Keith Miles, the leader at Bridgeton Public Schools in New Jersey, was recently handpicked to bring the concerns of Black and Latino students and educators to the halls of Congress.
Miles and the dozens of superintendents who accompanied in the first annual 100 Superintendent March this spring singled out worsening student mental health and teacher shortages as their biggest challenges with the 2022-23 school year winding down. His own district is experiencing “unprecedented shortages in math, science, special education and bilingual teachers,” Miles says.
But he and his educators are also grappling with aging buildings while working to update the curriculum to keep up with the college-and-career aspirations of students. Miles details how he and his team are tackling these problems in a concise but solutions-heavy Q&A with District Administration.
1. What are you and your team doing to support students’ mental health?
We infuse SEL lessons across all grades in our health/PE and social studies curriculum. We also screen our young people districtwide multiple times a year. Screening results tell us if students are proficient, emergent, or at risk as it relates to their current social-emotional well-being.
While we provide all students SEL lessons across all grades, we have additional school counselors, SEL specialists, crisis counselors, and clinical practitioners on hand to follow up with at-risk students with more frequent individual and group therapy sessions, with parental consent.
2. Is your district experiencing teacher shortages? If so, how are they impacting your schools and how are you responding?
We have seen unprecedented shortages in math, science, special education and bilingual teachers across our district. Teachers and support staff are consistently stepping up to support classrooms with vacancies, and we have been able to partner with a company that provides virtual teachers to supplement the instruction provided by substitute teachers. We have also targeted students in courses with substitute teachers with one-to-one in-person and virtual tutors.
3. What are you most excited about that is happening in your district?
- Our HR team has extended our recruitment of bilingual teachers to universities in Puerto Rico.
- We have seen a record number of paraprofessionals get certified to become teachers.
- We have alumni in all of our buildings who have come back to serve as substitute teachers during and after the pandemic.
- The district has been selected by the (New Jersey) Schools Development Authority to receive an expansion at the high school (additional gym, 3-story classroom addition, cafeteria expansion, and additional parking and office space) and a brand new middle school that is projected to be delivered by 2026 and 2028 to support with overcrowding.
4. What are the top 3 goals for the rest of this school year and 2023-24?
- Reduce the number of at-risk students on our SEL screener.
- All students hitting their literacy and math growth targets during our final assessment cycle.
- Expand the number of career and technical pathways at the high school that lead to industry credentials and dual enrollment credits.
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5. Aside from mental health and teacher shortages, what are your biggest concerns?
- Maintaining our aging facilities
- The need for new facilities to accommodate population growth
- Keeping pace with emerging industries
- Matching our course offerings to the aspirations of our students
6. What’s at the top of your district’s list of must-have-ASAP?
Facilities upgrades and more space for students in grades 6-12.
7. Do you have a good relationship with your school board? If so, what are the keys to collaborating effectively with the board?
The key to effective collaboration is transparency, frequent communication, and trust. Keeping the board informed of all challenges as well as the changing needs of the district’s students, families, and staff is vital to maintaining a strong and positive relationship.
Do you know an innovative superintendent who has great ideas to share with our readers? Send your suggestions to senior writer Matt Zalaznick at [email protected].
