News Release
Homer CCSD 33C
Goodings Grove Luther J. Schilling William E. Young William J. Butler
Hadley Middle Homer Jr. High
Contact: Charla Brautigam, Communications/Public Relations Manager
cbrautigam@homerschools.org | 708-226-7628
For Immediate Release:
Feb. 22, 2016
Homer 33C making progress on community-driven 5-year strategic plan
Four years ago, Homer School District 33C solicited feedback from its stakeholders and formed a committee to help craft a long-term plan for the district.
The result was a five-year strategic plan that mapped out specific goals for the district as well as a timeline for completing them.
Earlier this month, the Board of Education was presented with an update on the progress.
“We’re coming to the tail end of the strategic plan and we’ve made quite a bit of progress,” said Superintendent Kara Coglianese.
“We’re continually working on carrying out pieces (of the strategic plan) and are close to completing it,” added Kathleen Robinson, assistant superintendent for instruction.
The five-year strategic plan was launched at the beginning of the 2013-14 school year. It included such goals as establishing benchmark assessments for students, reviewing/revising all job descriptions for district employees and offering professional development on differentiated instruction.
The plan was crafted with the help of a 40-member committee (that included parents, teachers, administrators, non-certified staff members and community members) as well as feedback from stakeholders.
Together, they helped identify five strategic goals:
- Student Achievement: Provide an effective and instructional program that supports academic success for all students
- Learning Environment: Provide a safe, welcoming and inspirational learning environment that compels and motivates students to participate in their own education
- Professional Environment: Maintain a positive, dynamic work environment in a self-renewing organization
- Partnerships: Build and strengthen productive partnerships among all stakeholders to effectively communicate the district’s ongoing journey
- Resources: Manage and maintain the district’s positive fiscal status while addressing the district’s strategic priorities
From there, the district developed eight high-level strategies to serve as a roadmap and timeline for completing objectives. Each strategy included three to seven objectives for administrators to focus on through the 2017-18 school year.
They included:
- Establishing district curriculum pacing guides
- Aligning curricular materials
- Training around common core and essential learning targets
- Aligning common summative assessments
- Evaluating RtI service delivery and resources
- Training on SMART Goals based on student achievement data
Many of the objectives (36 in all) have been completed. Those remaining include:
- Unpacking Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and establishing benchmarks for each grading period as well as district science curriculum pacing guides and aligned curricular materials
- Evaluating gifted/talented service delivery and resources
- Developing clear technology standards for each grade level
- Developing a Parent Advisory Council
Looking back, administrators agree the five-year plan has served students, staff and the community well.
“The strategic plan gave us a clear focus on where we wanted to go and a roadmap for getting there,” said Robinson. “Every decision we made was related to the strategic plan.”
She recommends the district follow the same procedure when drafting its next five-year strategic plan.
