Superintendent’s Annual Plan March 2025
Goal #1 — Student Learning:
To develop and monitor the progress of an explicit early literacy strategy (K-3) that supports evidence-based, culturally and linguistically sustaining practices to achieve improved rates of literacy proficiency. This must be inclusive of strong tier one instruction that is accompanied by a robust multi-tiered system of support (MTSS).
Key Actions
- Successfully implement the resources and guidance provided by the Department of Elementary Education’s PRISM (Partnership for Reading Success) grant and the Department of Early Education and Care’s Commonwealth Preschool Partnership Initiative (CPPI) grant .
- Work to define success for the key components of the core literacy block– foundational skills, engaging with complex text, writing and oral language development. These expectations need to be accompanied by explicit academic and non-academic outcomes for improvements in early literacy.
- Ensure that school and district improvement plans have established priorities and goals for improving early literacy outcomes.
- Strengthen the alignment between pre-kindergarten and kindergarten efforts with the early literacy strategy.
- Intentionally align our coaching to ensure that our educators receive the guidance, materials and resources necessary to grow in their instructional practice.
- Develop transparent guidance for multi-tiered system of support practices for the early childhood continuum.
- Ensure that our plan is inclusive of supporting the Spanish and English literacy development of students in our dual language program.
- Continued capacity building and professional development for school leaders on early literacy practices with clear expectations for school-based leadership moves.
Evidence
- Agendas from professional learning for paraprofessionals, teachers and school leaders.
- Existence of implementation plan for the aforementioned work.
- Guidance documents/artifacts for educators.
- Instructional coaching plans designed to provide support to educators.
- School and department improvement plans including data on progress toward meeting school and department goals.
Measurable Outcomes
- Demonstrable progress toward PRISM and CPPI improvement benchmarks and established early literacy goals.
Goal #2 — Professional Growth:
To develop a more intentional plan and map for attracting, growing and developing excellent, committed educators who reflect the values and diversity of the community.
Key Actions
- Organize recruitment pipelines so that they are clear to our community and staff – explicitly map out the path to teaching for (1) current students (grow your own), (2) individuals without bachelor degrees and (3) individuals with bachelor degrees, but without certification.
- Develop materials and visuals that promote our pathways and clearly lay out the route to becoming a certified educator in the Salem Public Schools.
- Ensure that each of our pathways are clearly owned by SPS staff members and that there are specific contact people delineated for each path.
- Solicit resources and partnerships to financially sustain, and grow the offerings we provide while also incentivizing individuals to pursue teaching as a career.
- Collaborate with the Salem Teachers Union to highlight the opportunities that exist and encourage current staff to become teachers in SPS.
- Develop a scope and sequence for the content discussed in our affinity spaces at the school and district level.
- Work with our partners in Spanish-speaking countries (e.g., the Dominican Republic) to build a teaching exchange program with the Salem Public Schools.
- Create a recruitment and retention plan for dual language educators to facilitate the continued growth of Salem’s model.
- Establish a clear plan to ensure that we have more administrators of color both at the school and district executive team/department level to reflect our student body.
- Develop an advisory team that meets regularly and informs the district’s efforts to diversify the workforce.
Evidence
- Recruitment map and strategy with key point people identified.
- 3-year diversity plan that has specific goals and timelines.
- Existence of an advisory group that will advise the Superintendent and School Committee about our diversification efforts.
- Promotional materials and visuals that clearly delineate SPS pathways.
- Recruitment and retention plan for dual language educators and new educators from the Dominican Republic.
- Matrix of opportunities to diversify administrative roles across the Salem Public Schools.
Measurable Outcomes
- Increase the percentage of educators and staff who represent the racial, ethnic and linguistic diversity of students to more than 20% of our teachers and more than 25% of our entire staff.
Goal #3 — District Goal:
To fully implement and report on the district’s progress toward its strategic priorities, initiatives and goals.
Key Actions
- Ensure that a diverse and robust group of stakeholders consistently make connections to the district strategy when making decisions.
- Present the district strategy and progress updates to a range of school-based and community stakeholders and partners.
- Host forums/workshops for the business and higher education community on ways that they might support our strategic efforts.
- Organize a “State of the Schools” forum for the City Council to provide an update on the district strategy.
- Ensure that the district strategy informs the FY26 budget, SHS new building design, and any shifts to enrollment or the district’s portfolio of schools.
- Leverage the strategic plan to solicit input on the formation of the SY26 budget.
- Facilitate regular discussions with members of the School Committee to receive feedback and input on the implementation of the district’s strategic direction.
- On a quarterly basis, assess the progress of the strategy with the executive leadership team, principal cabinet and the district leadership team.
- Regularly update the public dashboard to keep stakeholders informed on SPS progress.
- Develop accountability measures to ensure that all students, especially our most marginalized, are supported through the college and career preparation and application process.
- Begin the process of designing the next iteration of the strategic plan to carry SPS beyond 2026.
Evidence
- Department and school improvement plans aligned to the district’s 4 priorities and 15 strategies.
- Presentations and agendas from stakeholder meetings and conversations.
- Agendas, notes and work products from stepback meetings with schools and departments.
- Explicit connections made between School Committee agenda items and district strategies.
- Quarterly college and career reports demonstrating student and family engagement, progress toward established initiatives and evidence of stakeholder feedback.
Measurable Outcomes
- Improvement toward SPS 2023-2026 Strategic Plan measures of success.
- Increase the percentage of students applying to both public and private colleges and the percentage of students earning Chapter 74 credentials.
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
- Improvement and progress as measured by the strategic plan’s documented accountability metrics.
- Develop the infrastructure and routines necessary for educators to regularly utilize student data to drive instructional practice;
- Bolster mental health services while establishing a set of common, systemwide restorative practices;
- Develop and implement a strategy for addressing adolescent literacy gaps;
- Take concrete steps to reimagine the middle school experience;
- 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;
- 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
- Presentation(s) to School Committee;
- Agendas and content of principals’ monthly learning sessions;
- Superintendent and deputy superintendent’s visitation calendars;
- Documented recommendations and actions intended to improve the middle school learning experience;
- Documented plan for addressing adolescent literacy gaps;
- 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
- 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;
- Engage principals and other stakeholders in reviewing DESE approved English Language Development (ELD) instructional delivery models to plan strategic shifts/pilots;
- Provide professional development for every educator on who our MLs are and how to use WIDA and the Can-Do descriptors to differentiate instruction;
- Leverage this series of self-directed learning opportunities within the context of school-based professional development plans.
Evidence
- Agendas from professional learning;
- Explicit priorities in the district and school improvement plans focused on the needs of multilingual learners;
- 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
- Ensure that a diverse and robust group of stakeholders have a voice in the planning and development process of the strategic plan;
- Lead the shaping of an ambitious plan that includes priorities, actions and measurable outcomes;
- Host forums (business, community-based organizations and extended-day partners) when the plan is complete to highlight key aspects of the strategic plan;
- 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
- Action plans corresponding to each of the district’s priorities and initiatives;
- Annual reports and updates on progress;
- 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.
- Develop the infrastructure and routines necessary for educators to regularly utilize student data to drive instructional practice;
- Bolster mental health services while establishing a set of common, systemwide restorative practices;
- Develop and implement a strategy for addressing adolescent literacy gaps;
- Take concrete steps to reimagine the middle school experience;
- 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;
- 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
- Presentation(s) to School Committee;
- Agendas and content of principals’ monthly learning sessions;
- Superintendent and deputy superintendent’s visitation calendars;
- Documented recommendations and actions intended to improve the middle school learning experience;
- Documented plan for addressing adolescent literacy gaps;
- 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
- 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;
- Engage principals and other stakeholders in reviewing DESE approved English Language Development (ELD) instructional delivery models to plan strategic shifts/pilots;
- Provide professional development for every educator on who our MLs are and how to use WIDA and the Can-Do descriptors to differentiate instruction;
- Leverage this series of self-directed learning opportunities within the context of school-based professional development plans.
Evidence
- Agendas from professional learning;
- Explicit priorities in the district and school improvement plans focused on the needs of multilingual learners;
- 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
- Ensure that a diverse and robust group of stakeholders have a voice in the planning and development process of the strategic plan;
- Lead the shaping of an ambitious plan that includes priorities, actions and measurable outcomes;
- Host forums (business, community-based organizations and extended-day partners) when the plan is complete to highlight key aspects of the strategic plan;
- 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
- Action plans corresponding to each of the district’s priorities and initiatives;
- Annual reports and updates on progress;
- 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.