TC Vision and Action Committee: Seeing and Doing

The T.C. Williams Vision and Action Committee is fairly new to T.C., but they have long term goals that will affect the students of T.C. for many years to come. Led by Academy 3 Principal Peter Balas, the committee is working hard to assess the Current state of T.C. and make recommendations for the future. “The Vision and Action Committee is charged with long range planning for T.C.,” said Balas. “As a committee we will make recommendations that we hope to have implemented in the school over the next 3-5 years. These recommendations will be aimed at moving TC forward to set the international benchmarks on student achievement.”

The group is made up of 167 Committee members. The Majority is staff, with a mixture of students, parents, and community members. The members are split into 5 subcommittees: Content, Pedagogy, Student Engagement and Relationships, Family and Community Partnerships, and Student Support Services. These Groups meet once a month to talk about their area of focus. Each group adresses a list of essential questions, including determining knowledge and skills a 21st century Titan graduate possess to be successful in the world.

Junior Lester Schonberger is a member of the Student Engagement and Relationships subcommittee, and he said that the experience has been great so far. “I feel like we’re really making a difference at the school. Our committee has discussed everything from things like basic civility in the hallways to active learning, things that could really make a difference at our school.”

Balas has been with Alexandria City Public schools for nine years, six as a teacher at the Minnie Howard Campus, and three years as an Administrator at the main campus. “Mr. Balas has been in the city for 10 years, he’s close to the classroom, works in administration and he’s young enough and works hard,” said Executive Principal Steve Coluntuni. “We’re taking on a new approach to things and we’re looking for a new vision on how to do things and I think having a young vision on how to do things is the way to go. If we’re going to look for something new we’re going to look for fresh ideas.”

The Vision and Action committee was formed to the continue work done by the original T.C. Education Program Planning Committee, and the recommendations they made in their report “Building the Future, the New T.C.!” “Some of the recommendations made by the original Planning Committee were implemented from that report, but some were not. We will look at that and we will assess TC Williams since the opening of the new building and propose changes that would be the best fit for the titans,” said Balas.

The Committee has three benchmarks that they must meet. In June 2010, initial status reports are due to Superintendant Sherman and the Alexandria School Board. In November 2010, a second report is due, and recommendations from the subcommittees will begin to emerge. Final reports with all of the committee’s recommendations are due in June 2011. “Our committee members will research and visit schools with innovative programs to determine whether or not they would be a good fit for the students at our school, and this will also help them form their recommendations,” said Balas.

“Having taught for 6 years at the Minnie Howard Campus and spent 3 years as an admin at the main campus of T.C., I would like to see the recommendations that come from each sub committee to be bold and daring to set us on the path to becoming a premiere High School in the US,” said Balas. “We are going to be looking at everything. These recommendations in addition to all that is already working at TC, will move TC forward.”