New school year, new goals in Wicomico Co.

A new school year brings new goals and challenges, but day one for Wicomico County’s new Superintendent Doctor Donna Hanlin was all about meeting the students.

She says there was a lot of research leading up to this point. This summer she pooled information from principals and staff to find the best ways to be successful and two goals came into focus.

Dr. Hanlin says it’s, “Building positive relationships with students and finding that balance between setting expectations and building relationships.”

Earlier this year, the Wicomico County Education Association, surveyed 900 public school employees. More than half, about 54 percent, said student discipline is an issue. Doctor Hanlin, school principals, and teachers agreed the equation for improvement would be building better relationships with students equals a reduction in bad behavior.

Salisbury Middle Principal Christina Goswell tells 47 ABC, “Discipline is extremely important and I think it all ties back to those relationships and getting to know the students as there is certainly a purpose to whatever they are doing so helping them learn constructive ways to act out whatever feelings they’re having.”

“I really focus on getting to know them one on one, going to sporting events and things like that. So my approach to discipline is often just getting to know the kids and making them feel like I’m not coming at them from some random direction, but that I understand them and want them to do well,” explains Mardela teacher Kelly Wells.

One teacher tells 47 ABC that lack of interest can be a big reason as to why students are behaving badly, so some teachers are trying out new ways to keep their students engaged.

Mardela High School math teacher Kelly Wells is one of them. She’s taking an unconventional approach to her classroom –with bar stools, a kitchen table, a rocker chair, plus some regular desks. Wells hopes this will help students feel more at home and comfortable with learning while also helping with discipline.

“We’re going to allow them to have the movement that way they don’t get in trouble,” Wells explains.

Although new ideas and methods are being tested out this year. The tried and true methods are still very much present. Mardela Middle and High School Principal Amy Eskridge plans on continuing and growing their positive behavioral incentives program, which rewards students that do what they are supposed to do every day.

Eskridge says, “We also need to recognize the positive, recognize the positive more than we recognize the negative.”