Superintendent's Blog

Happy 2020!  Did you make any resolutions? I always do, but the funny thing about my annual goal-setting process (a.k.a resolutions) is that my new goals are often just a recalibration of the goals that I already have in place.  Here’s why: Because my resolutions take more than one year to achieve. My resolutions really look more like “healthy habits.” These healthy habits fit into a long range plan that may require several years to accomplish those established goals.  Back in 2017, I wrote a blog that considered how our school district sets goals and what steps we take to ensure that we achieve those goals.

The SOCSD Board of Education and I work collaboratively, to establish expectations for ourselves and our students that reflect the aspirations of our community and society as a whole.  Like any “resolution” it is important to have a plan to achieve goals, monitor progress, and analyze our progress. At each of our Board of Education Meetings, throughout the year, we do just that. So…Here are my New Year’s Resolutions (er…umm, goals) for the year:

Students will meet or exceed their building’s annual performance targets at all four schools (Focus Area A)

    • Target: Graduation Rates (TZHS) will improve in accordance with ESSA performance targets.
    • Target: College, Career, and Civic Readiness will improve in accordance with ESSA performance targets. Incentive participation in high-level coursework and grade-appropriate action steps.
    • Target: Academic Readiness will improve in accordance with ESSA performance targets (SOMS forecasting model).  Academic Readiness is a function of student achievement and academic progress.

Collaboratively review, revise and enhance practices that guide the district’s efforts to recruit, evaluate and retain high-quality staff members (Focus Area B)

    • Target: Collaboratively update district-wide APPR plan, implement performance reviews for probationary teachers and standardize evaluation protocols for administrative team.
    • Target: Increase clarity of certified hiring process through establishing recruitment flowchart and corresponding guidelines, while drawing upon district data to direct staff diversification.
    • Target: Conduct look back of SOCSD staff attendance data, based upon NCTQ Attendance Study (2013), as a means to determine next steps.

Increase the quality of the digital presence for SOCSD. (Focus Area C)

    • Target: Website platform review and implementation
    • Target: Student Management System/Parent Portal review and implementation
    • Target: Improved data management and analytics

All schools will achieve their student engagement targets in the areas of attendance, discipline, and overall school climate (Focus Area D)

    • Target: Chronic absenteeism will decrease in accordance with ESSA performance targets.
    • Target: The number of students with multiple discipline referrals will decrease in accordance with ESSA performance targets.
    • Target: The School District “Climate Data” will improve in accordance with ESSA performance targets.

Equity, Access, Opportunity for ALL students (Focus Area E)

    • Target: The “District Comprehensive Master Plan” will provide a systemic, diagnostic tool for strategic deployment of capital resources in order to meet the future needs of the SOCSD academic program.
    • Target: In compliance with ESSA, the District will advance educational equity in all four schools by ensuring that all students have equitable access to the highest quality educational opportunities, rigorous coursework, services, and supports in schools that effectively provide instruction to prepare all students for success in college, career, and citizenship.
    • Target: The District Comprehensive Safety Plan will provide an integrated approach to ensure the social-emotional, physical, developmental well-being, and environmental safety of all students, staff, and community members.
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