Editor's note: The following is a press release from Valley View School District 365U. 

Thanks to three “Town Hall” meetings this month, parents and community members in Valley View School District 365U have already made significant contributions to the preparation of a strategic plan for the school district’s future.

“We need to continue this. We hear you,” Assistant Superintendent Venus Smith told a community focus group gathered at the VVSD Administration Center Wednesday morning. “This is a good thing. We’re always looking for improvement.”

“I’m delighted to see the district carrying on conversations like this so more parents can get involved,” one community member commented at a forum.

After Thursday night’s session at Bolingbrook High School, VVSD will conduct two more “Town Hall” meetings at 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 30 at Romeoville High School and a Spanish-speaking forum at 6:30 p.m. on Nov. 1 at Bolingbrook High School. Both will include conversations in small groups.

Among comments and suggestions made at this week’s gatherings:

• “Impressed with the dedication of our teachers” who are staying late and working weekends
• “Accountability at the high schools has improved.”
• “Everybody is headed in the right direction.”
• VVSD is “embracing diversity” by talking about it.
• Kids need more homework.
• “We must get the word our consistently that we are raising the bar.”
• The school district’s standards “must exceed the home standards so every student is challenged.”
• Get rid of 90-10.
• Communications need to be improved.
• Individual school websites are hard to navigate.
• The school district needs to help parents understand how to help their children. “If you can help us, we can help our children.”
• Teachers don’t believe parents are willing to do as much as they are willing to do. Teachers need to “really believe in the parents.”
• Teachers’ time needs to be better valued. The amount of professional development in VVSD “is great. But teachers are being pulled out of class too often.”
• Use e-mail more often for communications rather than sending things home with students.
• “It’s important for parents to feel ownership in their schools. This is their community. It’s their obligation to get involved.”

Assistant Superintendent Smith thanked attendees, urging them to “gather your neighbor. Tell everyone. This is how we start this growth in our district. Word of mouth is very important.”      

Wednesday’s Town Hall meeting may be viewed in various time slots throughout the next month on Bolingbrook Community TV and on Romeoville Public Television.