Q&A: Superintendent talks academics, COVID plans, mental health & more

Oct. 28, 2022  |  By Laura Hardie  |  Correspondent

Harwood Superintendent Mike Leichliter answers questions during an online Q&A hosted by Harwood School Board Chair Kristen Rodgers. Screenshot

During an online Zoom community Q&A meeting this week, discussion with Harwood Unified Union School District Superintendent Mike Leichliter ranged from board goals for the year to COVID-19 plans to improving academics. 

In the nearly hour-long session, questions came in via email or chat to School Board Chair Kristen Rodgers who read them off for Leichliter to answer.

Leichliter began by sharing the results of a community survey that he sent out in early June before he started in his position in July. He solicited open-ended feedback about the school system from community members including high school students through August. The survey garnered 660 responses.

"It was phenomenal and shows our community has tremendous pride, hope, and optimism in our schools," Leichliter said of the participation.

Leichliter categorized responses into strengths and needs. Top strengths included caring teachers and staff and a strong community. Top needs included school climate and academics/student support systems. 

He also presented the survey to the HUUSD School Board at its meeting this week as the basis for goals in four focus areas to work on with the board this academic year: academics, budget, community relations, and facilities. 

Throughout the online meeting the discussion included the goals, challenges, and opportunities from the survey, including issues with alcohol, vaping, mental health, COVID-19, and an increased focus on academics. 

The Q&A was hosted as part of an effort for the new superintendent to connect with the community following several in-person meet-and-greet events across the district in July, August and September. 

Leichliter joined the Harwood district this year succeeding Brigid Nease as the top administrator. He moved to Vermont after a more than 30-year career in Southcentral Pennsylvania, starting out as a social studies teacher and later serving in principal roles and finally the past 13 years as superintendent in the Penn Manor School District in Lancaster. 

Increasing support for behavior, mental health 

Leichliter was asked about support available to students with mental health challenges. He explained that in large part because of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been an increase in federal funding to support mental health. As a result, the district has put a premium on adding mental health services by  increasing the availability of school counselors and developing partnerships with external organizations. 

"If you have a student struggling in any way, I encourage you to reach out to the school counselor to help you with resources we have internally and connect you to outside resources," Leichliter said.

When asked how the district works to prevent students from consuming alcohol and vaping, Leichliter noted that it's a two-prong approach based on education and consequences intended to change behavior. He said reports of vaping are lower this year than last school year.

"Our first job is to ensure we are providing good education and information to students, and that is embedded in health curriculum at the middle school level. There is also being a responsible citizen. Another aspect we teach is responsible reporting," Leichliter said. "We also include a component of consequences. There is a restorative piece and educational piece moving forward to encourage students to learn the dangers of vaping and underage drinking."

COVID-19 mitigation strategies unchanged

As people across the country are experiencing an early seasonal increase in respiratory illnesses, Leichliter said the Harwood school district is also seeing a similar pattern and that non-COVID-19 illnesses are currently outpacing reports of COVID cases in schools. 

The district was required to report a cluster of COVID-19 cases to the state last week because it qualified as an outbreak. 

"At our debrief, our nurse asked me to emphasize that there has been a misconception that an outbreak in a school is a result of school spread. Last year we saw no examples of spread within schools. Even from last week, we can't attribute it to anything within schools," Leichliter said.

When asked about the district’s COVID protocols and plans in case of a surge of cases, Leichliter provided an overview of current policies. Students who test positive should stay home for five days and return on day six if fever-free for 24 hours and symptoms are improving, he said, with masking being optional.  

"As a school district, our primary mission is an educational mission. Schools across the country were thrust into the role of developing, under state guidance, COVID policies and protocols. That is something we look to as educators to public health professionals to do," Leichliter said. 

State guidance for Vermont schools from both the Agency of Education and the Vermont Department of Health was rescinded in March. In an Aug. 10 Fall 2022 COVID Guidance memo, the Vermont Agency of Education told local school administrators that nurses would take the lead in handling COVID-19 safety at schools.

Leichliter did not address what, if any, additional precautions would be considered by school nurses if COVID cases increased over the winter months as they did last year. 

He discussed how his experience as a superintendent in Pennsylvania at the height of the pandemic shaped his outlook. 

"I can tell you from talking to superintendents I work with, that COVID mitigation was the bulk of our time. As a superintendent, I probably spent 90 to 95 percent of my time on issues related to COVID and COVID mitigation strategies," Leichliter said. "A lot of our work on a day-to-day basis focusing on the educational well-being of our students has taken a backseat to those necessary health policies."

Leichliter referenced the Annual Assessment of National Education Progress or NAEP, referred to as the Nation's Report Card, which shows academic gains of the past decades have been lost due to the challenges of COVID-19. 

"It's important for educators and myself and our leadership team to provide high-quality education, and we're focused on mental health challenges and the academic deficits we've witnessed over the last two and a half years," Leichliter said. 

Increased focus on academic outcomes

A question was posed about how the school board and Leichliter plan to improve academic outcomes at the high school level. Throughout the meeting, Leichliter shared how impressed he is with teachers and students, particularly the discussion-based learning (in part, the "Harkness method" the high school employs) integrated into the curriculum. 

"When you look at proficiency-based learning, which was implemented six years ago, that has been an area that has been brought up to me as well," LeichIiter said as he talked about the importance of having discussions with teachers before implementing a plan. "I do know the importance of looking at the academic programming. You don't change things overnight. But I can also tell you it's a big area of concern for our teachers, specifically our department chairs."

Leichliter said he is meeting with department chairs this week to identify needs and processes.

"We definitely have areas of improvement and focus, and it's not by chance that it's my first recommendation for goals for the board this year," Leichliter said.

A fresh perspective on community

One attendee of the meeting asked Leichliter, as a newcomer to the area and someone with a fresh perspective, about the strengths and weaknesses he sees within the school system.

Leichliter recalled several experiences that demonstrated how being part of a small community promotes connection and communication. 

"Before my final interview with the board, the board chair at the time had me walk the school halls, and there was a group of middle school students at the door who stopped me and said, 'Hey, are you one of the superintendent candidates? Tell us about yourself,' and proceeded to have a conversation…that was very unique," Leichliter said.  

He also shared another memorable moment on a hiking trip he attended with seniors at Mad River Glen, "As students were getting off the bus, they thanked the bus driver for taking them there; they were respectful and kind…I pointed out some of the challenges last year and the negative things we read in the press which were occurring. I think that was the exception and not the norm of what I've observed."

He also reflected on recent visits from both of Vermont’s U.S. Senators Patrick Leahy and Bernie Sanders to Crossett Brook Middle School and Harwood Union High School and the uniqueness of the small-town Vermont way of life.

"One of the benefits of a small community is people know each other and are comfortable with each other and are generally able to have those deep, rich conversations that carry with us as we go to other places," Leichliter said. 

Superintendent Advisory Committee

In a continued effort to stay connected with the community, Liechliter will be creating community, parent, and student superintendent advisory committees based on those who expressed interest in the community survey.

"I was looking to come here because I saw so many strengths in this community, and I'm going to look to that same community to help me become acclimated and learn some of the important elements and get to know people," Leichliter said, "because that's how we make a school stronger, through our community."