Hinsdale Township high

school district 86

THREE-YEAR ACTION PLAN

2012-2013, 2013-2014, 2014-2015

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Strategic plan

MISSION STATEMENT

Hinsdale Township High School District 86 is a community of learners committed to

education in an environment that promotes excellence, respect, and responsibility. We

believe. . .

• Learning is a lifelong process

• All students are capable of learning

• Respect for diversity is an integral part of education

• Students learn best in a safe and supportive environment

• Education is a shared responsibility among students, parents, the school,

and the community

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Strategic plan

District 86 follows a student centered goals approach. All internal focus areas

are interrelated but center around the “Student Centered” goal.

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Strategic plan

Focus Area: Communication

Improve communication among staff and between students and

staff. Improve communication with community members.

Focus Area: Finance

Improve use of financial resources to optimize efficiency of district and educational resources

for staff and students.

Focus Area: Facilities

Create an environment within each school that is modern,

environmentally friendly, clean and secure, recognizes the

unique needs of a diverse population of students, and promotes

optimal learning for all students

Focus Area: Faculty/Staff

Develop protocols and procedures to improve

faculty/board relations and communication. Promote

relevant and effective professional development.

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Strategy

Increase academic standards and improve and align the curriculum and instructional program to ensure that all students of all ability levels at

both schools are challenged to their maximum academic potential.

Initiatives Covered

x. The Board of Education will challenge its leadership to continue to develop programs and structures that are consistent with a high-

achieving and respected school system.

r. Challenge the organization to continually improve its quality and be a leader with respect to educational best practices.

b. Increase the academic standards and expectations at all ability levels to ensure that they are aligned to the philosophy and expectations

of the district.

d. Refine the core curriculum and instructional program to ensure that it is challenging to all students.

e. Increase academic standards for middle and below-average students.

g. Document and align the curriculum both vertically and horizontally to provide a guide for instruction and assessment of the curriculum

and instructional program across the District.

h. Coordinate and articulate curricular programs with the feeder districts and provide entry-level assessment systems to monitor abilities

and skills of students entering District 86 high schools.

l. The District will ensure that resources and opportunities are equitably provided to meet the needs of all students.

Standards and alignment

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Tactics Timeline Management Metrics Administer a gap analysis of district curriculum as it relates to Common

Core Standards.

District and building level curriculum and instructional leadership teams

review Common Core Standards and best practice implementation.

Update the curriculum and instructional program to ensure alignment to

Common Core Standards.

Ensure implementation of the Common Core Curriculum through

professional development that guarantees equity across schools and student

ability levels.

Develop a comprehensive articulation plan with the feeder districts that

includes feedback on the academic success of their respective students with

regard to District 86 standards.

2012-2015 school

years. Progress to

be reported

quarterly.

Membership roster, meeting

schedule and minutes of

Standards and Alignment

Committee

Gap Analysis

Analysis of District standards

with regard to Common Core

Standards

Revised, comprehensive

curriculum guides for District

Curriculum

Membership roster, schedule

and minutes of Feeder School

Articulation meetings

STRATEGY Area: Standards and Alignment

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Strategy

Establish a vision to ensure that the best interests of District 86 students are at the center of all decisions made; the curricular and co-curricular

programming, as well as secure learning environment in District 86, must take into consideration the diverse needs of the student population

and the individual needs of each student.

Initiatives Covered

a. Improve overall satisfaction of all students and graduates with their educational experience in District 86.

c. Monitor the implementation and integration of special education and English Language Learners program to ensure that it is consistent

with the values of the school district.

f. Provide opportunities for students to explore interests in additional elective programming opportunities outside of the core academic

curriculum.

q. Monitor school climate at both schools to ensure that discipline procedures are consistently enforced and school climate and safety issues

are addressed to ensure a healthy learning environment is maintained.

Student-centered

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Tactics Timeline Management Metrics Revise, if necessary, the Vision, Values and Mission statements to ensure

that they are student-centered and reflect a commitment to excellence and

student achievement. (Building and department statements should also be

aligned to the District vision and mission.)

Incorporate differentiated instructional techniques into the classroom

instruction in all departments (Hinsdale Academy).

Incorporate a variety of instructional methodologies into the classroom

setting to increase student/student interaction, inquiry learning and critical

thinking skills (Hinsdale Academy).

Integrate the special education program, English Language Learners

program and Response to Intervention (RtI) requirements into the total

school program to ensure that the individual needs of all students are being

met and they are challenged to their full potential, regardless of ability

level.

Ensure the structure of the school day enables students to have access to

the elective courses, partnerships, internships, and vocational programs of

their choice.

Explore additional opportunities in Student Activities and Athletics.

Conduct SEL Curriculum Audit for each department.

Embed SEL Standards in curriculum for each department.

2012-2015 school

years. Progress to be

reported quarterly.

School Climate Study

Student Surveys

SEL Curriculum Audit

District RtI Plan

Teachers trained in

embedding SEL in their

instruction

Focus Area: Student-centered

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Strategy

Attract and retain quality educators and staff through an environment that emphasizes professional development and excellent working

relationships, and ensures a high degree of employee satisfaction.

Initiatives Covered

m. Develop a staff development program that includes District-wide initiatives and departmental initiatives in its structure.

n. Provide staff development in innovative teaching modalities, engaged instructional methodologies and differentiated instruction to ensure

that the learning needs of all students are being met.

o. In-service training of faculty in the use of instructional technology should be incorporated into the District staff development program.

p. Develop a plan to improve employee satisfaction throughout the District.

w. The Board of Education should develop protocols and procedures to improve faculty/board relations and communication.

Faculty/staff

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Tactics Timeline Management Metrics Provide structures to improve teacher collaboration within and among

departments and between buildings to plan instruction and share ideas

(JAM Meeting).

Identify factors affecting employee morale and implement structures to

improve employee satisfaction, with an emphasis on improving

faculty/board relations (District Round Table - DRT).

Hinsdale Academy - District professional development delivery system.

Utilize “Late Start” and “Early Dismissal” days for professional

development

2012-2015 school years.

Progress to be reported

quarterly.

Faculty/Staff Survey

Hinsdale Academy Course

feedback sheets

JAM feedback sheets

DRT Minutes

Focus Area: Faculty/Staff

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Strategy

Create an environment within each school that is modern, environmentally friendly (green initiatives, energy conservation), clean and secure,

recognizes the unique needs of a diverse population of students, and promotes optimal learning for all students.

Initiative Covered

s. Conduct a comprehensive facilities renovation study to ascertain the needs of the District to bring facilities up to date. The facilities study

should address the facility needs of the curriculum and instructional programs, as well as extracurricular programming.

facilities

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Tactics Timeline Management Metrics Devise short-term plan and budget for summer facilities

projects.

Determine the cost estimates of the facilities and renovation needs in the

Master Facilities Plan (MFP).

Determine a timeline for the renovation and improvement of the MFP.

Seek Board approval of the Master Facilities Plan (short and long-term).

Continue to implement Green Initiatives.

Phase I – MFP – Infrastructure developed and approved.

2012-2015 school years.

Progress to be reported

quarterly.

Energy Education/

Cenergistic Utility Cost

Avoidance

Energy Star

Certifications/Recognitions

Master Facilities Plan

approved by Board of

Education

Phase I of MFP completed

Focus area: Facilities

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Strategy

Develop a financial plan to implement the tactics in the Vision and Strategic Plan that ensures fiscal responsibility, equity in resource

distribution between the schools in District 86, and transparent communication about the District’s finances.

Initiative Covered

t. Develop a long-range financial plan that supports the District’s Strategic Initiatives.

finance

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Tactics Timeline Management Metrics Maintain Board directed 25% Fund Balance of Operating Funds, prior to

June taxes.

Continue to administer Governing Financial Principles.

Develop a financial plan to accomplish short-term and long-range facilities

plans in the MFP.

Utilize Limited Bonding Authority at Board direction.

Continue implementation of Financial Planning Program (FPP) for

financial planning.

2012-2015 school years.

Progress to be reported

quarterly.

FPP measures with

assumptions established by the

Board of Education

Fund Balance maintained as

directed by Board of Education

Governing Financial Principles

FOCUS Area: Finance

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Strategy

Develop and implement protocols as part of a comprehensive District communication plan to brand District 86 high schools as the choice

schools in the region, as well as ensure transparent communication between and among all stakeholder groups.

Initiatives Covered

u. Develop protocols to improve internal and external District communication among all stakeholder groups.

v. As part of a comprehensive public relations plan, develop a marketing and branding program to communicate the quality of the District to

all stakeholders.

communication

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Tactics Timeline Management Metrics Brand and market District 86 as the premier School District in the region

through increased public relations efforts that emphasize the quality of

education offered by the District, and are structured around the vision for

the future of District 86 as set forth in the Vision and Strategic Plan.

Bring national recognition to the District 86 as contributing to educational

best practices by ensuring presentation of District 86 Actions at high-

profile national meetings, and publication in prestigious national

educational journals and other publications.

Implement a public District 86 Quality Dashboard to transparently

communicate to the public the quality measures of the District.

Continue Parent Education opportunities for District 86 Community.

Video tape board meetings and post on District website.

Continue Internal/External Newsletters and Weekly Listserv Updates

Develop District 86 Transparency Page on website

2012-2015 school years.

Progress to be reported

quarterly.

Faculty/staff survey

Conduct a parent and

community survey (a sample of

parents and community

members) periodically

District 86 Quality Dashboard

Website improvements

regarding communication/

transparency

Board meeting video on website

Parent Education Opportunities

District 86 Transparency Page

FOCUS Area: communication

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Strategy

Become a leader in effectively using information to make decisions that will ensure success for District 86 in the years to come.

Initiatives Covered

k. Establish a research and information infrastructure to empower leadership and other stakeholders with accurate information for decision

support.

i. Develop an internal assessment system aligned to curriculum and instructional standards.

j. Align instructional technology initiatives to the curriculum and instructional programs.

Research and information

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Tactics Timeline Management Metrics Provide an information-driven Research and Evaluation Program that

includes norm referenced, criterion referenced and performance

assessments to monitor instruction and assess student progress. The

program should:

a) Establish a continuous quality improvement model for the District

b) Monitor the curriculum and instructional program to maintain high

standards

c) Collect appropriate achievement data to track student progress

d) Collect appropriate data to assess school climate, program effectiveness

and other factors that influence student achievement (e.g. differentiated

instruction, engaged learning, critical thinking, etc.)

e) Develop information-driven decision-making skills in administrators

f) Provide an annual District Assessment Report that guides curriculum

and instruction decision-making by analyzing student growth

2012-2015 school years.

Progress to be reported

quarterly.

Assessments aligned to

Common Core

Performance Plus

Professional Development

for Administrators

Quality Dashboard

measuring student

academic growth and

student well-being

Strategy Area: Research and information Strategy Area: Research and information - Continued