Superintendent’s Annual Plan March 2023
Goal #1 (Student Learning): The Superintendent will work with Salem Public School educators to support our students to become independent learners who can achieve at their grade level or higher.
Key Actions
1. Develop the infrastructure and routines necessary for educators to regularly utilize student data to drive instructional practice;
2. Bolster mental health services while establishing a set of common, systemwide restorative practices;
3. Develop and implement a strategy for addressing adolescent literacy gaps;
4. Take concrete steps to reimagine the middle school experience;
5. Provide regular guidance to, and coaching sessions for, school leaders on the frequency and quality of feedback that they provide educators about their professional practice;
6. Coach leaders on the effectiveness and impact of their professional development sessions and school-based teams – instructional leadership, student support, teacher planning, attendance and data.
Evidence
1. Presentation(s) to School Committee;
2. Agendas and content of principals’ monthly learning sessions;
3. Superintendent and deputy superintendent’s visitation calendars;
4. Documented recommendations and actions intended to improve the middle school learning experience;
5. Documented plan for addressing adolescent literacy gaps;
6. Trainings for families and staff on resources and practices to enhance the mental health and social emotional wellbeing of our students.
Measurable Outcomes
● Evidence of improvement toward the metrics outlined in the SPS strategic plan.
Goal #2 (Professional Growth): As part of the district’s commitment to fiercely advancing equity across the district, the superintendent will lead an explicit focus on supporting multilingual learners (MLs). SPS will strengthen our practices and models for serving multilingual learners to ensure they have equitable access to meaningful and rigorous learning opportunities that build on their cultural and linguistic assets and the academic, linguistic, social, and emotional supports they need to excel.
Key Actions
1. Conduct a comprehensive internal review using the district-Level self-assessment tool that is part of the MA Vision & Blueprint for English Learner Success to identify concrete next steps for improving outcomes for multilingual learners;
2. Engage principals and other stakeholders in reviewing DESE approved English Language Development (ELD) instructional delivery models to plan strategic shifts/pilots;
3. Provide professional development for every educator on who our MLs are and how to use WIDA and the Can-Do descriptors to differentiate instruction;
4. Leverage this series of self-directed learning opportunities within the context of school-based professional development plans.
Evidence
1. Agendas from professional learning;
2. Explicit priorities in the district and school improvement plans focused on the needs of multilingual learners;
3. Feedback from educators indicating stronger knowledge of how to provide multilingual learners with meaningful and rigorous learning opportunities.
Measurable Outcomes
● Student growth as measured by progress towards English proficiency on ACCESS.
Goal #3 (District Goal): To lead the upcoming (post-COVID) strategic planning effort for the Salem Public Schools – process, implementation and progress monitoring. The strategic plan must be visionary, forward thinking and set aggressive and attainable goals for improved student outcomes.
Key Actions
1. Ensure that a diverse and robust group of stakeholders have a voice in the planning and development process of the strategic plan;
2. Lead the shaping of an ambitious plan that includes priorities, actions and measurable outcomes; 3. Host forums (business, community-based organizations and extended-day partners) when the plan is complete to highlight key aspects of the strategic plan;
4. Leverage the district strategy when making decisions (budget, staffing, grants, etc.).; 5. Regularly discuss and assess the progress of the plan’s intended outcomes with the district’s executive leadership team, school leaders, educators and School Committee.
Evidence
1. Action plans corresponding to each of the district’s priorities and initiatives;
2. Annual reports and updates on progress;
3. Agendas, notes and work products from regular monitoring of the district strategy; 4. Alignment between school improvement plans and the district’s strategy.
Measurable Outcomes
● Improvement and progress as measured by the strategic plan’s documented accountability metrics.