Board Goals

District Vision

“High Expectations, High Achievement”

District Beliefs

We believe that all people have value, all are responsible for their own actions, change is ongoing, all can learn, and learning is a lifelong process

Mission Statement

The Jesup Community School District will develop well-rounded, productive, responsible, caring citizens who are lifelong learners.

Values

Integrity-Honesty-Responsibility-Perseverance-Citizenship-Respect-Cooperation

School Board Goals

1. The Board will provide support in meeting expected proficiency levels and growth on the Iowa Assessment as measured in Reading, Math, and Science of all students. A summary of student performance as compared to previous years will be reported to the school board each spring. (Student Achievement)

• The Board will provide support in increasing the percentage of students participating in all extracurricular activities as measured in the spring of each year. The Board also encourages expanding the opportunities in academic based co-curricular programs for all students. The board will receive a summary of the activities and participation levels at the July board meeting. (Extracurricular Activities)

• The Board encourages all building levels to work collaboratively in aligning curricular areas vertically from preschool through 12th grade to ensure a seamless education which aligns with state education standards and meets our local needs. This work will be measured with a summary of work reported at the July board meeting by each building level. (Curriculum)

• The Board will promote age appropriate 21st Century Skills in the regular curriculum, job shadows, internships, and other enrichment activities that may not otherwise be available locally, at ALL grade levels as identified in the Iowa Core Curriculum in order for students to be successful post graduation. This work will be measured by a report from each building level at the July board meeting on new activities and experiences conducted throughout the year. (College and Career Ready)

• The Board will support the continuation of the Teacher Leadership and Compensation program through providing adequate resources and release time for teacher leaders. Successful implementation of the program will be monitored through staff surveys and student assessments. A summary of the findings will be reported to the board at the regular July meeting. (Staffing)

• The Board directs the Superintendent and Maintenance Director to prioritize the remaining projects on the 10 year facility plan as well as identify additional needs in order to make a recommendation to the board’s facility committee for completion in the summer of 2019. (Facilities)

• The Board will monitor the financial health of the school district and set a goal of maintaining a minimum cash balance of 10% of general fund expenditures and unspent authority balance of 15% as measured September of each year. (Finance)

• The Board will lead in developing strong partnerships with community organizations, businesses, and neighboring schools. The Board encourages all building levels to look at ways to strengthen these partnerships as well. A summary of new collaborative partnerships from throughout the year will be reported to the board at the January and July board meetings.  (Board Leadership)

• The Board, working with the Superintendent, will actively promote district successes and achievements with all stakeholder groups developing strong and supportive community connections. A summary of work from throughout the year will be reported to the board at the July board meeting. (Superintendent)

• The Board will support the PS-12th Grade Performing Arts program, providing the necessary resources and assistance to grow participation and retention in the program. Successful growth of the program will be measured by increased enrollment in all fine arts programs as well as an increase in the diverse scope of activities within each program with a summary reported at the January and July board meetings. (Performing Arts)

District Professional Development Mission

The District Leadership Team is a representative group of educators from each building level who strive to provide a framework of professional development opportunities to meet the goals of the district based upon student needs as identified at each grade level. We will accomplish this mission by focusing on the following:

1. Students will be actively engaged in and accountable for their own learning.
2. Staff will facilitate an environment that encourages students to take ownership of their learning.

Teaching for Understanding

1. Students will ask for help when needed.

2. Staff will help students make connections they have between prior knowledge and new knowledge.

Assessment for Learning

1. Students will give their best effort in demonstrating their understanding of subject matter.

2. Staff will use frequent checks for understanding to drive instruction.

Rigorous and Relevant Curriculum

1. Students will participate in challenging and meaningful work.

2. Staff will provide engaging lessons with real world connections.

Teaching for Learner Differences

1. Students will be advocates for their own learning needs.

2. Staff will be responsive to individual student needs and adjust instruction accordingly.

Elementary/Rural School Professional Development

The elementary/rural staff will focus on assessment for learning. Elementary/Rural teachers will create and implement common formative assessments related to the Iowa Core Literacy Standards to measure student growth towards the standard and teacher instructional potency. (Pre/Post assessment)

Middle School Professional Development

The middle school will focus on assessment for learning. By creating a common methodology for evaluating student learning. Teacher gradebooks will reflect a student’s level  of understanding of content standards.

High School Professional Development

Through the AIW scoring process, the high school staff will focus on a Rigorous and Relevant Curriculum that is student centered. All high school teachers by the end of the school year will have a task with corresponding student work or instruction scored by their collaborative group.