Beliefs
We believe that…
· All people have worth;
· Everyone can be a successful learner;
· Continuous learning is necessary in an ever-changing world;
· Achieving your personal best requires challenge, effort, and the willingness to accept support;
· Honesty and integrity are essential for trusting relationships;
· Everyone is responsible for his or her own actions;
· Individuals and communities benefit when people contribute to the well being of others;
· A thriving community depends on a quality education system;
· Understanding and accepting diversity in our community leads to success in the global community;
· A supportive home environment is the primary influence on the development of an individual;
· Emotional and physical safety are essential for a positive learning environment;
· A quality education expands opportunities throughout a person’s life;
· Pursuing dreams motivates people to achieve outstanding success.
Mission
The School District of Delavan-Darien
Mission: The loftiest aspiration we have
The mission of the Delavan-Darien School District, a partnership of students, families, staff, and community, is to ensure each student is prepared to succeed and contribute as a 21st century citizen by providing a real-world education that is engaging, thought-provoking, and culturally diverse.
Strategic Parameters
1. Student well-being will be given the highest priority in decision-making.
2. We will maintain safe, supportive environments conducive to learning
throughout our schools.
3. We will not tolerate behavior or speech that is disrespectful or demeaning to any individual or group.
4. No new program or service will be accepted unless it is consistent with the strategic plan, benefits justify the costs, and provisions are made for appropriate professional development as well as program evaluation.
5. No program or service will be retained unless it makes an optimal contribution to the mission and benefits continue to justify the costs.
Objectives
· Annually, each student will demonstrate at least one year of academic growth on local assessments; district performance will be at or above the state average on Wisconsin’s assessments.
· Each student will develop and consistently demonstrate the character attributes and behaviors of a respectful, responsible, and contributing citizen.
· Each student will demonstrate the ability to make a successful transition to continuing education and to a meaningful career tailored to his or her future aspirations.
Strategies
1. We will create a positive learning environment characterized by effective communication, collaboration, and trust in order to unite staff members and administrators in respectful work.
2. We will strengthen our teachers’ capabilities to effectively implement curriculum, use engaging research-based instructional strategies, as well as assessment data, to improve student achievement.
3. We will actively engage families and strengthen partnerships within our diverse community in order to work collaboratively to achieve our mission and objectives.
4. We will identify, model, reinforce, and assess the character attributes and behaviors valued by our community.
5. We will develop and implement plans to ensure our students make successful transitions to further learning and meaningful careers that are tailored to their interests, abilities, and aspirations.
Summary of Plans/Specific Results
Strategy 1
We will create a positive learning environment characterized by effective communication, collaboration, and trust in order to unite staff members and administrators in respectful work.
Specific Results
1. The Delavan-Darien School District will provide no fewer than quarterly opportunities for face-to-face sharing information among administration, school board members, and staff.
2. Expand shared decision making by clarifying the issues, roles and responsibilities of various staff members on key issues.
3. The Delavan-Darien School District School Board will use a climate survey twice annually to measure and evaluate communication, collaboration, trust, and leadership within the school district.
4. The Delavan-Darien School District will offer an exit interview for every employee leaving the school district.
5. Staff and administration in each building will have ongoing opportunities to participate in team building events and activities to promote unity.
6. The Delavan-Darien School District will establish Professional Learning Communities (PLC).
7. Administrators who conduct classroom observations/walkthroughs will be provided ongoing training in effective coaching, supervision and evaluation practices.
Strategy 2
We will strengthen our teachers’ capabilities to effectively implement curriculum, use engaging research-based instructional strategies, as well as assessment data, to improve student achievement.
Specific Results
1. District-wide curriculum (4K-5th grade) tied to Common Core State Standards will be delivered consistently and accurately across all grade levels.
2. Secondary curriculum (6th-12th grades) tied to Common Core State Standards will be delivered consistently and accurately across all grade levels.
3. All educators will use systematic and evidence-based instruction in order to increase achievement for each student.
4. All educators will collaboratively make instructional decisions that are responsive to data and result in improved student achievement.
5. All educators will be a part of a collaborative team of peers that focuses on providing support and professional growth that will ultimately improve student achievement.
Strategy 3
We will actively engage families and strengthen partnerships within our diverse community in order to work collaboratively to achieve our mission and objectives.
Specific Results
1. The District will identify, improve upon and promote a set of unique programs that will draw families to, and keep families in, our District.
2. Working with parents, teachers and the community, an enrichment program will be developed that will provide relevant and appropriate activities within our District and community to challenge all students’ interests and ability levels.
3. The District will begin implementation of an optional dual-language immersion program to begin in the elementary grades.
4. The District will ensure interactions and communications with families are offered in English and Spanish.
5. A District-wide family involvement model to promote and sustain community and family interaction will be implemented.
6. District will provide families with access to and guidance in using current community resource information.
7. Members of our community will be able to access and easily utilize our 21st century District communication tools.
Strategy 4
We will identify, model, reinforce, and assess the character attributes and behaviors valued by our community.
Specific Results
1. Key character attributes valued by our community will be identified and become the basis for character education and district interaction.
2. Ensure board discipline policy and administrative procedures are consistent with approved character attributes.
3. A consistent, research-based character development program will be adopted, communicated, implemented and assessed for all Delavan-Darien School District students.
4. The board, administration and all staff will promote, model, and reinforce the identified key character attributes and behaviors.
5. We will work collaboratively to teach and reinforce key character attributes and behaviors in the home and community.
6. We will expect 100 percent of Delavan-Darien School District students to engage in relevant and meaningful service to their community each year.
7. Student report cards will be revised to assess student behaviors that are consistent with the approved character attributes.
8. Develop relevant meaningful ways for student to self assess their development of character attributes.
Strategy 5
We will develop and implement plans to ensure our students make successful transitions to further learning and meaningful careers that are tailored to their interests, abilities, and aspirations.
Specific Results
1. Implement career and college planning as part of the K-5 experience.
2. Implement career and college planning as part of the 6-8 experience.
3. Implement career curriculum 9-12 to include potential jobs/pathways skills.
4. Assess and document each student’s interests, strengths, and needs annually K-12.
5. Expand opportunities through athletics and extra-curricular activities in order to provide effective transitions between schools and within grades.
