Strategic Plan
The strategic plan serves as our compass. We are focused in a common direction to help all students reach high standards.
Our Vision
All Port Angeles School District students will reach high standards and graduate prepared with knowledge, skills, and abilities to choose a successful future.
Our Mission
The Port Angeles School District creates and sustains learning communities that prepare each student to live, work, and learn successfully in a changing world.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS BELIEF STATEMENTS
- Education is the shared obligation of the student, family, school and community.
- Education must take place in a safe and caring environment that values high expectations, honesty, trust, and respect.
- All students must have the opportunity to learn and experience success individually and collectively.
- All students must feel valued as human beings and successful as learners.
- Every student is unique and all are capable.
- All members of the school community have equal dignity and worth.
- Cultural and social diversity are strengths in an educational environment.
- Learning is a life-long process.
- Schools are accountable to the public.
- Patriotism and citizenship ae fundamental to our society.
- Individual commitment strengthens the entire organization.
Revised: January 2003
PORT ANGELES SCHOOL DISTRICT STRATEGIC GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
Strategic Goal #1
Students and adults are engaged in powerful learning experiences appropriate to each individual.
Strategic Goal #2
Adults throughout the system are accountable for advancing personalization and powerful teaching and learning; necessary conditions and resources are in place to support all students achieving at high standards.
Strategic Goal #3
Parents and community partners support and enhance the education of children.
Strategic Objectives – Revised for 2008-09
Objective No. |
Objective Description |
Objective 1.1 |
All schools will annually improve student reading skills so that the percentage of students demonstrating adequate yearly progress in reading achievement increases by at least the AYP index rate annually as measured by the district assessment system. By 2014 there will be no visible gap in achieving standards among students of different abilities, ethnicities, genders, or economic circumstances. |
Objective 1.2 |
All schools will improve student writing skills so that the percentage of students demonstrating yearly progress in writing achievement increases by at least the equivalent of the AYP index rate annually as measured by the district assessment system. By 2014 there will be no visible gap in achieving standards among students of different abilities, ethnicities, genders, or economic circumstances. |
Objective 1.3 |
All schools will improve student math skills so that the percentage of students demonstrating adequate yearly progress increases by at least equivalent of the AYP index rate annually as measured by the district assessment system. By 2014 there will be no visible gap in achieving standards among students of different abilities, ethnicities, genders, or economic circumstances. |
Objective 1.4 |
All schools will improve student science skills so that the percentage of students demonstrating yearly progress increases by at least the AYP index rate annually as measured by the district assessment system. By 2014 there will be no visible gap in achieving standards among students of different abilities, ethnicities, genders, or economic circumstances. |
Objective 1.5 |
Annually the proportion of students not graduating on time as measured by cohort promotion data beginning in 9th grade will decrease by at least the percent necessary to meet the AYP “other indicator” requirement; each middle or elementary school will decrease its unexcused absence rate to meet AYP “other indicator” requirements. |
Objective 1.6 |
Annually every school will intentionally examine culture and climate and take further steps to promote a positive culture and climate that result in respectful, responsible and productive relationships that support powerful teaching and learning. |
Objective 2.1 |
Annually the district will increase opportunities for implementation of its research-based, on-going, job embedded, and collaborative professional development system to enhance adults' capacities to close student achievement gaps defined by demographic attributes (e.g., ethnicity, poverty, gender), and will continue to demonstrate effective utilization of regularly scheduled collaborative time in and between schools so that teachers can support each other in understanding student achievement data and its connection to instructional strategies, curriculum, and assessment. |
Objective 2.2 |
By June 2009, the district will have identified grade level standards for student knowledge and skills in technology and will have developed assessments to measure and report their achievement. |
Objective 2.3 |
By June 2009, all administrator evaluations and professional development will be based on progress made toward the objectives outlined in the District Strategic Plan, Continuous School Improvement Plans, building staff capacity, and in the growth of student performance, and will integrate the ISLLC standards adopted by the state of Washington for administrator preparation and development. |
Objective 2.4 |
By June 2011, life skills will be included in curriculum to ensure that all students have marketable skills. |
Objective 2.5 |
Annually all operational support units (e.g., transportation, technology, maintenance) will recommend and implement practices to enhance performance. |
Objective 2.6 |
By June 2009, long term facility maintenance and replacement specifications and a facilities replacement plan will be completed, and a capital projects bond proposal prepared for board consideration. |
Objective 2.7 |
By June 2009, updated technology policies and procedures, use agreements and equipment standards will be approved. |
Objective 2.8 |
By June 2009, elementary school teams will participate in Response to Intervention training designed to provide understanding of a tiered model for delivery of instructional interventions addressing struggling students’ reading needs; each team will conduct an internal evaluation of interventions as a step in determining whether to recommend implementing an RTI model. |
Objective 3.1 |
By June 2009, every school will have created and implemented an updated plan to increase parental and community involvement to enhance parent and community commitment to school improvement initiatives. |
Objective 3.2 |
Annually the district-wide communication plan will be reviewed to evaluate the need for enhancements to stakeholder access to district and school information. |
Objective 3.3 |
Annually through inter-district cooperation, expanded opportunities for student, community and economic development will be provided through enhanced North Olympic Peninsula Skills Center program offerings. |
Objective 3.4 |
By June 2009, the district will design and implement a revised approach to providing students access to coursework on-line. |
Adopted: August 11, 2003
Revised: January 26, 2004
Revised: September 27, 2004
Revised: September 12, 2005
Revised: October 24, 2005
Revised: July 10, 2006
Revised: October 23, 2006
Revised: June 11, 2007
Revised: June 23, 2008
BOARD OF DIRECTORS VALUE STATEMENTS
We value:
Treating every student, staff member, school partner, and community member with dignity, respect, and care for their well-being in an environment that honors diversity;
A curriculum that is aligned with state and local standards, and that reflects academic skills, life and work readiness skills, and an array of personal qualities such as respect, responsibility, civility, teamwork, and leadership;
A comprehensive staff development program with a common district focus for all staff members designed to meet district, school and individual needs, based on sound instructional practices and improving student achievement;
Multiple data sources, including ongoing performance-based assessments, that are used to support staff and students, as they continually improve their performance and achievement;
Student promotion to the next instructional level that is based on demonstrated knowledge, skills, and abilities, and providing a support system to ensure all students meet identified standards;
A skilled staff, hired to enhance the quality, relevance, and effectiveness of the educational system, within available resources; Partnerships in all aspects of school and district programs that involve parents, business and labor, government, as well as community agencies providing services to youth, to enhance the quality, relevance, and effectiveness of the educational systems;
A system of distributed leadership that enhances the capacity of all district staff, partners, and students to make relevant decisions closest to the point of implementation, to participate appropriately in decisions designed to advance the entire system of schools and supporting structures, and through effective governance, to make budget, hiring, and program decisions;
Ongoing, two-way communication and collaboration among all district staff, students, partners, and the community to support all students achieving high standards;
The continual improvement of district and school technology, as an integrated instructional support tool, as well as a tool to enhance the effective and efficient operations of schools and the district;
A physically, intellectually, and emotionally safe, healthy, and attractive learning environment conducive to personalization of learning, strong adult-student relationships, and pride of ownership in schools;
Ongoing, intentional, quality evaluations of staff skills and performance, conducted annually, and based upon specific, understandable, and fair standards, expectations, and performance criteria; and
Fiscal responsibility and sound financial management practices that support the capacity to adequately maintain district programs and priorities, and that will advance the Strategic Plan and contribute to all students achieving high standards.
Revised: January 2003
ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM OPERATING PRINCIPLES
- We will use our vision and mission statements as a filter for our actions and decisions.
- We will practice active listening, check for understanding, and assess our team’s performance.
- We will support each other with respect, loyalty, personal and professional integrity, and trust.
- We will take time to get together for meaningful dialogue and to celebrate our growth and success in a spirit of fun.
- We will strive to maintain open and honest communication, and we will respect the confidentiality of our team, consider all voices, and encourage full participation.
- We will acknowledge and resolve conflicts as they arise, recognizing them as indicators of the variety of perspectives that create meaningful dialogue and progress.
- We will honor and support informed decisions through clear decision-making structures. We are committed to a distributive and collaborative decision-making process. We will commit to using questions as a form of active inquiry to support our learning together.
- We will develop clear and limited agendas with identified purposes.
-
We will show respect to team members by starting and
finishing on time.
Accepted: February 2002
STUDENT PROFILE
A Port Angeles School District graduate will be prepared for the future through:
Life and Work Readiness Skills
- Has a basic work ethic
- Understands the importance of being a life-long learner
- Knows practical life skills
- Demonstrates citizenship and global awareness
- Works well with others
- Develops vocational/career opportunities
Academic Skills
- Reads with understanding
- Writes with skills
- Knows and applies mathematics
- Communicates effectively
- Knows and applies the concepts of social, physical and life sciences; civics and history; geography; arts; and health and fitness
- Thinks analytically, logically, and creatively, and combines
- experience and knowledge to solve problems
- Uses technology as a tool to reach high standards
Personal Qualities
- Uses interpersonal skills such as respect, integrity,compassion, tolerance, and civility
- Acts with responsibility and accountability
- Demonstrates self-awareness and self-esteem
- Knows when and how to use teamwork and leadership skills
- Lives a healthy lifestyle
Approved: June 2001
GLOSSARY OF TERMS*
Vision is the single most important tool for leading your organization. It captures your organization’s purpose, direction, and values.
Vision Elements define key words and phrases in the vision statement to prevent differing interpretations of the vision.
Mission Statement is a written statement of purpose, crafted to inspire people to commit to the organization’s vision. It answers the questions: Why do we exist? What do we do? For whom do we do it? Why do we do it?
The Mission Elements define key words and phrases in the Mission Statement; this prevents differing interpretations of the mission.
Guiding Principles are the crucial values that guide people’s relationships with customers (students, parents, and community members) and with each other.
Goals define what the organization is going to accomplish by when. Goals are long-term and describe an end result. Together, goals portray the organization’s design for achieving its vision.
Tichy (2002)** describes goals as “quantum ideas” or big overriding principles that keep everyone working in a common direction. Quantum ideas by themselves don’t make an organization successful because they don’t provide a strategy or set of specific actions.
Objectives describe action-oriented elements designed to move the organization toward its vision. Objectives are SMART: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Results-oriented, Time bound.
Tichy (2002) describes objectives as “incremental ideas” people put into action to reach a goal.
Strategies describe the approaches an organization takes to reach an objective.
Actions describe the specific activities or tasks that will be taken to achieve the objectives. Actions are achievable in the short term.
Powerful Teaching and Learning represents instruction characterized by inquiry, in-depth coverage, and performance assessment.
*Wall, B., Sobol, M. and Solum, R. (1999). The Mission-Driven Organization.
Prima Publishing.
**Tichy, N. M. (2002). The Leadership Engine. HarperBusiness.
AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY
The table below describers the range of elements used in our strategic planning and identifies which level of the organization has primary responsibility for designing and implementing those elements.
Goals Objectives Strategies Actions
District X X
School X X X
Site*** X X X
***“Site” refers to specific district-level organizations such as central services, transportation, maintenance, information technology, etc.
Click the link below for more information on School Improvement Planning and related resources for students and parents from the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction:
School Improvement.