Superintendent outlines 'rowing together' strategy and district improvement goals

Superintendent Dr. Wenzel told the board the district's draft improvement plan is grounded in three main ideas: shift the central office to support principals as instructional leaders, invest in principal leadership and capacity, and strengthen collaborative teacher work through PLC (Professional Learning Community) partnerships. He said the district is beginning a three-year partnership with PLCs at Work to build consistent instructional practices.

Wenzel tied the improvement strategy to five district goals for the year—mathematics, English language arts, attendance, graduation rates and delivery of Evergreen Elementary—and said school improvement plans will align to those district goals. He emphasized the plan is data-driven, noting the district compared itself to an eight-district peer cohort to set ambitious but achievable targets.

On instructional leadership, Wenzel said the aim is to free principals from some management tasks so they can spend more time in classrooms to diagnose instruction and give feedback. "We're shifting how the central office operates to help principals become stronger instructional leaders," he said. Wenzel said the superintendent evaluation should be connected to progress against this improvement plan at the October retreat.