Setting Direction

Welcome and Purpose

Welcome and "Why we are here."

Set outcomes for the Setting Direction Retreat.

Review roles and responsibilities.

Reflect on Preferred Future Statement

Activity One: Review our prior work on the Preferred Future Statement from the Vision Retreat. 

Share feedback from students and teachers from the Portrait Activity.

Consider additions, deletions and/or refinements in the draft of the Preferred Future Statement. Share table team findings.

Perry Soldwedel

CEC Facilitator

75 Minutes

Draft Long-range Goals

Activity Two Part A:  Review current long-range themes/goals.

Consider revisions to goals.

Draft Long-range Goal statements

Perry Soldwedel

CED Facilitator

45-minutes 

Consider SMART Goals: Goals, Indicators, Measures and Targets.

Activity Two Part B: Learn about what makes a goal SMART and the importance of Key Performance Indicators, Measures, and Targets.

Discuss Tools for Schools: Work Smarter Not Harder.

Discuss Key Performance Indicators.

Perry Soldwedel

CED Facilitator

30-minutes 

Key Performance Indicators

Activity Two Part C: Provide feedback on POSSIBLE goal indicators and measures to be used to measure, progress monitor, and repot performance of the long-range goals.

Discuss Redefining read.

Perry Soldwedel

CED Facilitator

45-minutes 

Understanding the relationship between Goals and Strategies

Activity Three: Discuss the difference between a gaol and a strategy.

Learn about College, Career, and Life Readiness Standards.

View examples of goals and aligned strategies.

Perry Soldwedel

CED Facilitator

45-minutes 

Draft Strategies for each Long-range Goal

Answer the question:

What did we learn from our SWOT analysis and from our Preferred Future Statement that are the critical gaps (strategies) that need attention to move us closer to our Vision?

What remains unfinished and critical from the current plan?

Activity Four Part A: Reflect on SWOT analysis and Preferred Future Vision Statement to identify most urgent strategies for action.

Identify 10-12 strategies that are the most urgent to address that if addressed will move the district toward further accomplishment of its preferred future mission, vision, values/commitments and goals.

Perry Soldwedel

CEC Facilitator

60 Minutes

Move toward a consensus list of strategies.

Activity Four Part B: Examine the strategies identified by all table teams.

Look for those strategies consistently identified.

Perry Soldwedel

CEC Facilitator

30 Minutes

Preview Next Steps and Final Meeting Outcomes.

Preview the agenda for the Final Meeting of the Plan Team.

Understand what will be done between now and our next session to seek feedback from stakeholders.

Reflect on the Day

GOAL: WORLD CLASS EDUCATION

Engage all students in learning that leads to academic growth, achievement, and readiness for high school, college, career, and life.

Choose this current goal statement or select one you like better in the examples provided to the right. You can also write your own.

• Every student deserves a world-class education.
• Maximize student achievement to prepare our students to be high school, career and college ready.
• Ensure all students succeed by ensuring they know what success looks like.
• Build each student’s ownership of their learning.
• Provide a comprehensive, innovative education for each student to promote life, career, and postsecondary success.
• Promote student growth and achievement through a whole-child teaching and learning approach.
• Prepare all students to be future ready and empower them to dream, believe and achieve.
• Write your own.

GOAL: LEARNING CENTERED ENVIRONMENT & SUPPORTS

Provide personal support to each student to develop the skills and confidence to be self-sufficient learners.

Choose this current goal statement or select one you like better in the examples provided to the right. You can also write your own.

• Provide a safe and high-quality environment that supports student learning.
• Align the culture of the district and schools with 21st century research on teaching and learning.
• Create the conditions necessary to ensure personalized learning for each student.
• Growth for every student, elimination of outcome and opportunity gaps.
• Prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion to create an environment where personalized learning will be successful.
• An inclusive culture of learning allows each learner to define their pathway to success.
• Establish a safe, positive, and engaging learning environment to meet the academic, social and emotional needs of each student.
• Provide an engaging and nurturing environment to meet each student’s needs and interests.
• Write your own.

GOAL: WORLD’S BEST WORKFORCE

Provide personal support to each staff member to develop the skills and confidence to be innovative, exemplary, and visionary leaders of the district and their profession.

Choose this current goal statement or select one you like better in the examples provided to the right. You can also write your own.

• Invest in our workforce to ensure innovation, collaboration, passion, responsibility, and accountability.
• Every student deserves to learn in a classroom and school with caring, qualified employees.
• Hire and retain a talented, effective workforce with diverse cultural and experiential backgrounds, and provide them with meaningful professional learning.
• Engage employees and strengthen workplace pride through effective internal communication and collaboration.
• Select, develop, and retain a high-quality workforce to ensure each student is surrounded with excellent educators
• Invest in staff and leaders to ensure innovation, responsibility, and accountability.
• Each learner is supported by educators committed to creating the culture, structure, policies and instructional practices that engage them in their journey towards college, career, and life readiness.
• Write your own.

STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS

Engage families and the community as partners to support student success.

Choose this current goal statement or select one you like better in the examples provided to the right. You can also write your own.

• Partnering with families and the community to build trust, commitment, resources, and unity.
• Every student deserves opportunities to partner with families, business, and community partners to prepare for college, career, and life.
• Cultivate partnerships with families and the community to support and expand learning opportunities for each student.
• Ensure that schools are trusted as safe, quality, productive learning environments by parents and the community.
• Support partnerships through communication, collaboration, trust, and respect to advocate for student success.
• Success requires strong, respectful partnerships with our families and community.
• Communicate and collaborate to build trust, commitment, and community with stakeholders.
• Establish a culture of transparency, trust, and mutual respect with families and the community.
• Write your own.

STRATEGIC RESOURCES

Effectively, efficiently, and equitably manage the district's facilities and financial resources.

Choose this current goal statement or select one you like better in the examples provided to the right. You can also write your own.

• Ensuring sufficient and equitable resources to provide students what they need to thrive in the world and change it for the better.
• Serve as resource stewards for our community.
• Every student deserves to have equitable resources of time, space, people, and money We will improve and maintain facilities and the effectiveness of operations.
• Serve as resource stewards for our community.
• Ensure effective and efficient use of time, space and other resources through careful planning and financial stewardship
• Make effective and efficient use of our resources to maximize educational success for each student, every school, and the district.
• Align human, financial, and physical resources to ensure integrity and equity in resource planning and allocation.
• Align resources and infrastructure.
• Ensure effective and efficient use of time, space and other resources through careful planning and financial stewardship
• Write your own.

1

• Student performance on state tests is still lower than pre-pandemic levels in English language arts, Mathematics, and Science.
• Achievement gaps among student gender, ethnic and special education populations exist and need to be closed.
• Readiness: Numbers of students entering Preschool, Kindergarten, 3rd Grade Reading on level, and placement in High School are below standards and expectations.
• Full Day Kindergarten implementation
• Middle School Experience implementation

2

• Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) providing a continuum of services for academics and social emotional
• behaviors is not meeting all student needs. Student behaviors, PBIS, expectations, and consistency in implementation
• Student Satisfaction is low in the following areas: Parent Supportiveness, Classroom Disruptions, School Spirit,
• School lunch program, Course Clarity, Academic Press/Expectations, Extended high school orientation, and
• School Lunch program
• Student Ownership of Learning: Voice, Choice, Interests, Goal Setting, Accountability
• Equity (DEI) Continuum
• Innovative, cross-curricular, project-oriented, inquiry-based learning instructional practices and space.
• Safety and Violence
• Cultural awareness and differences

3

• Staff demographics need to mirror student demographics with implications for future recruitment and hiring.
• Certified Staff Satisfaction is low in the following areas: Classroom Disruptions, Teacher Safety, Collective
• Responsibility, School Commitment, Quality of Student Discussion, Collaborative Practices and Communication.
• Support Staff Satisfaction is low in the following areas: Ensure opinions count, Feel recognized, Collaborative Practices and Communication, Fairness to all employees, and Understand why changes are made
• Social and emotional student and staff needs following post COVID.
• Education staffing shortages and state certification barriers

4

• Families Satisfaction is low in the following areas: Every opportunity for child to be successful, Feedback on how child is learning, Communication, Safe environment, and Cleanliness & well-maintained buildings.
• Newcomers Needs and Belonging implementation.
• Parent Engagement, Education, and improved Communication
• Community Partnerships to enhance learning, teaching, as well as college, career, and life readiness. Partnership between District 207 and D62.
• Federal and State mandates and funding resources
• Lack of support and respect felt in the field of education due to societal unrest post pandemic.
• Family Mobility leading to time in school and unexpected enrollment fluctuation.

5

• Enrollment shifts: Class size, space, staffing, and resources
• Aging facilities with capital projects, replacements, remodeling, inclusive playgrounds, etc.
• Federal and State mandates and funding resources
• Social media access, appropriate use, and platforms accountability and Evolving Technology challenges
• Cyber security measures.

Goal: World Class Education

• GRADUATION RATE
• STATE ASSESSMENT ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS SCORE
• STATE ASSESSMENT MATHEMATICS SCORE
• STATE ASSESSMENT SCIENCE ASSESSMENT
• 9TH GRADE ON TRACK – HIGH SCHOOL READINESS
• READING ON LEVEL BY 3RD GRADE
• ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY
• FINE ARTS PARTICIPATION
• ADVANCE PLACEMENT/HONORS/ALGEBRA IN 8TH GRADE- HIGH SCHOOL READINESS

Goal: Learning Centered Environment & Supports

• STUDENT ATTENDANCE
• CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM
• DIVERSITY (White, Black, Hispanic, Asian, Multi-Racial, Low Income & Students with Disabilities)
• ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS
• CLASS SIZE
• STUDENT: TEACHER RATIO
• STUDENT: ADMINISTRATOR RATIO
• STUDENT BEHAVIOR REFERRALS
• IN SCHOOL SUSPENSIONS
• OUT OF SCHOOL SUSPENSIONS
• STUDENT SATISFACTION
• STUDENT ENGAGEMENT
• PARTICIPATION IN EXTRA CURRICULAR
• ACTIVITIES

Goal: World's Best Workforce

• TEACHER/STAFF ENROLLMENT
• TEACHER/STAFF DIVERSITY
• TEACHER/STAFF ATTENDANCE
• TEACHER/STAFF RETENTION
• TEACHER/STAFF EDUCATION
• TEACHER/STAFF PERFORMANCE EVAL
• NATIONAL BOARD-CERTIFIED TEACHERS
• CERTIFIED/ NON-CERTIFIED STAFF SATISFACTION
• SALARIES AND BENEFITS
• PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Strategic Partnerships

• FAMILY ENGAGEMENT
• FAMILY ATTENDANCE AT CONFERENCES
• FAMILY SATISFACTION
• VOLUNTEERISM
• FAMILY USE OF DIGITAL REPORTING SYSTEMS
• SERVICE-LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES
• INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
• NO. OF COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS
• FOUNDATION

Strategic Resources

• Diversity among students, family, and community populations.
• Mathematics, English language arts, and science student achievement increasing last three years on state assessment. Outperforming neighboring district with similar demographic makeups on state assessments.
• Highly qualified, caring certified staff members with many advanced degrees, endorsements, and certification in multiple subject areas. Caring, dedicated strong staff.
• High staff retention with 32% living in the community.
• Strong financial health with highest state financial rating, balanced budget.
• Debt free by 2025 paying off all building improvement expenses from prior referendum.
• Extensive technology with 1:1 devices and support to enhance teaching and learning.
• District actions to enhance and ensure safety and security.
• Early Learning Center
• Newly designed website, our multilingual e-Newletters, and consistent social media communication.

• Student performance on state tests is still lower than pre-pandemic levels in English language arts, Mathematics, and Science.
• Achievement gaps among student gender, ethnic and special education populations exist and need to be closed.
• Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) providing a continuum of services for academics and social emotional behaviors is not meeting all student needs. Student behaviors, PBIS, expectations, and consistency in implementation
• Readiness: Numbers of students entering Preschool, Kindergarten, 3rd Grade Reading on level, and placement in High School are below standards and expectations.
• Staff demographics need to mirror student demographics with implications for future recruitment and hiring.
• Student Satisfaction is low in the following areas: Parent Supportiveness, Classroom Disruptions, School Spirit, School lunch program, Course Clarity, Academic Press/Expectations, Extended high school orientation, and School Lunch program
• Certified Staff Satisfaction is low in the following areas: Classroom Disruptions, Teacher Safety, Collective Responsibility, School Commitment, Quality of Student Discussion, Collaborative Practices and Communication.
• Support Staff Satisfaction is low in the following areas: Ensure opinions count, Feel recognized, Collaborative Practices and Communication, Fairness to all employees, and Understand why changes are made
• Families Satisfaction is low in the following areas: Every opportunity for child to be successful, Feedback on how child is learning, Communication, Safe environment, and Cleanliness & well-maintained buildings.
• Enrollment shifts: Class size, space, staffing, and resources

• Student Ownership of Learning: Voice, Choice, Interests, Goal Setting, Accountability
• Equity (DEI) Continuum
• Transitions from elementary to middle and middle to high school.
• Innovative, cross-curricular, project-oriented, inquiry based learning instructional practices and space.
• Full Day Kindergarten implementation
• Middle School Experience implementation
• Newcomers Needs and Belonging implementation.
• Aging facilities with capital projects, replacements, remodeling, inclusive playgrounds, etc.
• Parent Engagement, Education, and improved Communication
• Community Partnerships to enhance learning, teaching, as well as college, career, and life readiness. Partnership between District 207 and D62.

• Political unrest and world events
• Safety and Violence
• Cultural awareness and differences
• Student and Family Mobility leading to time in school and unexpected enrollment fluctuation.
• Social and emotional student and staff needs following post COVID.
• Social media access, appropriate use, and platforms accountability and Evolving Technology challenges
• Federal and State mandates and funding resources
• Education staffing shortages and state certification barriers
• Lack of support and respect felt in the field of education due to societal unrest post pandemic.
• Cyber security measures.

Learner Portrait

• Self-Aware and Confident Individuals
• Social Skilled and Responsible Citizens
• Creative & Critical Scholars
• Collaborative Communicators
• Problem Solving Innovators
• Flexible and Agile Thinkers

Education Portrait

• Empathetic & Perseverant Advocates
• Trusting & Respectful Colleagues
• Knowledgeable & Skillful Instructors
• Student Centered Lifelong Learners
• Continuous Improvement Champions
• Decision-making Problem Solvers
• Collaborative Communicators

System Portrait

• Unity: Sense of Belonging and Community
• Trusting & Respectful Relationships
• Clear Purpose and Direction
• Communication & Collaboration
• Respectful of Student, Families and Staff
• Consistent Practices, Policies, and Procedures
• Values health, safety, and well-being of students, families, and staff

Empathy & Trusting Relationships

Safety & Well-being

Diversity & Inclusion

Relevancy & Readiness

Curiosity & Innovation

Equity & Accountability

Collaboration & Communication

Continuous Improvement & Stewardship

GOAL: 1

World Class Education

Current Strategies for each Long-Range Goal.

Personalize learning by providing a system of instructional interventions and enrichments to ensure achievement gaps close and that each student demonstrates growth and improvement in their learning.

Expand PreK-2 early learning options to increase the number of students demonstrating readiness for kindergarten and to set expectations for students to be reading at grade level by the end of second grade.

Improve transition from elementary to middle to high school through the development of a personalized pathway/portfolio that can be monitored, reported, and adjusted annually to ensure progress toward college, career, and life readiness.

• Student performance on state tests is still lower than pre-pandemic levels in English language arts, Mathematics, and Science. S
• Achievement gaps among student gender, ethnic and special education populations exist and need to be closed. S
• Readiness: Numbers of students entering Preschool, Kindergarten, 3rd Grade Reading on level, and placement in High School are below standards and expectations. S
• Full Day Kindergarten implementation. S
• Middle School Experience implementation. S
• Learner Portrait P

1. Increase student performance while ensuring learner readiness from grade to grade, school to school, and middle to high school.
2. Expand learning choices among early learning (Birth to Grade 1) and middle school programs and services (6-8)
3. Align curriculum expectations with the Learner Profile to set consistent grade level learning curricular expectations, assessments, and instruction.
4. Provide meaning professional learning to instructional staff to ensure high student engagement, curiosity, innovation, and project-based mastery learning experiences.

GOAL: 2

LEARNING CENTERED ENVIRONMENT & SUPPORTS

Increase opportunities for student voice, engagement, and responsibility in being an active participant in their learning.

Continuously enhance student social, emotional, and health needs.

Explore unique student and family choice options for delivery of services: PreK-8, year-round, dual language, multi-grade, STEM, and other.

• Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) providing a continuum of services for academics and social emotional behaviors is not meeting all student needs. Student behaviors, PBIS, expectations, and consistency in implementation S
• Student Satisfaction is low in the following areas: Parent Supportiveness, Classroom Disruptions, School Spirit, School lunch program, Course Clarity, Academic Press/Expectations, Extended high school orientation, and School Lunch program. S
• Student Ownership of Learning: Voice, Choice, Interests, Goal Setting, Accountability. S
• Equity (DEI) Continuum S
• Innovative, cross-curricular, project-oriented, inquiry-based learning instructional practices and space. S
• Safety and Violence S
• Cultural awareness and
• differences S
• Mission and Vision P
• Learner Portrait P
• CORE Values P

5. Operationalize a Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) providing a continuum of programs and services for academics and social emotional behaviors.

6. Address student satisfaction in all areas where it has been identified as in need of attention through annual surveys.

7. Demonstrate success in increasing opportunities for student voice, engagement, and responsibility in being active participants in their learning through a tracked personalized pathway system.

8. Continue to ensure the learning and teaching environment is safe, secure, nurturing, equitable and inclusive.

GOAL: 3

WORLD’S BEST WORKFORCE

Provide opportunities for staff voice, engagement, and input into critical decisions that lead to improved collaboration, articulation, professional development, and system coherence.

Build trust, confidence, support, and relationships within the work environment to impact staff health and wellbeing.

Assist staff identify, use, and reflect on key data sources to monitor and report progress and drive instructional decisions.

• Staff demographics need to mirror student demographics with implications for future recruitment and hiring. S
• Certified Staff Satisfaction is low in the following areas: Classroom Disruptions, Teacher Safety, Collective Responsibility, School Commitment, Quality of Student Discussion, Collaborative Practices and Communication. S
• Support Staff Satisfaction is low in the following areas: Ensure opinions count, Feel recognized, Collaborative Practices and Communication, Fairness to all employees, and Understand why changes are made. S
• Social and emotional student and staff needs following post COVID. S
• Education staffing shortages and state certification barriers S
• Portrait of a Learner P
• Portrait of an Educator P
• Portrait of the System P
• Core Values P
• Mission and Vision P

9. Address certified and support staff satisfaction in all areas where it has been identified as in need of attention through annual surveys.

10. In recruitment and hiring decisions, prepare for staffing shortages, state certification barriers, and changing staff demographics reflecting student demographics.

11. Impact staff health and well-being through social, emotional, and physical challenges.

12. Enhance commitment from staff to the new strategic plan, align expectations to the Educator Portrait, and align behaviors to the core values.

GOAL:

STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS

Improve communication and collaboration with families and the community through clear expectations, engagement, Input, and ownership.

Partner with community businesses, agencies, and other organizations to further student and staff learning and provide both career and workplace resources and experiences.

• Families Satisfaction is low in the following areas: Every opportunity for child to be successful, Feedback on how child is learning, Communication, Safe environment, and Cleanliness & well maintained buildings. S
• Newcomers Needs and Belonging implementation. S
• Parent Engagement, Education, and improved Communication S
• Community Partnerships to enhance learning, teaching, as well as college, career, and life readiness. Partnership between District 207 and D62. S
• Lack of support and respect felt in the field of education due to societal unrest post pandemic. S
• Family Mobility leading to time in school and unexpected enrollment fluctuation. S
• Portrait of a System/District-P
• Mission and Vision-P

13. Address family satisfaction in all areas where it has been identified as in need of attention through annual surveys to engage families as partners in the student’s education.

14. Address the changing needs of families through belonging, newcomers to the district, mobility, multi-languages spoken, and/or declining trust and respect for public education.

15. Ensure a healthy partnership between District 62 and District 207.

16. Ensure a heathy partnership between District 62 and the community to further student and staff learning and provide both career and workplace resources and experiences.

GOAL:

STRATEGIC RESOURCES

Equitably allocate resources to meet the needs of all students and ensure the district continuously improves.

Guarantee all facilities are safe, equitable, and optimal for 21st century teaching and learning.

• Enrollment shifts: Class size, space, staffing, and resources S
• Aging facilities with capital projects, replacements, remodeling, inclusive playgrounds, etc. S
• Federal and State mandates and funding resources S
• Social media access, appropriate use, and platforms accountability and evolving technology challenges S
• Cyber security measures. S
• SYSTEM Portrait. P

17. Address space and class size inconsistencies across the district, while ensuring facilities are safe, clean, well maintained, and optimal for 21st century teaching and learning.

18. Continue to equitably allocate resources to meet the needs of all students and ensure the district continuously improves.

19. Enhance the use of technology as a tool to further teaching and learning.

20. Influence federal, state, and local legislation to maintain the historical sound financial picture of the district.