NEWPORT - The Newport school system soon will be nationally known for its groundbreaking approach to getting kids ready for school, Children Inc. Executive Director Rick Hulefeld said Saturday.

His remarks came after the school board gave final approval to a five-year strategic plan. Its centerpiece is an expansion of free preschool, a partnership with local day-care providers and a program to visit the homes of babies and toddlers.

For the first time, the Newport district will have a record of where preschoolers stand developmentally and where they have been getting child care. This information will be used not only to shape the district's preschool program but also to help parents and caretakers give youngsters the stimulation they need.

"There are going to be a lot of funders who are going to say, 'We want to be a part of this, because we feel it's a national model," Hulefeld said.

The strategic plan also calls for increasing parent involvement, restructuring the middle and high school and improving academics. It will cost about $1.5 million over five years, all of which will be covered by the district's surplus.

An additional $1.3 million will be spent to upgrade technology and hire new staff, including a Spanish teacher at the middle school and a curriculum director at the high school.

On Saturday, board member Jim Hesch questioned the $82,000 to $90,000 salary proposed for a new central-office job that will include overseeing human resources, athletics and testing.

Superintendent Michael Brandt already has someone in mind - an administrator with whom he worked in the Cincinnati Public Schools. Hesch, whose wife is a Newport teacher, questioned paying so much to a person not working directly with children.

Brandt responded that he needed the right people in the right jobs to carry out the district's goals. At the same time, he has cut many part-time administrators, which will save the district about $1.8 million over five years, projections show.