Dear students, families and staff,
With the 2022-2023 school year now in the books, we can finally settle in for the summer break. The end of the school year is a whirlwind of celebrations and sendoffs, and while it’s a time marked by many transitions, it’s also a time in which we can look back at the progress that’s been made.
I want to thank all of our students, families, staff and community partners who helped make this school year a success. Your energy, commitment and dedication has been evident, particularly as we continue to move forward from the global pandemic.
Last fall, I set several detailed goals for the District, aligned with the goals of our strategic plan. Additionally, District departments and schools set goals for the year. At Monday’s Board of School Committee meeting, the District leadership team provided an update on progress toward our goals. This progress is a great point of pride and it’s a big step forward for our District.
This post will provide a brief overview of our progress toward our District goals, however you can also find more detailed information in the documents linked below.
- District Goals Presentation to Board of School Committee
- District Goals Background Documents
- Department Goals Background Documents
Three District goals
Over my first year as the Superintendent of the Manchester School District, I have sought to provide stabilization, systemization and work toward our Long Term Facilities Planning Project.
I am pleased to share that of the 17 total goals, 11 have been completed and 6 are in progress (there are no goal areas that have not been started). Of the 6 goals in progress I expect to see these areas shift to completed by August 2023. Here is a breakdown of our District goals and the progress we’ve made this year:
GOAL 1: STABILIZATION
Following years of leading learning during a pandemic and leadership transitions, the time is now to stabilize the district, from the staff to the systems, understanding that a healthy functioning structure leads to improved student outcomes.
Needs based organizational chart: Updated organizational chart and updates to job descriptions
DONE: The 2022-2023 organizational chart was presented in fall of 2022. An updated version will be shared with the BOSC in August 2023.
Improve communications: Regular communications with all stakeholders; new websites and mobile apps launched
DONE: Our new websites launched in January along with the use of monthly newsletters and direct email communications.
Stabilize priorities: Re-focus and realign priorities to strategic plan, with departments and schools goals
DONE: All goals this year were developed to align with the strategic plan. The goal work this year is baseline generation and systems planning to move our work forward. Everything from our weekly meetings to board communications has been organized with the strategic plan framework.
Establish and update systems: Audit existing systems, materials and partnerships; MUNIS system upgraded
DONE: MUNIS upgrade is now live – a long overdue first step in this process.
GOAL 2: STABILIZATION
Alignment with guiding documents such as the Strategic Plan to develop baseline data sets and comprehensive district goals and department goals.
Office of Civil Rights agreement: Monthly updates to board started in October; agreement with OCR 75% satisfied
DONE: We learned that three-fourths areas of action have been completed with the Office of Civil Rights. We are addressing the remaining action item at this time. Monthly updates have been presented at Teaching and Learning since the fall of 2022. A team has been formed at the district to gather and process all of the work related to the remaining action item.
Update course catalog: Course catalog adopted opening up new pathways to higher level learning; course selection begins this month
DONE: The course catalog was developed and approved this year and reflected Higher Level Learning Opportunities (HLLOs) for all students.
Professional development: Yearly map of targeted opportunities for all staff, aligned with District and department goals; monthly newsletter; data collection under way
DONE: Our first calendar year PD offering was offered this year along with monthly PD digest updates for staff and data collection following PD offerings.
MTSS: Crosswalk between MTSS A and MTSS B; additional coach hired; systems rolled out for buses in fall 2002
DONE: We now have MTSS A and B in play within the district and have hired an additional coach along with applying for grant opportunities to further enhance and increase rollout pacing.
GOAL 3: LONG-TERM FACILITIES PLANNING
Work with the Board of School Committee to develop a long term facilities concept model and work-plan to meet the dynamic needs of our learners, educators, and community in 21st-century learning environments during the 2022-2023 school year.
Concept model: 3-4-12 model established and approved by the Board in August 2022
DONE: The model was approved and work has been moving forward to refine the concept model.
Request for qualifications/proposals: First stages completed, Finance and Facilities team to make recommendation on vendor to partner with on work
DONE: We released a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) and a Request for Proposals (RFP) and the vendor selected was SMMA.
Community engagement: Once vendor is selected, move quickly into planning and visioning sessions with the community
DONE: Monthly updates have been provided at Finance and Facilities as a means to share ongoing progress.
DONE: Tours, visioning sessions, educational use, siting and refinement of the 3-4-12 model
Moving forward together
The District goals include some of the goals of our departments and our schools, although those goals stretch far beyond what I’ve outlined above. Progress on all of this could not have happened without the work of our district staff, partnership with community organizations, and support of the Board of School Committee. Along with our students and families, we are a team, all pushing forward for the benefit of our students.
While we are certainly celebrating this progress, we know that there is much work left to be done. Our District and school leadership teams will be working this summer to establish a new set of goals for the coming school year – we will provide an update on those as we return from summer break.
I am immensely proud of the work of the District team, school teams, community partners and our board. As I say – a healthy and thriving school system contributes to a healthy and thriving community. I hope that you all have the opportunity to relax and recharge in the coming months. I thank you all for your support and I hope you have an amazing summer.
Sincerely,
Jennifer Gillis
Superintendent of Schools