The Importance of School Programming: Roger Clough Shares His Experience

With his experience in the school system as both a teacher and administrator, Roger Clough knows the importance of programming in schools. Programming can and does affect teacher, student, and community morale. Roger Clough has been responsible for the successful implementation of a number of programs during his time as a superintendent of schools. Roger Clough encourages other school leaders to examine their programming and to think about the impact of reexamining existing programming or implementing new programming. 

In his time as Massena Central School District’s Superintendent, Roger B Clough II expanded the district's International Baccalaureate (IB) program, began offering college-level courses at the high school level, and began an alternative school in the district. Roger Clough would remind school leaders of the importance of implementing programs to help the progress of your entire student demographic. Often schools serve only part of their student population when looking at program implementation. For example, starting IB or Advanced Placement programs to serve high-performing students is great; however, you shouldn't be neglecting implementation of tutoring of remedial programs for under-performing students in order to do that.

Roger Clough has made it a priority to establish programs to help students at every level. An expansion of the Pre-Kindergarten program, as well of the addition of a Junior Kindergarten is helping to better prepare students from the time that they first enter the school system. Reading assistants in each of the district’s elementary schools are helping to strengthen students’ skills in reading, to strengthen both reading and comprehension skills at an earlier age.

For those students attending the district’s new established alternative school, Roger B Clough II has been sure to provide the same opportunities provided to their peers. Those alternative school students of high school age have the opportunity to take classes for college credit just as their peers at the high school do.

Roger B Clough says that being committed to the success of every student in a school district is the way that leaders should think of it. Instead of worrying about helping the largest percentage, or the ones who are likely to make the district look best, Roger B Clough II encourages school leaders to focus on their students as individuals. In doing that, the rise in success rates and student performance that school leaders work toward will naturally manifest themselves. Roger Clough says that he thinks about the effect every decision he makes will have on the district’s students and works to make those effects as positive as he can.