Strategic Plan
Eastern Carver County Schools has completed a comprehensive strategic planning process that identified what was working well, what needed improvement, and the desired experiences of students, families, and staff. The strategic plan is the roadmap the district will follow to continuously improve personalized instruction, climate, and experience to achieve high levels of success for all students.
Key Elements
- Core Planning Team
- Community Engagement
- District Analysis
- Desired Daily Experience
- Essential Elements of Personalized Learning
- Operational Plan
- Vision Card
- Reporting
Core Planning Team
The district's core planning team was very intentional in assembling a district strategic planning team that represents the diversity of experiences and perspectives found throughout our schools. Staff were identified in every building and department, representing various specialities, to be a part of the initial stages of this process. The district truly wanted to have as many voices participate as feasible both to honor district history and imagine what is possible through the ideas and perspectives of new staff, as well.
Community Engagement
Our strategic plan was created with a high level of engagement and input from key stakeholders that included students, parents, staff, board members, and community leaders.
DDE engagement
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Surveys of all staff, families, and students in grades 8-12
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Nine focus groups including random samples of parents at all three levels, Parent Advisory, SEAC, Early Childhood, and Families of Color
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12 groups of students (65 students) representing a variety of achievement levels, student involvement, race, ethnicity, and gender/gender identification
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Eight groups including licensed and non-licensed staff at all levels from different teaching and operational roles
Roadmap engagement
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Surveys of all staff, families, and students in grades 8-12
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Additional conversations with community leaders, parent advisory groups, and underrepresented populations
Personalized Learning Engagement
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Survey of teachers regarding the current reality of personalized learning and the desire moving forward
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Ten focus groups including: teachers at every level, coaches, community leaders, parents at every level and administration
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Multiple reiterations of personalized learning based on feedback and discussions
District Analysis
Story Wall
The first step taken by the district strategic planning team was the StoryWall process. This work reflects on the district's history, its work in the present, and uses that information to set a foundation for the path moving forward. What was learned through the work is that this is a district rich in tradition that is student-focused and knows how to unite through adversity. Members identified their goals for the strategic planning process, which were to produce a shared, student-centered vision that used a collaborative approach for success and aligned resources to meet the needs of students and staff.
The growth within the Eastern Carver County Schools system was really captured during this process, as well as the impacts of changing leadership, technology, and demographics.
Environmental Scan
TeamWorks uses an Environmental Scan process to identify and assess key trends and influences within the educational system to determine which are increasing, decreasing, or evolving. It is a snapshot in time that helps districts determine what they're seeing within their schools and identify where change is necessary.
Desired Daily Experience
Success toward achieving our vision will also be measured through our commitment to actualizing the desired daily experiences of our students, families, and staff. The common themes from our stakeholders identified the importance of being seen, heard, valued, and trusted as a member of our district community.
Essential Elements of Personalized Learning
If/when
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We demonstrate our belief that all students can and will learn at high levels within a safe, welcoming and inclusive learning community.
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Students are highly engaged, heard, and active in their learning and in collaboration with each other.
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We articulate learning targets that are aligned to the MN state standards with clean success criteria.
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Students are provided flexible and multiple modes of instruction, assessment and learning.
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We utilize evidence-based instructional practices for growth in behavior, cognitive and social emotional intelligence for each and every student.
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We provide each student with timely, relevant, and meaningful feedback that moves learning forward.
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We engage in a data-driven, professional and collegial professional learning community process and professional development that improves learning experiences and academic outcomes.
Then, Eastern Carver County Schools’ Vision and Mission will be realized for each student; classroom by classroom.
The district’s focus during the 2022-23 school year will be on the two bolded elements. Progress on these elements will be tracked via professional development opportunities, and in the action cards at the school and district level.
Operational Plan
The district operational plan, using the district’s strategic directions as the framework, identifies the initiatives and projects under study or being implemented to improve and innovate within our schools. Data-driven and measurable Action Cards will be used by schools and departments to support the identified projects and initiatives.
The operational plan will be updated and reviewed annually to reflect progress and continue to push the district forward. The projects included will directly or indirectly connect to the operational plan. The following plans are aligned with the district operational plan:
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Annual School Improvement Plan
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Annual Department Improvement Plan
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3-Year Governance Work Plan
These plans work together to create greater levels of coherence and alignment throughout the district through proactive planning, collaboration, and decision-making.
Vision Card
Identified measures and metrics will be an integral component of the strategic plan. The Vision Card will detail the key quantitative and qualitative measures and metrics for the successful implementation of the district’s mission and vision. This allows the community to monitor district progress toward goals.
At the district level we will initially measure:
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Student achievement
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Student attendance
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Classroom instruction (Essential Elements of Personalized Learning)
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Student Desired Daily Experience
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Student advancement opportunities
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Management of resources (Human, Financial, Physical)
As the district strategic plan moves forward, additional measures may be added to the Vision Card.
At the building level, there will be public-facing reporting that reflects building report cards which monitor progress aligned to the district vision card. The progress reflects the work of building action cards that support school improvement.
Reporting
What we will report
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Progress toward the district strategic plan will be reported twice a year using the measure
ments included in the district’s vision card - once mid-year, and once at the conclusion of the school year
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In the interim, every staff report to the board will be aligned to a strategic direction so there are ongoing ties to the work at every board meeting
How will we report
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Board meetings
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District website
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Strategic planning documents
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District Vision Cards
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District newsletters
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Building websites
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Building-specific data and progress monitoring
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