Selma school superintendent reviews five-year strategic plan at town hall

Selma City School Superintendent Dr. David Scott asked attendees at a town hall meeting to weigh in on three choices for the School of Discovery, which will open next school year.

The $17.8 million school, the first new construction of a school in a decade, broke ground in February 2024. The school is eight months away from opening, Scott said.

A survey distributed at the town hall meeting Aug. 19 asked attendees to pick from three alternatives for the new school:

• an intermediate school for grades 5 and 6 with an emphasis on art, music and dance;
• a middle school for grades 6 through 8 with an emphasis on art, music and dance;
• or an elementary school for grades 4 through 6 for Payne, Clark and Sophia P. Kingston students.

The survey also asked for views about the “decreased enrollment problem” in Selma City Schools.

At the town hall meeting, Davis outlined the Selma City School System’s five-year strategic plan. The plan has five focus areas: Culture and Climate, Accountability and Transparency, Community Stakeholder Relationships, Leadership Development, and Learning Environment.

Culture and Climate refer to community and student interactions that encourage social and academic growth. Davis said he plans to share stories about students, staff and families who demonstrate core values. He will establish student advisory councils and encourage community engagement through forums, town halls and listening sessions.

Under Accountability and Transparency, Selma City Schools will “build trust, improve performance and ensure responsible stewardship of resources.” Students and parents need to be accountable for absenteeism. Data will be collected to track decisions.

“Community involvement and strong stakeholder relationships are critical to the success and growth of our schools,” Davis said. “We are committed to fostering meaningful connections and collaborations that support the educational and personal development of every student.” Partnerships will be created with civic, faith-based, nonprofit and business leaders.

The fourth focus area of the plan is Leadership Development, including “long-term stability” and “operational effectiveness.” The focus area goes into establishing a “clear and consistent instructional expectations framework” that would develop a “district-wide Instructional Vision Statement” that aligns with the Alabama College and Career Ready stipulations. There will be an emphasis on continuous improvement.

The fifth, and final, focus area of the strategic plan is creating a Learning Environment that is conducive to academic rigor, intellectual confidence building and social wellness. Selma City Schools will look at allocation of resources, high-impact teaching strategies and supporting the “whole child,” according to the strategic plan.