GermantownSchool District

Goals & Strategies Statements

GermantownSchool District #60

Goals and Strategies Statements

Overview

Each year the district will evaluate curriculum and instruction via its Internal Review Committee, the School Improvement Planning process and Board of Education StrategicPlanning activities, using the following set of beliefs, assumptions and values:

  • There will be at least one goal in each of the following areas:
  • Curriculum/Instructional Improvement
  • Finance
  • Personnel
  • Building Grounds, Transportation and/or Other Operations
  • The District will evaluate its budget for assurance of revenues in excess of expenditures and take appropriate action to assure continued balanced budgets.
  • The District believes its greatest resources are the students, their families and the faculty and staff that serve them.
  • A yearly review and revision of the Student Handbook and Board Policy Handbook will assure compliance with legislation and ISBE rules as well as communicating expectations for students, their parents, the administration, faculty and staff.
  • The District will continuously seek additional methods of communicating with all constituencies on a regular basis.
  • The District believes that it is our responsibility to provide services to the children of our district as locally as possible.One area of concern identified by the Strategic Planning Committee was a lack of student counseling and support services.
  • The District accepts the responsibility for assisting parents in the development of each student’s character.
  • Professional development that supports the goals of district will be actively pursued to continuously improve the ability of all constituencies to meet the objective of providing the highest quality of instruction.
  • Leadership opportunities and roles for board, administration, faculty and staff will be sought to further that endeavor.

Category: Curriculum/Instructional Improvement

GOAL #1 (Originalversion - 2005/2006): The Germantown faculty and administration, in cooperation with the students and their parents, will assure that a minimum of ninety percent (90%) of the students at Germantown SD 60 will attain the MEETS or EXCEEDS category on the 2006 ISAT in Reading.

STRATEGY: TheReading Committee, comprised of teachers, will meet monthly on the fall SIP days to review ITBS data, teaching methods and materials with the purpose of identifying areas for improvement.The Reading Committee willrecommend a course of action for increasing Reading scores on ISAT; the recommendations to be implemented for latter half of SY 2005-06.

PROGRESS: 88% of the GermantownSchool District third through eighth graders Met or Exceeded on the 2006 ISAT in Reading.The students in Grades 6-8 surpassed the goal.

GOAL #1 (Revised for 2006 and beyond): The faculty and administration of GermantownSchool District, in cooperation with the students and their parents, will assure that a minimum of ninety percent of the students at Germantown SD 60 will attain the MEETS or EXCEEDS category on the 2006 ISAT in Reading.New:The faculty and administration of Germantown School District, in cooperation with the students and their parents, will assure that a minimum of 33.3% of the students will attain the EXCEEDS category on the 2006 ISAT.

STRATEGY #1:The Reading Committee, comprised of teachers, will meet monthly on the winter/spring SIP days to review ITBS data, teaching methods and materials with purpose of identifying areas for improvement.The Reading Committee will recommend a course of action for increasing Reading scores on the ISAT; recommendations to be implemented for SY 2006-07.

STRATEGY #2:The Strategic Planning Activity identified a need to increase the amount of time devoted to each subject area. The JHS Schedule is being redesigned.

PROGRESS:90% of the GermantownSchool District third through eighth graders Met or Exceeded on the 2007 ISAT in Reading.The only grade level that did not attain this goal is grade 5.

PROGRESS: 25% of the GermantownSchool District third through eighth graders Exceeded on the 2006 ISAT in Reading.38% of the Grade 6 students attained the Exceed level on the 2006 Reading ISAT.

PROGRESS: Students in grades 3 and 5 met the goal of 33.3% at the Exceeds level on the 2007 Reading ISATs.

GOAL #2: The faculty and administration of GermantownSchool District, in cooperation with the students and their parents, will assure that a minimum of ninety percent of the students at Germantown SD 60 will attain the MEETS or EXCEEDS category on the 2006 ISAT in Math. Further, the faculty and administration of GermantownSchool District, in cooperation with the students and their parents, will assure that a minimum of a minimum of 33.3% of the students will attain the EXCEEDS category on the 2006 ISAT.

STRATEGY:The Math Committee, comprised of teachers,will meet monthly on SY 2005-06 SIP days to review ITBS data, teaching methods and materials with purpose of identifying areas for improvement. The Math Committee will recommend a course of action for increasing Math scores on ISAT; the recommendations to be implemented for SY 2006-07.

PROGRESS: 97% of the GermantownSchool Districtthird through eighth graders Met or Exceeded on the 2006 ISAT in Math. The only grade that did not meet the goal of 90% Meets or Exceeds was Grade 5.

PROGRESS: Every grade level except 5 and 7 attained the goal of 33% at the Exceeds level on the 2006 ISAT for Math.

PROGRESS: 94% of the GermantownSchool students Met or Exceeded on the 2007 ISAT testing. All grade levels attained this goal.

PROGRESS: The school met the goal of 33.3% of our students at the Exceeds level on the 2007 ISAT. Grades 4 and 5 did not reach this goal.

GOAL #3: The faculty and administration of GermantownSchool District will implement a Writing assessment by the end of SY 2006-07 (assuming ISBE does not reinstate the ISAT Writing assessment prior to the 2007 ISAT testing).

STRATEGY:A committee, comprised of teachers who have participated in Standards Aligned Classroom, will meet monthly on SY 2006-07 SIP days to review ITBS data, teaching methods and materials with purpose of identifying assessment methods for Writing. The SAC Committee will recommend a course of action for developing a Writing Assessment to be implemented for SY 2007.

PROGRESS: The GermantownSchool District will not construct a writing assessment since Writing has been added to the ISAT.

GOAL #4[1]:90% of the Science students at Germantown Elementary will meet or exceed on the ISAT tests given at their grade level.

STRATEGY: SY 06-07 SIP days will be utilized to complete the writing of these two curricula. Each faculty member will serve on one of the committees.

PROGRESS: 97% of the 4th and 7th grade Science students Met or Exceeded on the 2006 ISAT. At the 4th grade 19% Exceeded and, at the 7th grade 34% Exceeded on the ISAT.

PROGRESS: 95% of the school’s students attained the Meets or Exceeds level on the 2007 ISAT tests.

GermantownSD 60
ISAT Summary
2007
Grade / Reading / Math / Science
Warning / Below / Meets / Exceeds / Warning / Below / Meets / Exceeds / Warning / Below / Meets / Exceeds
3 / 0 / 2 / 10 / 9 / 0 / 1 / 8 / 12
4 / 0 / 3 / 24 / 10 / 0 / 2 / 18 / 17 / 0 / 2 / 25 / 8
5 / 0 / 8 / 12 / 10 / 0 / 2 / 20 / 8
6 / 0 / 3 / 17 / 8 / 1 / 3 / 18 / 6
7 / 0 / 1 / 21 / 6 / 0 / 1 / 15 / 12 / 0 / 1 / 14 / 12
8 / 0 / 1 / 27 / 12 / 0 / 1 / 22 / 17
All / 0 / 18 / 111 / 55 / 1 / 10 / 101 / 72 / 0 / 3 / 39 / 20
0 / 0.0978 / 0.6033 / 0.2989 / 0.0054 / 0.0543 / 0.5489 / 0.3913 / 0 / 0.0484 / 0.629 / 0.3226
0.9022 / 0.9402 / 0.9516

GOAL #5: The Superintendent, with the assistance of the Faculty of Germantown School District, will study and recommend to the BOE prior to the 2006-07 school year whether or not Algebra, Foreign Language and/or Keyboarding should be implemented in the District’s curriculum of study.

STRATEGY: During Fall of 2005 Superintendent will survey surrounding elementary school districts who offer such classes to ascertain how they manage said classes in schedule. Information gathered will be reviewed withSIP coordinator and JHS teaching staff to develop a recommendation.

PROGRESS:GermantownSchool District 60 implemented an Algebra class for the fall of 2006. Foreign Language and Keyboarding classes have not been implemented.

GOAL #6 (Original version – 2005/2006): The Superintendent will work cooperatively with the elementary and high school districts to establish a subject area study rotation for the articulation of curriculum between the feeder elementary districts and Breese Central Community High School and Mater Dei High Schools. One subject area will be studied in the SY 2005-06 with implementation in SY 2006-07.

STRATEGY:The Breese Area Superintendents meet monthly for discussions.The Subject of vertical articulation will be proposed and discussed at their September, 2006 meeting. Based upon the response, a committee will be organized comprised of elementary school district and high school district personnel to begin studying one subject area during SY 2005-06 SIP days. Upon completion of their work, curriculum developed will be implemented in Germantown SD 60 for SY 2006-07.

PROGRESS: The Breese area schools have held two articulation conferences; one in the spring of 2006 that included all JHS and High School teachers by subject area. The second articulation conference was held in September, 2006 and included teachers representing all grades P-12. A third articulation conference had been scheduled for the October SIP Day but postponed due to lack of coordination between districts.

GOAL #6 (Revised for 2006 and beyond): The Superintendent will work cooperatively with the elementary and high school districts to establish a subject area study rotation for the articulation of curriculum between the districts that feed into BreeseCentralCommunityHigh Schooland Mater Dei High Schools.New: Each year a new subject area will complete its study and be implemented for the following school year.

STRATEGY: A new subject area committee will be organized comprised of elementary school district and high school district personnel to study an additional subject area during SY 2006-7 SIP days. Upon completion of their work, curriculumdeveloped will be implemented in Germantown SD 60 for SY 2007-08.

PROGRESS: See above.

Goal #7: To Be Determined. The Board of Education will be asked to adopt a goal of implementing an RtI program that serves as an early intervention method for identifying students with needs that impede their instructional goals. A goal and strategy will be developed pending their approval.

STRATEGY: The GermantownSchool District will organize an RtI team and register for the training offered through ASPIRE South.

PROGRESS: The RtI team has been formed and we await notification of our acceptance into the training program.

Area: Finance

GOAL: The Superintendent of Germantown School District, with the assistance of the Bookkeeper, will develop a long range plan by 6/30/06 that provides continued financial efficacy. Said plan will include moving the O/M budget to a positive balance (revenues equal to, or in excess of, expenditures) by end of fiscal year FY 2006.

STRATEGY #1: Prior to 10/1/05, the Bookkeeper and Superintendent will review the previous three year’s audited financial statements for potential revenue enhancements and expenditure reductions. They will also review anticipated changes in revenue including, but not limited to, legislative changes in funding for schools; as well as potential expenditure reductions, e.g., retirements, attrition. The Bookkeeper and Superintendent will develop a cash flow projection for the district by the end of the calendar year.

STRATEGY #2: The District Bookkeeper and Superintendent will review the O/M budget detail to ascertain which expenditures, if any, are more appropriately classified as Education Fund. The same will be accomplished with Education Fund expenditures that should be categorized as O/M.The District Bookkeeper and Superintendentwill review and recommend strategies for balancing O/M budget.

PROGRESS: The district has maintained a positive fund balance in each fund this past year (FY ‘06). A cash flow projection and investment plan have been developed and implemented. The district asked the community to increase the Ed Fund by 25 cents on the ballot for 11/7/06. The measure was defeated. The District placed the same initiative on the 4/17/07 ballot and it failed. The BOE and the Administration have implemented a series of budget reductions totaling $80,000 as well as revenue enhancements by way of fees that should generate nearly $35,000 in additional revenue.

Area: Personnel

GOAL: The Superintendent of Germantown School District will develop a long range staffing pattern based upon enrollment projections that maximizes resources of personnel and money; and accounts for potential retirement obligations and faculty/staff attrition. Said plan will be presented to the Germantown Board Of Education prior to its February, 2006 BOE meeting.

STRATEGY #1: This summer/fall the Superintendent will review enrollment projections and anticipated staffing changes. A proposed staffing pattern for 2006-07 and 2007-08 will be developed and presented to the BOE from the information gathered.

STRATEGY #2: The Strategic Planning Committee identified a need to increase the salary offered to beginning teachers in response to our projected need for teachers to replace retirees and attrition.

PROGRESS: The Board of Education was presented a preliminary staffing pattern in December, 2006 and an updated staffing plan in February for the following school year.

PROGRESS: The Board of Education successfully negotiated a new three year contract with the Germantown Teachers’ Organization.

Area: Buildings/Grounds/Transportation

GOAL: The Superintendent of Germantown School District, with the assistance of the Directors of Buildings/Grounds and Transportation, will develop a long range facilities and equipment plan prior to the end of FY 2006.

STRATEGY #1: The Superintendent will meet prior to 9/1/05 with the Director of Buildings and Grounds to assess the facility needs of the district. These two individuals will prepare a recommendation for continued care of the current facilities as well as potential remodeling and/or construction projects needed. The Director of Buildings and Grounds and the Superintendent will annually present said plan to the BOE at their May meeting.

STRATEGY #2: The Superintendent will meet prior to 9/1/05 with the Director of Transportation to assess the transportation needs of the district. These two individuals will prepare a recommendation for continued care of the current vehicles as well as potential major vehicle repairs and/or vehicle replacements needed. The Director of Transportation and the Superintendent will annually present said plan to the BOE at their May meeting.

STRATEGY #3: The Strategic Planning Committee expressed a concern for the safety and security of the building during and after school hours. The Supt and the Head Maintenance person will explore ways to secure the building and grounds as well as increasing the number of safety drills.

PROGRESS: The district has approved, pending H/L/S approval by ISBE, the installation of new doors that secure the building from unwanted intruders.

PROGRESS: The district has developed a plan for the repair and maintenance of the buildings and grounds. The 10 year HLS plan will be completed by the summer of 2007. The district had a bond issue on the ballot for 11/7/06 to construct a new gymnasium and convert the old gym into classroom space to alleviate the overcrowding.The Bond issue was defeated.

PROGRESS: The district has a transportation equipment repair and replacement plan developed for the next three years.

Area: Other Operations[2]

GOAL #1: The school will serve nutritional meals which meet the state standards in this regard, as well as satisfy the various needs of the student population.

STRATEGY: The Superintendent, in cooperation with the head cook, will review the nutritional content and portion sizes served in the cafeteria and will recommend a meal program with potential a la carte items as appropriate.

Progress: The district implemented an ala carte system to supplement the food portions that children receive in the cafeteria. The District is also implementing a salad option for the children to choose from for lunch.

GOAL #2: The district will attempt to achieve a greater connection with the community at large in order to utilize the vast store of knowledge and resources available in the community.

STRATEGY#1:The school will encourage the use of adult volunteers in the classrooms, in the cafeteria and on the playground.

STRATEGY #2: The Supt will write and distribute a series of Did You Know articles to better inform the community regarding the district’s programs. Further, the articles will focus on educating the community about how schools are funded and how the revenues are used.

PROGRESS: The district has purchased a mass emergency notification system for implementation by early fall.

10/22/2018

[1]The Board of Education at its May 10, 2006 meeting adopted the IRC/Supt’s recommendation to map theScience and Physical Education/Health areas of the curriculum.

[2]Two new Goal areas adopted by the BOE at its May 10, 2006 meetingfor review are the school lunch program and the establishment of a volunteer program.