Superintendent outlines district improvement plan focused on instructional leadership and PLCs

Superintendent Dr. Wenzel presented the district’s draft improvement plan, saying it centers on three priorities: shifting central office functions to better support principals as instructional leaders, building principal leadership capacity, and deepening teacher collaboration through professional learning communities (PLCs).

Dr. Wenzel described a three-year partnership with PLCs at Work that begins with leadership in year one and expands to teachers in subsequent years. "If we do these things well, we believe that teachers will have more effective instruction and students will learn more," he said. The plan embeds school improvement goals aligned to district commitments and state measures (math, English language arts, attendance and graduation rates).

Board members asked how principals will find time for classroom visits; Dr. Wenzel said principals must intentionally carve out time and that central office staff (including new elementary and secondary directors) will support that work. The superintendent said the draft will come back to the board for approval in October alongside school improvement plans.