Superintendent Nicholas Wahl said that the upcoming month will serve as a period of time in which to finalize an action plan for the 2013-2014 school year.

“In the next month I will do a needs assessment on what we use at Carmel Clay schools to measure student achievement and well-being with the principals,” Wahl said. “ The principals have been charged with looking at what we currently use as measures, and at the next principals meeting we will review that to determine what we’re currently doing to look at those measures, because I know we’re doing a lot of good things it’s just a matter of figuring out exactly what and how we’re doing it.”

Wahl said the overall goal of the action plan would be to improve on what is already present in the school district and increasing communication amongst teachers, students and administration.

Wahl said. “The board and I have worked on goals in draft format. It is a student centered matrix. It talks about everything we do and goes back to improving the condition of what we’re offering the students for our facility, faculty and staff, communication externally and internally and the resources that are devoted to teaching.”

Wahl also said that the stalled negotiations on teacher contracts would not prove a hindrance to changing school policy.

Wahl said, “I’m still going to reach out to the teachers for representation on committees and any work we do. (The standstill in negotiations) is not going to change my approach from working collaboratively with (teachers) on a regular basis or on committees we have forthcoming. We’ve reached out to them for many committees, and it’s business as usual. It does not restrict us in any way because we want to continue to involve them and work with them.”

According to student body president George Gemelas, he and other students hope to increase communication with Wahl.

“I really think that it’s important for the administration to take into account what the students find effective. If there were a way to provide feedback directly to the Superintendent that would be better,” Gemelas said.

Wahl plans to implement the Superintendent’s Advisory Committee for that purpose.

“I’ve requested from the high school representatives from all classes and gender balanced to have an advisory group from me and I hope to get those names soon from the guidance department.”