2022 - 2023 Goals

Introduction and Context

This year, my identified goals are centered on continuing forward with the foundation laid in the 2021-2022 academic year. Aside from Goal One, which is a perpetual need for Superintendent focus, the other two goals center on achieving identified metrics and goals in the Strategic Plan. These goals are ambitious, and audacious. They are necessary. While complete attainment of all three goals will be very difficult, part of this process is to chart the course to drive improvement through the system. It is my belief that these identified goals will do just that.

Goals – Structure of Goals and Indicators

Goals can be both aspirational and attainable. My hope is that these goals will inspire our organization to stretch itself to best serve our learners. At the same time, goals must be pragmatic and measurable. In order to balance the need for goals to be aspirational and measurable, it is important to draw out and make public the roadmap that will drive progress towards the stated goals. As such, I am providing metrics and action items for each goal.
Metrics are the measures that will indicate that the goal has been attained and/or that progress has been made. These are observable, documentable, or otherwise clearly identified indicators of progress.
Action Items are the specific steps that will be taken this year towards attaining the goal.

Goal 1: Ensure the long-term financial stability and financial sustainability of NKSD.

Rationale:

The financial health of NKSD is of paramount importance.
Management of enrollment and resources will take on an ever-greater level of importance as school districts continue to face shortfalls in funding for required/necessary programs and interventions to serve students.
We need to continue delivering on our promises for the EP&O and Capital levies for our public so that we are able to demonstrate strong fiscal stewardship of taxpayer money, leading to a successful bond measure in February 2024.

Metrics:

Clear roadmap for a February 2024 bond measure is outlined and developed by June 2023
Proactive, effective stewardship of capital program
Expenditures align with revenues
Long term plan developed that moves NKSD out of deficit spend
Defined plan to balance budget in future years
Student enrollment and fiscal projections are close to actuals
Community involvement and communication strategies are identified and implemented

Action Items:

Enact a input-based process engaging the full NKSD leadership team to determine budget actions necessary to ensure 2023-2024 budget aligns revenues and expenses
Regular and timely updates provided to the board and community regarding enrollment, finances, and challenges presented by state, federal or other entity actions
Active involvement of finance and capital committees to gather input on decisions and ensure identified needs and challenges are understood
Capital projects are completed on time, that they are close to projected budget (inflation adjusted), and to the expected standard of workmanship
District budget and expenditures remain within projected deficit spend for 2022-2023
Board agendas reflect regular updates on expenditures and capital program projects
Timely budget and capital information is presented to the board for decision making
Long range planning models maintained and updated for finance and capital planning
Provide guidance and oversight for capital program implementation
Collaborate with business office to develop 2023-2024 budget that reflects strategic priorities, and which reflects the current reality of state/local budgets and apportionment
Cultivate an updated, new strategy to update the community on capital project progress and grow understanding of use of local levy dollars (and proposed bond funding) to support student learning in advance of potential bond measure
Ensure the board receives updates on expenditures monthly
Cultivate responsive and innovative learning opportunities to stopgap enrollment loss and rebuild enrollment and interest in NKSD
Monitor and track student enrollment proactively to plan for future years
Continue work on targeted plans to improve processes, documentation, and workflow in HR and business offices to reduce or eliminate potential accounting and/or payroll errors
Work with NKSD leadership team, school board, and community members to outline a clear pathway towards a bond measure in 2024 to replace aging infrastructure across NKSD
Ensure the community remains informed regarding school finance needs, challenges, and realities through in person meetings, board agenda items, and general communications from NKSD

Goal 2: Lead and direct “Year One” implementation efforts for the Strategic Plan, focusing on tangible evidence demonstrating progress towards all four identified goals.

Rationale:

It is time to double down and refocus on implementing the Strategic Plan. Last year, we completed “Year Zero” tasks, which included creating a plan for implementation, as well as identifying benchmarks, indicators, and signature strategies to achieve the goals in the plan. This year, we will focus on moving the work forward in all four identified goal areas.

Metrics:

Goal One: Increased percentage of elementary students who meet growth criteria in developmental domains of social-emotional wellness, literacy and math
Goal Two: Demonstrable evidence of RULER strategies observable in all elementary classrooms, and Character Strong strategies in secondary classrooms
Goal Three: Development of student advisory groups for all secondary schools and a district-wide “Superintendent Student Advisory Council” for both Kingston and Poulsbo area schools
Goal Four: Increased graduation rates and increased number of students entering high school on track
Year Two implementation plan is created by June 2022, and the plan is responsive to identified student outcomes as measured via a comprehensive data analysis at the school and systemic levels using the Student Success data dashboard
A new signature program is developed and ready for implementation in either the 2023-2024 academic year or 2024-2025 academic year
Communication of measures and indicators for each goal takes place within the system
Strategies for implementation are clearly developed and implementation begins
Identified benchmark data continues to be collected for all identified measures/indicators
School Connections are goal-focused and data rich, with meaningful data analysis taking place at every session

Action Items:

Continue growth of data literacy and principal led analysis, interpretation and application of student performance data with staff, parents and community
Communicate measures for all four goals of the Strategic Plan and review student data to date with the building leadership and district leadership teams (DSC, Principals)
Communicate strategies for all four goals of the Plan in collaboration with building leaders and DSC, and begin implementation of those strategies
Present the Strategic Plan as part of community communications both through the communications office and from direct meetings with the Superintendent/community groups
Continue intentional/explicit discussion and instruction on data literacy and blended learning for faculty and staff
Reorient all NKSD employees to the Strategic Plan through communications and work throughout the academic year
Ensure School Connections sessions are data-rich, focused on Strategic Plan goals, and discussing student progress towards identified measures
Ensure principals highlight cohort trend data and correlation between data analysis and future planning (eg, data led them to pursue a particular strategy, how they measured the strategy’s effectiveness, and how that analysis created the next step to improve outcomes for students)
Oversee and manage the capture of baseline data for all NKSD students so that we have a comprehensive baseline archived by June 2022
Collaborate with the leadership team to draft subsequent year implementation strategies by August 2022
Continue work on climate, trust and morale so as to foster authentic discussions regarding celebrations and problems in student learning and employee performance across the district
Continue equity focused PD and work in all schools
Create and implement student advisory councils at all four secondary schools
Create and implement Superintendent Advisory Councils (Kingston and Poulsbo area groups) and meet with these student groups 3x during academic year
Continue focus on collaborative planning and discussion among certificated staff focused on student outcomes and meeting student needs
Implement data-based strategies to analyze and address barriers to student learning via MTSS and AVID
Staff upholding Strategic Plan ideals are identified and celebrated
School board is updated at least twice on Strategic Plan goals and general NKSD progress towards the identified four goals and associated measures
Hold board and staff accountable for striving toward the vision articulated in the Strategic Plan
Signature program development begins no later than January 2023

Goal 3: Continue with identified, data-informed strategies to improve instructional effectiveness and student academic and social-emotional outcomes system-wide in every school.

Rationale:

Research points to the need for students to receive increased individualized services, an increased focus on social-emotional wellness, and additional academic supports following the pandemic. NKSD will continue focused work in key areas to support student academic and social-emotional outcomes (effective staff evaluation, MTSS, AVID, Blended Learning).
Research demonstrates that targeted intervention strategies produce positive academic outcomes for students. Last year, NKSD identified key research-based strategies to improve outcomes for students. Focused, consistent implementation of these strategies is imperative to help students as we continue to navigate the landscape of post-pandemic education.

Metrics:

Improved staff evaluation: Evaluation training takes place with all evaluators and fidelity of evaluation processes is evident across the system. Demonstrable improvement in accuracy, personalization, and quality of staff evaluations when reviewed by executive team members
MTSS: Demonstrable evidence of improved fidelity of implementation of MTSS in all schools
AVID: Demonstrable evidence of implementation of AVID with fidelity at all schools
Blended learning: Demonstrable evidence of blended learning taking place in all classrooms in NKSD
Year Two implementation strategies are identified by June 2022, and the identified strategies demonstrate responsiveness to obtained student outcomes as measured via a comprehensive data analysis at the school and systemic levels using the Student Success data dashboard
Improved student outcomes as measured by defined Strategic Plan indicators
Greater fidelity of implementation of evaluation processes and greater accuracy in evaluations capturing the performance of all NKSD personnel

Action Items:

Analysis of baseline data takes place with full leadership team to establish priorities for strategy implementation for the academic year
Continue comprehensive summer school program for eligible students in summer 2022
Conduct “Jump Start” programming and “Bridge” programming for transition grades (kindergarten, 6th, 9th grades) in August 2022 and August 2023
Effective device management for all students in NKSD (maintaining and improvement our adopted 1:1 model)
Effective deployment and integration of ViewSonic panels in all classrooms in NKSD
Continue personalized and small-group training to students and staff on how to effectively make use of 1:1 NKSD devices and technology resources in daily learning models and routines
Ensure continuity of support structures in technology department and school buildings to support technology work (1:1, blended learning)
Continue instruction on Google Classroom for all staff
Provide oversight and accountability for effective delivery of blended learning models in all classrooms in NKSD
Coordinate greater transparency and collaboration among leadership team members on the topic of evaluation practice as well as increasing the frequency of collaborative observations/walk-throughs, systematic evaluation of processes to assure effectiveness
Evaluation training takes place for all evaluators, focusing on identifying key behaviors leading to successful outcomes for employee and for students
Oversee and assist in training for all NKSD administration regarding effective coaching and evaluation practices with all direct reports
Continue faculty instruction on implementation of SEL curriculum/lessons, reinforce mandate for all students to receive SEL instruction on a regular, ongoing basis
Ensure fidelity of implementation for SEL at elementary and secondary levels, including adherence to NKSD curriculum (RULER and Character Strong, respectively)
Provide ongoing staff development on AVID strategies
Continue to implement AVID in all classrooms in all grades at all schools, with the expectation that additional components of AVID instruction will be clearly evident system-wide
MTSS basic structure is established at all NKSD schools
MTSS procedures are systematized for NKSD and communicated to all staff
Evidence that MTSS procedures are in use in an “emerging” or better level at all schools
Provide oversight and accountability for effective use of PLC time by staff, with an intentional focus on student outcomes
Monitor staffing, support and enrollment to ensure student needs are met
Create venue and process to identify Year Two strategies, goals, and benchmarks using data gathered during the current academic year
Maintain data dashboard archive to begin tracking year over year student outcomes

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2022 - 2023 Goals

Introduction and Context

Goals – Structure of Goals and Indicators

Goal 1: Ensure the long-term financial stability and financial sustainability of NKSD.

Goal 2: Lead and direct “Year One” implementation efforts for the Strategic Plan, focusing on tangible evidence demonstrating progress towards all four identified goals.

Goal 3: Continue with identified, data-informed strategies to improve instructional effectiveness and student academic and social-emotional outcomes system-wide in every school.