Summit Board gets midyear update on equity, data, STEAM and strategic planning goals

Superintendent Scott Huff told the Summit Board of Education on Jan. 16 that the district is midway through work on four board-approved goals for the 2024–25 school year: fostering inclusive school communities and social-emotional learning, strengthening data use for instruction, expanding STEAM programming, and launching a multiyear strategic planning process. "I'm really really proud of our team for every year on the effort and, you know, the consistency that goes into delivering these goals," Huff said during the presentation.

The presentation detailed specific outcomes and pilot programs tied to each goal. On equity and social-emotional learning (SEL), Dr. Crystal Moore said the district expects "data collected from our strategic equity plan...and stakeholder feedback will be used to further ensure an equitable educational experience, a sense of belonging, and mutual respect among students, staff, and families." Moore highlighted the rollout of a Panorama SEL survey for grades 3–12, staff professional development on culturally responsive teaching and belonging, Challenge Day events at the middle and high schools, and Anti-Defamation League "No Place for Hate" designations across schools.

On data and multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS), presenters described a pilot of Panorama's Student Success Platform at the middle school that consolidates attendance, discipline and assessment data in one place. Moore and other staff described continuing training on small-group instruction, Genesis discipline-module integration and expanded intervention programs. "It really does take the legwork off of the teachers...so they get to spend their time doing the thing that matters," Moore said of the platform.

Director of curriculum and instruction Heather Rocco updated the board on STEAM work, saying elementary teachers have new rubrics for grades 1–5 and that secondary STEAM subcommittees have drafted course proposals, including new computer-aided drafting options and expanded arts offerings. Rocco said middle-school construction tied to STEAM spaces is substantially complete and that Summit High School construction is expected to conclude next year so programming can expand.

On strategic planning, Huff said the district has engaged the Madison Institute to facilitate a year-one process that included community meetings, core-team work and surveys. Rough response estimates cited in the presentation were "a little over a 1,000" students in grades 6–12 completing a survey, "over 400" parents and about 400 staff respondents; the district will report final core-team participation numbers soon. Huff said the first-year action plan will be completed and implemented next year and that additional focus groups for parents and implementation-team meetings are scheduled.

Board members asked clarifying questions about how effectiveness will be measured for pilots. Moore said there are no additional bespoke quantitative metrics for the Washington Elementary inclusion pilot beyond the district's standard assessments, and that staff will review I-Ready and NJSLA results to evaluate outcomes. On data tools, presenters emphasized that Panorama allows district staff to disaggregate by student, class, grade and subgroup to create targeted interventions.

The presentation included several planned next steps: February professional development time devoted to Panorama analysis for counselors, February STEAM teacher training on robotics for elementary staff, continued writing of secondary STEAM curriculum and rollout planning tied to high-school construction completion.

The board did not take action on the presentation itself; the midyear review was presented for update and discussion.