Principals present Continuous Improvement Plans with literacy, multilingual and family-engagement goals

Principals from district schools presented their Continuous Improvement Plans (CIP) to the board on Oct. 28, each identifying academic, family engagement and school culture goals aligned with the district's ASCEND priorities.

High school leaders said their goals focus on defining proficiency tied to standards, increasing staff-led data analysis with students and families, and implementing shared literacy strategies. The high school plans also include work preparing teachers for the transition to a block schedule and creating standards-based, culturally relevant curricular units.

Middle school principals described plans to complete two care cycles that apply Depth of Knowledge (DOK) frameworks, increase reading proficiency on the MCA reading test, raise ACCESS scores for multilingual learners and require weekly family communication documented in PowerSchool. The middle school emphasis includes culturally inclusive backward unit design and strengthening MTSS (multi-tiered systems of support).

Elementary-site plans (Aquila, Perksicht Immersion/PSI, Peter Hobart and Susan Lindgren) emphasized multilingual and special-services learners. Aquila's plan centers on expressive language and math vocabulary with goals to raise WIDA ACCESS and math proficiency percentages and to use Seesaw for regular family visibility. PSI (immersion) highlighted biliteracy, translanguaging practice and increased Seesaw family connections; the school reported Seesaw family connection rates already above the year's target. Peter Hobart and Susan Lindgren set goals for reducing proficiency gaps between white and BIPOC students on universal screening measures, increasing overall screening proficiency and strengthening tiered literacy interventions during I-need (WIN) blocks.

Central Early Learning Center leaders outlined implementation of the Teaching Strategies GOLD assessment system, professional development for staff on the tool, weekly Seesaw posts to document learning for families and a goal that a majority of teacher-educators will use the assessment system regularly by midyear.

Across sites, principals said measures of progress include FastBridge and MAP universal screenings, MCA and ACCESS when available, learning-walk data, student work samples and family-engagement metrics. Board members asked clarifying questions about differences between MCA and universal-screening tools and discussed how the district will use multiple measures to triage instruction and interventions.

Several principals invited board members to participate in learning walks and site visits to observe implementation of SIP strategies.