Derild Parsons
The Churchill County School Board of Trustees approved Superintendent Derild Parson’s annual evaluation Dec. 18 by giving him a score of 2.99 out of a possible 4.
The rating scale scores ranged from the highest of highly effective, to effective, developing/inconsistent and ineffective/needing improvement. Parsons did not receive any ineffective ratings.
The evaluation form was divided into three parts with Part I rating Parsons on professional performance standards. In Vision, Culture and Instructional Leadership, he received 66 ratings of effective and four ratings of developing.
In Operations, Resources and Personnel Management, the second-year superintendent received eight highly effective ratings, 114 ratings of effective and two ratings of developing. In Board Governance and Policy, he received 16 ratings of highly effective, 57 ratings of effective and 10 developing. In Communications and Community Relations, he received 12 ratings of highly effective, 126 ratings of effective and 10 ratings of developing.
Parsons received his highest scores overall in Ethical Leadership with 44 ratings of highly effective, 120 ratings of effective and 18 ratings of developing.
“I believe Mr. Parsons’ ethics, integrity and fairness are superior,” said Trustee Joe McFadden.
Outgoing Trustee Matt Hyde said he appreciates he can trust Parsons, but there’s still work to be done.
“That’s one thing I’ve learned (in his time on the board),” Hyde said. “There’s always going to be work to do. It’s never over.”
Part II evaluated the progress made toward the superintendent’s annual objectives. These are four specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound goals set annually by Parsons and the board that are directly related to the district’s strategic plan.
The target for goal indicates students graduating from the Churchill County School District will increase from 79.9% at the end of 2020-21 to 90% in 2023-24.
Goal two concerns student achievement. Specifically, “the percentage of students who meet or exceed the state’s proficiency targets in grades 3 through 8 and 11 on the state’s mathematics assessment SBAC and ACT will increase by 15% in the cohort from 2021-22 school year to the 2023-24 school year.”
Trustee Julie Guerrero-Goetsch commented she had rated Parsons lower in student achievement because he “is demonstrating efforts to improve student achievement, but as a district we are struggling with proficiency and achievement. We also need to do a better job of not only producing better student outcomes, but also insuring our more advanced students are being addressed and having their needs met as well.”
Goal three in Career and Technical Education states “the percentage of students who are identified as program completers in all CTE areas at Churchill County High School will increase from 59.04% at the end of 2020-21 to 70% at the end of 2023-24.”
Goal four is related to student behavior issues, and achievement targets are still to be determined. The consensus of the board shows more time is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of the plan on student achievement.
“Derild is working on much, and working hard, but the evidence of accomplishment is still a year or so away,” Board President Gregg Malkovich said.
Within the evaluation form, Malkovich also commented he had discussed with the school district’s educational leader that for the 17 months he has been in office, Parsons has continued to follow the plans and goals set by previous Superintendent Summer Stephens. Malkovich said he feels it’s time for Parsons to set his own updated plans and goals for the district.
Trustees commended Parsons for going “above and beyond” in completing his self-assessment. Parsons thanked the board for their honesty.
“I do feel like you are a strong board that works together,” he said. “Differences arise and we work through them… this board is driven toward student achievement and not just to see their test score rise but to see the overall student grow and the overall student improve.”
Parsons also said he feels the superintendent is basically a non-voting member of the board.
“I appreciate that you listen to me and allow me to do my job but that you are willing to make the decisions necessary for the students in our community,” he added.