so there's still a lot going on, but this is that rare window of time when some of these big ticket items can can be accomplished. And every year, we start planning summer projects in December, January, sometimes even before that because we have a calendar where we try to look at multiple years and address some of those items. This year, though, that additional layer, as you mentioned, through the generosity of the community and and their, overwhelming support of our schools with the bond proposal last August, There are even more of those initiatives that are being planned for this summer, and it's only gonna pick up over the next several years. So this is kinda like our we're easing into the bond work this summer, and then it's gonna accelerate quite a bit over the next several years. So specifically to the bond, and I think you and I have talked about this in a previous podcast, but just to reiterate some of the things that are, looking to be accomplished, the first project that's gonna start, for the district will be, tennis courts, redoing that facility completely. That's gonna start here in just a couple weeks with some pre work, and then they're gonna start with the excavation of the current facility and then go from there. As I think we also might have mentioned, it's very weather dependent.

Dr. Adam Spina [00:07:16]:
As far as the timeline. The goal is to get that in at the very tail end of the regular season for tennis in the in the spring and try to get it completed, before tennis begins again in the fall. Again, though, very weather dependent and, we'll we'll push as quickly as as possible, but we wanna make sure that we do it right the first time. Lockers for the middle and high school, that has been progressing nicely. The board of education has approved the bids for that. And actually, right now, we're looking at color selection for both the base and the locker. So kinda getting down to the the last stages of the planning process there. Additionally, the Board of Education right now is currently reviewing, the proposal for classroom furniture at the middle school and will, within the next week or so, see the proposal for a classroom furniture at the high school.

Dr. Adam Spina [00:08:00]:
Really do wanna give a a shout out to our high school and middle school administrators who took the lead on that. That saved us some money by not having to go out and use consultants, and so, obviously, those funds will be reinvested back into bond initiatives. But a lot of additional work on their part in addition to their their normal daily activities of running their respective buildings. The nice thing also was that because we have some familiarity with furniture selection and some relationships with some of the vendors, We were also able to, incorporate some lessons learned from pilot programs with furniture over the last many years. And I think most importantly, solicit staff input into the types of furniture that they would find most beneficial for their respective classrooms. And then the last spawn item for this summer will be phase one of the softball project. At the softball facility this year, we're focusing on for the summer, we're focusing on lockers. Sorry.

Dr. Adam Spina [00:08:51]:
We're focusing on dugouts and redoing the field to improve the drainage there. The following year will be a focus on the concession stand building, and that'll include restrooms, obviously, the concession stand, storage. And so a lot of complexities with that in terms of where the water, sewer, and and power will be running from, but we're we're chipping away at those answers. And, I think, by the end of the summer of twenty six, that South Wall facility should be completed and should be, if not the best, one of the best, in the area. So really looking forward to the completion of that initiative. You know, moving into next year, like I said, we're just dabbling in some of the bond work this summer. It's really gonna accelerate, and that's what we're getting into the traffic pattern changes, improving the the traffic patterns at the elementary and high school, some HVAC projects, and then obviously the big ticket item from the bond, which will be the new Explorer Elementary, which is taking a considerable amount of time right now with planning. But, again, we wanna make sure we do it right the first time.

Dr. Adam Spina [00:09:50]:
And, we're right now, we're still reviewing proposed layouts and and drawings. But, again, a lot of focus on that, trying to involve our staff in some of those design processes and look forward to unveiling, those ideas to our school board and the community here in the not too distant future.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:10:05]:
Such an exciting time and so excited to see how this all plays out and seeing the construction happening and seeing the ultimate outcome of all of this work. And I know that it's gonna be for the betterment, not only of our school district, but for our students. And it is going to be a great asset for our community. Now you talked about all these different projects, but also as we finish up the year, there always are a ton of events. And we get into this time of year where it seems fast and furious and there's a lot of things happening. So talk to me about some of the events that maybe you're most excited about or things that you want people to know about.

Dr. Adam Spina [00:10:45]:
I know it's a challenge for parents at the end of the year to keep up with all the different things that are going on, and it can be the same even when you work in the schools, trying to ensure that you have everything down on your calendar that you want to attend. So a reminder, just to make sure, again, checking school and district newsletters, emails of special events that go out if you're at the elementary level, obviously, your your classroom newsletter. I do know it's challenging, though. I mean, personally, we were a little bit kind of getting a permission form in for a trip just as a family. So we're all on the same boat trying to keep our head above water and make sure we stay in tune with the upcoming events. But some big ticket district items that are important, and I wanted to make sure I highlighted during the recording. We have two be nice events coming up in May. Obviously, be nice is our flagship initiative, really a grassroots student led organization with the goal of reducing the stigma around student mental health, bullying prevention, and being able to provide peer support and resources, not only to their classmates, but also the rest of the community and and making sure that as a community, we're really addressing and being aware of some of these challenges that our adolescent learners are going through.

Dr. Adam Spina [00:11:55]:
So on the the May 1 will be our be nice soccer game. As usual, that will be, versus Hazlett, again, on January for that event. And, just like our other be nice events, there'll be resources, information, members of our staff, and our student be nice clubs that will be present at the game. The teams wear special uniforms, special announcements, and it's a great opportunity just to come and support that concept of the importance of, mental health and and and awareness. And then similarly, where they are trying a new initiative, our advisers for the be nice, group on the May 17 will have something called the Brand New Festival, which is at McCormick Park. It'll be, throughout the late morning, early afternoon. It'll include a stomp out, the stigma walk, and, they'll also have information, resources, prizes, Unite's merchandise. I mean, just all those different things that encapsulate the program.

Dr. Adam Spina [00:12:50]:
And, we're really looking to promote that and get community members there to show that the community is behind this, that we're not tolerant of bullying, that we are proactive about supporting our students' mental health, and it's just a nice opportunity to kind of all come together and show a strong side of support for what that initiative represents. And then something on, kind of the complete opposite side of the spectrum, the annual, Schools Foundation golf outing is on the May 3. There's information all over the place on that. But if you're interested in volunteering or sponsoring or or playing in the event, please look at the Williamson Schools Foundation website. It's on the electronic sign downtown and and all over the place, but always a great event. I think we had a record number of teams participate last year, and it's just a fun way to celebrate the district and go out and play golf and have some meals and overall great times. So, encourage people to take a look at participating in that if, they have some availability on May 3. So in addition to all those events, like I said, there's all kinds of special occasions going on at every school from the ice cream social to special dances to athletic events, field trips.

Dr. Adam Spina [00:13:58]:
I mean, it's all over the place. So, again, just a plug to stay tuned. Read those emails and newsletters and flyers and and, do your best. I know it's tough for families, but do your best to try to stay on top of that. As always, if there's any questions, please take a look at the district website or give any one of our leadership team or schools a call, and we'll be happy to, fill you in on what's being planned and what's taking place.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:14:19]:
It's always exciting to get into the schools this time of year and celebrate with our students and our teachers. And I know I love going to graduation every year. It is so exciting to see the the smiles on the students' faces, but also the pride that the parents have in their students' accomplishments. And while that's only one of the events, there's so many rites of passage that happened that make our district so special. And so I really appreciate you sharing all of this and definitely echo what you said there, Doctor. Spina, about that newsletter. I know I have lived on looking at that and making sure that we stay on top of things. And I know that it is so important to be able to do that as a parent ourselves.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:15:04]:
As always, thank you for listening. Thank you for being a part of the Hornet Hive community, for being here. We'll be back in the future with more updates to be able to not only let you know about what's happening in our schools, but let you know more about the people in our schools as well. Thank you so much for being here today. Look forward to our next opportunity to talk and wish you all the best.