The new uniform options are a highlight of back-to-school this year at Greenwood Public Schools, as is the brand-new administration that helped to put them in place.
The additional color option for pants and skirts — navy blue — was the result of a collaboration with students, parents and administrators. Dr. Montrell Greene, who took the helm of the school district last April, said the change was an important symbol for how the district can work with parents and students to make sure goals are met.
In previous years, students have been limited to khaki pants for boys and khaki pants and skirts for girls. The light-colored bottoms, however, proved precarious for young women experiencing feminine issues, and parents urged the district’s administrators to add a darker option.
Greene organized a public hearing to discuss the change. According to district spokeswoman Margaret Dean, as many as 30 parents attended to express their concerns.
According to Greene, the change is a good example of how his new administration will lead the district. “It’s exciting and refreshing,” he said.
Greene assumed responsibility of the district earlier than he expected. The new superintendent was supposed to be introduced to teachers and students at a school board meeting in April and was not scheduled to begin work until July. However, after the interim superintendent, Dr. Jennifer Wilson, resigned, Greene began work that day.
For Greene’s first year with the district, he’s made several changes. He put in place a new assistant superintendent, Chester Leigh, to replace James Mattox, who retired at the end of last year.
Greene also hired a new assistant superintendent of curriculum: Mary Brown, a former principal of W.C. Williams Elementary.
Greene has also focused his efforts on public relations and community engagement. He shifted Dean’s responsibilities to public relations full time, where in previous years she has split her time between teaching at Greenwood High School and manning the district’s communications.
Greene has attempted to make himself and his goals for the district public and accessible. According to Dean, everything the superintendent does is going to be based on five goals he and his staff have outlined for the schools: safe and orderly schools, improving student achievement, fully integrating technology into the district, remaining fiscally responsible and making sure that all stakeholders — parents, teachers, students and the community — are involved.
Greene was at work Saturday, getting last-minute issues for the school year worked out, said Dean. “He’s been meeting with administrators to try to get everything in place,” she said.
Part of that effort has been making sure the schools are in good physical shape. “We’ve been doing work over the summer, checking each classroom at each school and repairing roofs and air conditioning,” said Dean.
Summer work has also involved adjusting academic strategy according to preliminary testing data.
Though test results from last year have not been released in their entirety, Dean said administrators have been able to see some analyzed results.
