FY23 Action Plans

Finance, Facilities, Resources

Interior

• Assessing classroom and interior square footage needs at each building, including occupancy limits.

Exterior

• Complete site analysis including acreage, square footage, flood plain, sanitation and utilities

Review

• Current building plans, conduct site visits, meet 1:1 with elementary principals
• Current site and building plans and overall campus

District Architect

• Has completed assessment
• Has completed analysis
• Continues to develop the middle school site feasibility

Construction

• Study potential to add on to each building
• Study potential to develop either a single FDK center, or 2 FDK centers (North/South)

Work with architect to develop

• Potential construction project
• Potential center/s-based construction plan.

Reorganization

• Feasibility study of relocating Forest Administration Center (upstairs at Forest) to repurpose space for 3rd, 4th & 5th grade classrooms.

Financial Plan

• Ensuring funds are available when necessary

Instructional Services

Engage in site visits to neighboring districts that already implement FDK

• To learn about professional development
• To learn about classroom design, learning materials and resources
• To understand their daily classroom scheduling

Develop backwards map

• Professional learning in anticipation of FDK implementation
• Teaching and learning materials and resource needs in anticipation of FDK implementation

Create classroom daily schedule for instructional minutes allocated to each subject.

Human Resources

Investigate

• Staffing needs
• Internal staffing licensure to consider current staffing solutions within our own employee group

Communications

Review the current Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) model

Build a common, shared understanding and language of Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) as one comprehensive system that supports both academics and Social Emotional Learning (SEL)

• Clarify relationships between SEL and academics
• Define and outline Tier 1, 2 and 3 practices in District 62
• Reinforce and emphasize the importance and continual use of:
  • Research-based and evidence-based methodologies
  • Data-based decision making
  • Assessment linked to intervention
  • Progress monitoring
  • Systematic team problem-solving

Design professional learning plan on the above 

Develop a Professional Learning Community (PLC) teacher team meeting problem-solving process that guides and ensures timely Tiers 1-3 extra support for students who need it. The problem-solving process will reflect research-based and evidence-based practices that connects to Tiers 1-3 extra support action for both academics and SEL.

Design professional learning plan on the above

Develop and convene a new MTSS-team

• Set annual dates and rolling agenda
• Set scope of work
• Develop shared understanding of MTSS

Resource Allocation

• Balance average class sizes between buildings
• Balance which building district programs are housed in an equitable, accessible and inclusive way.

Curricular Support

• Review resources to identify equity and belonging opportunities
• Incorporate articles and historically relevant figures into social studies curriculum that represent diverse people and groups
• Train and support middle school teachers to navigate texts with possible controversial content or language

Resource Allocation

• Balance average class sizes between buildings
• Explore inclusive and accessible learning and play spaces
• Adapt or change playgrounds to be accessible for all
• Evaluate equitable funding for middle schools
• Evaluate increased enrollment at North Elementary School

Learning

• Identify and secure opportunities for professional development around equity and belonging topics
• Identify equity and belonging topics to address with students
• Develop systems within each middle school building for students to self-monitor equity and belonging issues
• Identify staff who will lead/coordinate equity and belonging work
• Develop plans to address inequities

Professional Learning

• Leadership group engaged in professional learning about equity and belonging.

Resource Allocation

• Ensure equitable funding for middle schools
• Address increased enrollment at North Elementary School

Explore leadership training opportunities to increase engagement and effectiveness of meetings with educators

Plan for annual new teacher training for Kagan Cooperative learning structures to ensure sustainability of practices with teachers new to the district.

Ensure

• Support principals to lead their schools for effective implementation of Kagan cooperative learning structures
• Support teachers to participate in job-embedded, in-classroom coaching throughout the year (up to 6 times for each teacher)

Train all D62 Teachers on Day 3 and Day 4 Kagan cooperative learning structures and prepare for Day 5 in August 2024

Collaborate with principals to increase the number of trained student engagement coaches at their schools

• Create and share teacher communication guide with principals
• Plan with Kagan to schedule trainings and implement training

Day 4& 5 Cooperative Learning

Two-Day Coaching Workshop

Current data sources for satisfaction

• 5Essentials data (certified staff)
• Effective Leaders - 50%
• Collaborative Teachers - 48%
• Strategic planning surveys

Research other survey opportunities

Conduct regular Stay Interviews across all staffing groups to take pulse of staff satisfaction

Utilize Exit Interviews to examine reasons for leaving

Establish a culture committee that routinely reviews survey data

Develop recognitions calendar

Implement extensive onboarding for leadership positions

With Joint Administration Association Committee (JAAC) implement recently developed onboarding guides for all support personnel.

Staff Recruitment

Assess historical hiring practices and analyze:

• Retention data, demographic data, annual need, enrollment
• Projections, retirements and current staffing
• Title 2 data from universities
• Full Day Kindergarten
• Investigate paid student teaching experience

Recruitment plan that addresses short term and long term practices and strategies to include:

• Increased presence at teacher/certified and non-certified recruitment events
• Hosting recruitment events in house for non-certified positions
• Pathway for clinical internships and field experiences (Social Worker and School Psychologist)
• Revamped pathway for student teachers in high needs vacancy areas
• Building a staff that is more reflective of the community
• Planning for retirements, including district leadership positions

Why 62 campaign

Change timelines for recruitment and hiring

Growing paraeducators through teacher certification programs

Partnerships with universities for clinical candidates and student teaching candidates that reflect district needs

Partner with Maine 207 for Career and Technical Education (CTE) students interested in teaching profession and create a loop to bring our D62 graduates back as student teachers

Provide preferential status to student teaching requests from D62 graduates

Utilize Title 2 data to create targeted recruitment efforts

Increase and maintain social media presence highlighting D62 positive news

Identify potential internal candidates for future leadership roles and help develop via Lead62 programming

Use the Why 62 to highlight the district for prospective candidates - on website and through branding and marketing

Make preliminary staffing recommendations earlier in order to lengthen time for recruitment if needed as well as identify and hire candidates earlier

Staff Retention

91% retention rate for certified staff

Frequent support staff turnover and vacancies

Administrative staff turnover in recent years

Conduct regular Stay Interviews across all staffing groups to take pulse of staff satisfaction

Utilize Exit Interviews to examine reasons for leaving

Conduct regular Stay Interviews across all staffing groups to take pulse of staff satisfaction

Utilize Exit Interviews to examine reasons for leaving

Provide and communicate growth opportunities across all other employee groups:

Micro-credential or endorsements-certified Certifications/trainings-classified

Website implementation: July 1, 2023

• Host four to six Superintendent podcasts a year
• Create two Superintendent videos a year
• Create a news story twice a month for each school
• Refine pages within the website throughout the year
• Make enhancements to internal pages
• Evaluate analytics
• Showcase a video at each Board of Education meeting as part of the 62 Stories campaign
• Develop assessments to evaluate website

Middle School Experience Focus

• Investigate various opportunities to enhance the instrumental and vocal music experience for 6th-8th grade students

• Investigate various student interest driven Encore choices and opportunities (photography, digital media creator, etc.)

Community Partnership Focus

• Identify programs and services available through MaineStay that could be of benefit to the district and families

Connectivity Between Elementary & High School District:

• Explore the benefits of providing SchooLinks usage: Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL) Standards for SEL modules, K-12 scheduling, & enrollment

Middle School Experience Focus

• Preparing to expand 6th grade Encore from four classes to six classes for students beginning in the 2024-2025 school year

• Planning for expansion of student interest Encore choice options for 7th and 8th grade students in subsequent years

Data Sharing Agreement:

• Finalize the Intergovernmental Agreement for Board approval

Middle School Experience Focus

• Increased student access to Spanish class by removing assessment criteria and thus opening the class up to any student who would like to participate

• Implemented a Middle School Encore Committee comprised of teachers and administrators to reimagine the middle school Encore experience, student interest and opportunities

• Researched various middle school Encore programs to learn from surrounding districts

Community Partnership Focus

• District departments collaborate with “like” departments with D207

• Principals collaborate with D207 principals

• Member of Northwest Suburban Autism Consortium (NWSAC) in which we collaborate and share information and events with staff and families

• The district has compiled a directory of available services for families in need

• The district has a partnership with the Kenneth Young Center which provides clinical and non-clinical services to students and training to staff

• Partner with North Cook Intermediate Service Center to support and/or enhance the educational experience for our students, staff and families

Full Day Kindergarten

Interior: Assessing classroom and interior square footage needs at each building including occupancy limits and current usage

Review current building plans, conduct site visits, meet with principals and staff

Two modular classrooms at North School

Middle School Experience

Interior: Assessing classroom and interior square footage needs at each building including occupancy limits and current usage and accessibility

Investigate spaces to improve current and potential future programs

Exterior: Complete site analysis including acreage, square footage, flood plain, sanitation, utilities and accessibility

Review current site and building plans and overall campus

Construction: Study potential to add on to and improve each building

Work with architect to develop potential construction project details

Investigate spaces to improve current and potential future programs

Conduct site visits of other districts

Evaluate current spaces

Space Utilization

North Elementary School capacity

Central Elementary School capacity

Forest Elementary School capacity

Conduct a review of current space usage. Review occupancy limits

Evaluate under-utilized classrooms/spaces

Detailed investigation on how to be more efficient with space

Unequitable class sizes

Make sure class size is more equitable throughout the district

Possible requirement of Pre-K for all

Stay aware of any changes in state requirements. Assess ELC increase in capacity