Superintendent sees goal at school as opening doors

Touching on the topics of parental involvement, the creation of a student-centered culture and the engagement of retirees, school superintendent/principal Michael Hynes outlined his goals and objectives for the Shelter Island School District as the guest speaker at the annual meeting of the Shelter Island Association (SIA) on Sunday, October 2 at Union Chapel in the Grove.

In his introduction, SIA President Tim Hogue quoted a school faculty member who had described the new superintendent as a “young guy who has vision and is a good communicator.”

Dr. Hynes enthusiastically spoke about his primary focus always being “what’s best for the student, for the kids.” As part of his effort to “get to know our school inside and out,” he said, Dr. Hynes outlined the “shadowing” program he has embarked upon that will expose him to all aspects of the Shelter Island school experience. He said he would closely follow one student for a day in all grades; make rounds with the bus driver; follow the custodians on their day and evening shifts, as well as the cafeteria workers and the morning door monitors.

Last but not least, he said he would substitute teach in all grades. “This one is a little selfish on my part,” he admitted, “as I miss being in the classroom.”

The purpose of his “shadowing” program is to re-acquaint himself with both the student and teacher experience, he said. “I’d forgotten what it’s like being a student; it’s hard work. It’s totally different” from what it was like “when I was in school.”

The same, he said, went for his learning the ropes that his professional staff have to grapple with. “It’s important for me to remember what it’s like to be a teacher,” he said.

Since his arrival in June, Dr. Hynes said that he had been getting to know Island residents and organizations as well as undertaking a comprehensive academic audit of the schools with a focus on curriculum, instruction and assessment. While this is driven in part by changing New York State standards, he stated it is also driven by the need to have “everyone moving in the same direction.”

In response to audience questions, Dr. Hynes admitted that obtaining resources for professional development could be a challenge “because we are on an island,” the school is taking advantage of the Peconic Teachers Center, among other organizations and services. “The key thing in professional development is to apply that learning” when a teacher returns to the classroom, he declared.

Another questioner asked if the school could “tap the collective wisdom and experience” of the Island’s large retiree community. “If we don’t find a way to do this, we are shortchanging our students,” the superintendent said. “My goal is to open the doors, to bring everyone back into the school. There are great skill sets out there. I want to break down the silos and bring that learning back in.”

Responding to an inquiry on parental involvement, “We need to define what parental involvement is,” he said. In the elementary school “it’s usually a full house” as far as parents are concerned. There’s less participation in middle school and, by the time you get to the high school, you can usually “hear the crickets in the background” during a meeting. “We need to make parents feel welcome,” he said, while admitting that it would take “two to three years to establish relationships and make changes.”

Before introducing Dr. Hynes, Mr. Hogue recapped some of the association’s activities since its inception in 1967. He noted that one of the earliest issues the SIA tackled was the preservation of the Ram Island causeway, which he said was “ironic” given the current discussions on limited future causeway development. The organization also took a lead role in the Comprehensive Plan and helped initiate the deal for the preservation of Mashomack under the stewardship of the Nature Conservancy, he said.

“It’s always been a trade-off between growth and open space,” Mr. Hogue said. “But the SIA has been here to help residents balance these issues and provide information and representation on issues that can help decide the future of the Island.”

During its brief business meeting, the association elected trustees and officers for the upcoming year. Trustees for 2014 were Cora Bindler, Jay Lewis, Robert Reylek and Jo-Ann Robotti; Tim Hogue will continue to serve as president and Cora Bindler as vice-president-secretary.

The full meeting will be available on public access Channel 22.