Port Angeles school superintendent discusses goals with chamber

PORT ANGELES — Port Angeles School District Superintendent Jane Pryne outlined the five main goals in the district’s five-year strategic plan for Port Angeles Regional Chamber of Commerce members Monday.

The strategic plan addresses a trend of declining enrollment and funding. The district had 1,266 more students a dozen years ago as it has now, Pryne told about 20 chamber members who braved blowing snow to attend the weekly luncheon at the Port Angeles CrabHouse Restaurant.

The goals will help the district’s 22-member strategic planning steering committee develop a final 2011-2015 plan.

The goals center on:

• Organizational culture.

• Student achievement.

• Resources.

• Adaptability.

• Community.

“We wanted to come up with goals that were very lofty, but when you put objectives and an action plan with them, they were doable,” Pryne said.

The district will seek public input for its strategic plan during a two-day community forum early next month.

The forum will be at North Olympic Peninsula Skills Center, 905 W. Ninth St., from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, Dec. 3, and Saturday, Dec. 4.

Lunch will be provided.

Asked if Port Angeles High School graduates are prepared for college, Pryne said: “We have students that are in honors colleges around the country.”

“They are very well-prepared.”

The high school graduation rate rose from about the 60 percent range to 81.4 percent last year.

“We are turning that ship around,” Pryne said.

Campus renovation

On the prospects for campus renovation at Port Angeles High School, Pryne said the current economic times make it difficult.

“However, we’re having those discussions because at some point we’re going to have to,” Pryne said.

“We just don’t want to overburden the taxpayers. It’s a real balancing act.”

Monday’s snow storm drove down attendance at the weekly luncheon, where normal audiences total 60 to 100 people.

“I figured there would be about five people here,” Pryne said.

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