MONR0E - It promises to be a busy year for Monroe school district staff and administration, if its to-do list is any indication.
That to-do list, formally known as the District Improvement Plan, includes specific action steps to help the district reach three major goals of achieving student performance, demonstrating fiscal responsibility and coming up with a community public relations plan.
The plan provides a clear direction for the school district, said District Administrator Larry Brown.
It was developed using input from community members and staff, as well as student data. The administrative team put together some rough ideas from the data and input it had. They took their ideas to the school board this summer for input from board members. Finally, the plan was taken to all administrators in the district to see how each goal could be accomplished through a series of action steps.
Action items included in the plan are intended to be completed this school year, Brown said. Some items specify actual implementation, while others are just doing initial research or planning toward a goal.
Brown said the district was very aware of financial trouble within the district in previous years when it approached the plan.
"We really needed to keep the financial picture out there and be cognizant of it but we needed to shift our attention to student achievement," he said.
The emphasis is on making positive change within the district.
"Right now, we need to get some things moving," he said.
The first goal is to have 90 percent of all students scoring advanced or proficient on the WKCE test. Also, all students will show progress as measured by student performance indicators such as the WKCE and MAP tests.
To accomplish this goal, the first objective is to improve curriculum and access to the curriculum for all students. Action steps to do this include increasing the percentage of special education students using core curriculum; updating and revising all curriculum, including summer school; developing a Gifted and Talented program; expanding Advanced Placement and accelerated course work; and introducing staff to 21st century learning skills.
The second objective is to improve instructional practices. Action steps are developing a comprehensive plan for professional development for all teachers; providing an instructional facilitator to all K-5 reading teachers; developing a plan for working with struggling teachers and master teachers; and reviewing and revising a mentor/mentee program.
The third objective is to continue implementing a district intervention system. Action steps to accomplish this are revising building intervention plans; training all staff in Eclipse software needed to monitor student progress; collecting and analyzing data regarding the effectiveness of interventions; and developing Response to Intervention plans for both Gifted and Talented and behavioral issues.
The fourth objective is to revamp assessment and grading practices. Action steps to accomplish this are: providing professional development for assessment and grading practices and their effect on student achievement; and developing a plan for revamping assessment and grading practices.
The fifth objective is to improve instructional leadership. Action steps to accomplish this goal are identifying and developing a plan to use instructional leaders; developing a plan to increase the focus of administrators on instructional leadership; developing professional improvement committees; and visiting high quality school districts.
The second goal is to demonstrate fiscal responsibility by using sound budgeting strategies and sound fiscal management to bring the district in at or better than budgeted amounts.
The first objective to accomplish this goal is to develop and manage an effective budget. Actions steps to accomplish this are developing a district operations calendar; updating the district's 5-year long-term maintenance schedule; scheduling visits of district facilities by school board members; building and maintaining a 10 percent Fund 10 fund balance; creating on ongoing priority list for the district to be added as funding allows; continuing to use the bid and request for proposal process and establish a cycle for those; and formulating a plan for addressing post-employment benefit obligations.
The second objective is on-going referenda planning and management. Action steps to accomplish this are maximizing the value of the district's referenda authority; discussing the current referendum status and the likelihood of future referenda as part of all budget discussions; and using continuous forethought as to the impact of major decisions on future referenda.
The third goal is to revise and implement a community relations plan to create a positive image.
The first objective to create effective communications tools to keep all constituents informed of the district's financial and academic business. Action steps to accomplish this include developing a plan for collecting feedback from stakeholders, such as an alumni survey, parent survey, focus groups and end-of-year evaluations; putting out the district newsletter twice per year; creating a new website; publishing school newsletters; and communicating regularly with staff.
The second objective is to update and implement district plans. Included in this would be a technology plan, emergency/safety plans, nutrition plan, communication plan and unusually hazardous transportation plan.
That to-do list, formally known as the District Improvement Plan, includes specific action steps to help the district reach three major goals of achieving student performance, demonstrating fiscal responsibility and coming up with a community public relations plan.
The plan provides a clear direction for the school district, said District Administrator Larry Brown.
It was developed using input from community members and staff, as well as student data. The administrative team put together some rough ideas from the data and input it had. They took their ideas to the school board this summer for input from board members. Finally, the plan was taken to all administrators in the district to see how each goal could be accomplished through a series of action steps.
Action items included in the plan are intended to be completed this school year, Brown said. Some items specify actual implementation, while others are just doing initial research or planning toward a goal.
Brown said the district was very aware of financial trouble within the district in previous years when it approached the plan.
"We really needed to keep the financial picture out there and be cognizant of it but we needed to shift our attention to student achievement," he said.
The emphasis is on making positive change within the district.
"Right now, we need to get some things moving," he said.
The first goal is to have 90 percent of all students scoring advanced or proficient on the WKCE test. Also, all students will show progress as measured by student performance indicators such as the WKCE and MAP tests.
To accomplish this goal, the first objective is to improve curriculum and access to the curriculum for all students. Action steps to do this include increasing the percentage of special education students using core curriculum; updating and revising all curriculum, including summer school; developing a Gifted and Talented program; expanding Advanced Placement and accelerated course work; and introducing staff to 21st century learning skills.
The second objective is to improve instructional practices. Action steps are developing a comprehensive plan for professional development for all teachers; providing an instructional facilitator to all K-5 reading teachers; developing a plan for working with struggling teachers and master teachers; and reviewing and revising a mentor/mentee program.
The third objective is to continue implementing a district intervention system. Action steps to accomplish this are revising building intervention plans; training all staff in Eclipse software needed to monitor student progress; collecting and analyzing data regarding the effectiveness of interventions; and developing Response to Intervention plans for both Gifted and Talented and behavioral issues.
The fourth objective is to revamp assessment and grading practices. Action steps to accomplish this are: providing professional development for assessment and grading practices and their effect on student achievement; and developing a plan for revamping assessment and grading practices.
The fifth objective is to improve instructional leadership. Action steps to accomplish this goal are identifying and developing a plan to use instructional leaders; developing a plan to increase the focus of administrators on instructional leadership; developing professional improvement committees; and visiting high quality school districts.
The second goal is to demonstrate fiscal responsibility by using sound budgeting strategies and sound fiscal management to bring the district in at or better than budgeted amounts.
The first objective to accomplish this goal is to develop and manage an effective budget. Actions steps to accomplish this are developing a district operations calendar; updating the district's 5-year long-term maintenance schedule; scheduling visits of district facilities by school board members; building and maintaining a 10 percent Fund 10 fund balance; creating on ongoing priority list for the district to be added as funding allows; continuing to use the bid and request for proposal process and establish a cycle for those; and formulating a plan for addressing post-employment benefit obligations.
The second objective is on-going referenda planning and management. Action steps to accomplish this are maximizing the value of the district's referenda authority; discussing the current referendum status and the likelihood of future referenda as part of all budget discussions; and using continuous forethought as to the impact of major decisions on future referenda.
The third goal is to revise and implement a community relations plan to create a positive image.
The first objective to create effective communications tools to keep all constituents informed of the district's financial and academic business. Action steps to accomplish this include developing a plan for collecting feedback from stakeholders, such as an alumni survey, parent survey, focus groups and end-of-year evaluations; putting out the district newsletter twice per year; creating a new website; publishing school newsletters; and communicating regularly with staff.
The second objective is to update and implement district plans. Included in this would be a technology plan, emergency/safety plans, nutrition plan, communication plan and unusually hazardous transportation plan.