BY SUE KIESEWETTER
Enquirer Contributor
MASON -- Superintendent Kevin Bright has one goal for his own children and all other students in the Mason schools: He wants their teachers to recognize them as individuals with unique learning styles and needs.
Kevin Bright, recently promoted to superintendent of Mason schools, outside his office at the central administration building in Mason.
(Dick Swaim photo)
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"When (daughter and son) Logan or Chad walk in the classroom, I don't want them to be part of the herd," said Mr. Bright, who moved from assistant superintendent to superintendent Aug. 1, after David Lewis retired.
"I want them to be seen as individuals with their own abilities, interests and needs. I want that for every child in the Mason schools. I want them to feel their teacher is teaching to them rather than teaching to a group. I know that's a big task. But we're up to it." The district has grown rapidly, from about 2,500 students when Mr. Bright arrived in 1990 to this year's projected enrollment of 5,100 to 5,200. Despite that, Mr. Bright is determined to put the focus on education first, growth second.
"This seems to be the hot spot now. While trying to manage the growth, I want us to not just maintain our level of excellence, but move up a notch," Mr. Bright said.
He is pleased that Mason children consistently score in the top 5 percent statewide on proficiency and standardized tests, while the schools rank in the bottom 5 percent in per-pupil spending. Long-range planning, the ability to stay a step ahead of growth, has helped, he said. Later this month, the district will open an intermediate school for grades 7 and 8. The district is finishing classroom additions at Mason Heights and Western Row elementary schools and doubling space at the high school.
"I have hopes and dreams for my own children and they go here. While we're planning for future growth, we're still concerned about learning."
The district has six full-time and one part-time curriculum leaders, Mr. Bright said. Each leader specializes in a specific curriculum area for either elementary or secondary education. Classroom teachers turn to them for ideas, for training and sometimes mentoring.
That's important in a growing district such as Mason, Mr. Bright said. In the past three years, the district hired about 180 teachers, nearly half its staff.
Technology will help teachers help students. The district is exploring software packages that will allow any teacher in the district to have access to detailed information instantly on any child.
"I want to give them the information they need at their fingertips for each kid in the district. I want them to be able to keep track of a student's mastery of each subject at each grade so they can move forward from whatever point a child is at.
"I want teachers to be able to pull up individual records at their desktop and know what to do to help each child achieve at the next level."
He said the district's focus on grade-level buildings rather than neighborhood schools allows teachers to talk with one another about students, lessons, achievement and curriculum.
Groups of student teachers are assigned to teams of teachers. Teachers try to schedule two parent volunteers all day every day to assist them.
Within schools, the students are divided into smaller groups. For example, students at the middle school are assigned to one of four wings. Most of their classes will be in the wing and they will stay with the same group of teachers.
"The school doesn't seem so enormous that way," Mr. Bright said.
