ASD Staff Insider
Important info for ASD staff - 12/3/21
Notes from Justin
The purpose of this new e-newsletter is to highlight essential work that brings our vision and mission to life and update you on significant happenings. Additionally, we will tailor a similar bi-weekly newsletter to our families. Some of the external communication to families may be similar to our internal communication to staff to maintain consistent messaging.
Almost five years ago, a committee of staff, students, and community members developed a strategic plan for the Anacortes, which included the following vision and mission statement:
Vision: Anacortes students rise to their fullest potential, embrace the future, and make a difference.
Mission: We inspire every student every day with quality instruction that promotes creativity, growth, character, individual strengths and a lifelong love of learning.
What does this vision and mission mean to us today? And how are we continuing to bring this vision and mission into action while still managing a worldwide pandemic?
This past spring, the school board and cabinet team enhanced the 2017 Strategic Plan’s goals by turning them into a coordinated, measurable, and systemic action plan template. These revisions create a bridge connecting the expiring Strategic Plan to a future Strategic Plan - one that will capture our action plans over the next five years as we navigate a new era of education.
Over these next five years, we will engage in iterative processes, revising our action plans to provide every student every day with quality instruction that promotes creativity, growth, character, individual strengths and a lifelong love of learning.
As you review the current plan, please note the first two columns are goals and key performance outcomes (KPOs) set by our board of directors. The last two columns are the actions we will revise each year and the key performance indicators (KPIs) we will identify to monitor the steps necessary to get us closer to reaching our five-year outcomes (KPOs).
As we continue serving our students and families, I will keep you updated every two weeks, celebrating and honoring the steps we are taking to make our vision and mission a reality. In my introduction, I will also highlight actions and key steps the district office team is taking to support your incredible work. And, together, we will continue to listen and learn from each other as we review our actions, monitor the impact those actions have on students, and revise those actions to continuously improve our students’ experiences.
I appreciate all of you for your wisdom, collaboration, and grit as we continue to do everything possible to respond to our students’ needs.
Sincerely,
Justin
Technology Integration Coordinator
Community Engagement for Curriculum and Programs
Curriculum Adoption Updates
At the secondary level, a step in the curriculum adoption process is to define the scope and sequence of 6-12 course offerings.
For the 2021-2022 school year, the following content areas are engaging in or finalizing scope and sequence (also known as pathways) for the 6-12 course offerings. Social Studies, Science, and Math. Based on the final recommendations for scope and sequence, there may be curriculum adoptions for specific courses or grade levels but not all courses. Any curriculum adoptions related to this work will be implemented in the fall of 2022.
COVID-19 Updates
COVID Coordinator: We are currently hiring for a COVID coordinator. This person will be responsible for maintaining ASD’s overarching response to the COVID-19 pandemic, developing plans and protocols that balance staff and student health and safety and access to academics and safety programs that will ensure consistent and equitable services throughout the District. More information is on our HR website: https://anacortesjobs.hrmplus.net/JobOpenings.aspx
Levies: The Anacortes School Board approved two resolutions on November 18, 2021, placing two ballot measures before voters for the February 8, 2022 election. Both measures are replacement levies, taking the place of expiring levies approved by voters in 2018. The combined, estimated rate of $1.28 per $1,000 valuation is 32 cents lower than previously approved rates in 2018.
Superintendent Irish and Executive Director of Finance Mike Sullivan are currently making the rounds at staff and community meetings to provide information about the levies.
More information can be found on our website: http://www.asd103.org/2022_election
Front Desk and Support for Maintenance and Technology Teams
We hired Wendy Durham to support the Maintenance and Technology teams. Wendy will also serve as our front desk receptionist to greet visitors and answer calls from the community. Wendy will be on site beginning December 13. Currently, she is working remotely on several projects.
Please stop by and welcome her to our team when she arrives in a couple of weeks. In the interim, please feel free to connect with Wendy via email, phone (x1225), or chat. We will keep you posted.
Expanded Public Hours at Rice Field
We recently expanded the public hours at Rice Field. The field will be open to the public:
Monday-Friday, 5:30-7:30 a.m. and 5-8 p.m.
Please observe all posted rules. Groups with approved reservations have priority. All other use is first come, first served. Restrooms are not open during these times.