Downingtown presentations outline Year 2 of strategic plan; district to expand full-day kindergarten, adopt I Ready as universal screener

Superintendent Dr. O'Donnell and district staff told the Downingtown Area School District board that Year 2 of the district's five‑year strategic plan will emphasize student safety and belonging, curriculum alignment, and new assessment tools.

The presentation outlined several near‑term changes, including expansion of full‑day kindergarten, adoption of I Ready as the district's universal reading and math screener for grades K–6, new behavioral data tools for elementary schools and Marsh Creek, and a district task force to produce a K–12 portrait of a graduate.

The changes are intended to align instruction and supports to data collected across schools. "We're gonna be utilizing the previous year's data as all of our decisions and alignment with the strategic plan have to align in data, to drive our continuous improvement for student staff experiences," Dr. O'Donnell said.

Nut graf: The shift matters because it changes how the district identifies students for…