West Valley reviews strategic-plan progress; district expands new reading curriculum, standards-based grading and career pathways

At its June 10 meeting, the West Valley School District presented a year-one progress report on its strategic plan, highlighting curriculum changes, expanded career pathways and early results from student climate surveys.

The presentation, led by district administrators and building principals, summarized four board-adopted goals: (1) culture of safety and belonging, (2) strong academic foundations, (3) mastery of standards, and (4) career pathways. Superintendent Dr. Finch said the district “worked on the strategic plan all last year. The board adopted the plan and then we implemented this school year.”

Why it matters: the plan shapes classroom practice, assessment and postsecondary planning across the district’s elementary, middle and high school campuses. District leaders said the work touches curriculum choices, teacher training and how student progress is measured and reported to families.

On culture and belonging, the district reported using frequent formative checks and a fall summative survey to monitor student sense of safety and belonging. Administrators said student surveys were administered every two months for formative monitoring and that the summative Center for Educational Effectiveness survey is given around conference week (November–December) and posted on the district strategic-plan web page. The district also cited pilot use of a PBIS (positive behavioral interventions and supports) tool at elementary schools and the mid-level campus to support teacher-led routines and timely interventions.

In elementary instruction, principals described adoption of the HMH Into Reading curriculum for grades K–5. Michelle Seguenza, principal of Cottonwood Elementary, said the curriculum “aligns with the science of reading” and is intended to provide a guaranteed, viable ELA program across elementary schools. Seguenza also described district efforts to certify teachers in GLAD strategies (Guided Language Acquisition Design) to support academic language development.

District leaders described assessment systems used to measure progress: iReady assessments for reading and math (winter and spring administrations), Smarter Balanced state assessments for ELA and math, and periodic classroom and department formative checks. Administrators said they are developing proficiency scales and mastery-based tools so teachers, students and families have clearer targets for grade-level standards; those scales are “a work in progress,” Seguenza said.

On standards and grading, middle-school principal Nick Clark described the district’s move toward mastery-based learning and standards-based grading in secondary grades. Clark said the district has been part of a statewide mastery-based consortium and that teachers are using common assessments and proficiency scales tied to essential standards. “We took that big plunge into standards-based grading and mastery-based learning,” Clark said, and principals reported ongoing adjustments — for example, building consistent retake policies, clarifying deadlines and integrating the approach into the district’s learning management system so families can see progress.

Career pathways and dual credit were a central part of the goal-4 presentation. Jed Waters, executive director of innovation, said goal 4 seeks to “build those connections, trying to connect [learning] to their future after graduation, after high school, outside of the school day.” The district reported roughly 1,200 students enrolled in college-level and high-school courses in 2023–24; about 65% of those students who attempted courses earned college credit, the presentation said. Leaders described continued partnerships with local higher-education institutions (Central, UW and others), growth in CT (career and technical) pathways, expansion of peer tutoring and a new “high school 1-on-1” support class to help students connect to school and career opportunities.

District staff said the state’s planned move to a common “high school-and-beyond” platform (Schoolinks) will replace the district’s prior tool (Xello). Administrators said Schoolinks should allow colleges and employers to feed data directly into the district system and help staff track scholarships, college tours and student pathway choices.

Board members asked for more data. A board member identified as Michael said dual-credit coursework provided substantial family cost savings and asked when the board would see year-over-year performance against targets; administrators said more comprehensive district data will be presented at a planned July data summit and that strategic-plan performance indicators are published on the district website and updated as new data arrive.

Superintendent’s report and outcomes: the board also heard graduation and GED completion figures. The district reported 28 innovation-center graduates, 24 virtual-academy graduates and 358 high-school graduates (410 total) plus 13 GED completions from RamFlex/Open Doors programs; staff combined those figures to report 423 students who reached a credential or graduation milestone this year.

Next steps: administrators said they will continue refining proficiency scales, expand teacher clarity work to better align tasks with standards, finalize common assessments that align to new curricula, and present more comprehensive performance data in July. The board did not take formal action on the strategic-plan items during the meeting; the presentation was a status report and request for continued implementation support.

Community impact: district leaders emphasized that the changes are meant to increase student engagement, clearer communication for families about learning targets, and expanded pathways for postsecondary success. The district’s materials and assessment summaries are available on the West Valley School District strategic-plan page for parents and community members seeking details.