Strategic Plan 2024-2029

Six math specialists were hired last summer - one for each elementary school and for Gemini. In late August/early September they participated in collaboration and training sessions to ensure that they were knowledgeable about District instructional practices and were able to coach teachers and support student learning. Currently, they are taking coursework to earn the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) Math Specialist Endorsement. Math specialists are now supporting teacher and student learning by working in classrooms and pulling students out for math interventions and enrichment sessions. The Math Specialist Team will present its work at the January 9, 2025 Board of Education meeting.

• Develop a framework for math instruction that supports "doable" differentiation;
• Design math progressions for vertical and horizontal articulation; and
• Evaluate if the current core resources - Eureka^2 at the elementary level and Open Up at the middle level - are still serving our needs or if a curriculum review is needed.Completed instructional framework that includes "doable" differentiation methods and math progressions aligned across the grade level and learning continuum.

Completed instructional framework that includes "doable" differentiation methods and math progressions aligned across the grade level and learning continuum. 

Math curriculum next steps presented to the Superintendent for the 2025-26 year.

District 63's Math Leadership Team - comprising 36 K-8 teachers, specialists, instructional coaches, and administrators - met for the first time on November 7, 2024 to begin developing a math instruction framework. This work will continue during the next meeting on February 13, 2025. 

Led by principals, instructional coaches, and math specialists - in collaboration with the Teaching and Learning Department - all schools have facilitated two to three monthly Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) Cycles, focused largely on strengthening math instructional practices through doable differentiation. These PDSA Cycles took place during grade level and department meetings, and during School Improvement (SIP) Days.

Staff from across the District met in June to create social and emotional learning instructional maps for PreK-8th grade students. Using RULER-provided lessons, District resources, and first-year implementation feedback, week-by-week calendars were developed for each grade level with nearly all required teacher materials ready for use by the first day of school. Next steps: completing RULER walk-throughs at all schools and collecting implementation feedback in order to refine materials in June for the 25-26 school year.

 In April 2024, the Multilingual Department - working with an outside consultant - conducted a thorough evaluation of the K-5 Multilingual Learner (ML) Resource Program and found that the service delivery model focused disproportionately on newcomer students, compromising support for all other ML students. As a result, in August 2024 the District implemented a restructured approach to optimize multilingual resource services without compromising supports for newcomers. Previously, newcomer students were pulled out from classrooms for 45-60 minutes per day in grade-level groups to focus on language and academic instruction. The revised model combines daily 30-minute Newcomer Connection Groups with co-teaching in general education classrooms. The groups - which include a mix of K-5 students - provide essential social-emotional support, cultural orientation, and acclimation to the school environment. ML teachers can now spend more time in the classroom co-teaching and providing targeted, just-in-time language and academic supports - ensuring that we provide equitable services to newcomers and MLs in the general education classroom. The middle school ML Resource Team (comprising three teachers) met with an outside consultant on October 31, 2024, to analyze instructional practices for newcomer students, review the current instructional framework for newcomer English language arts (ELA) classes, and discuss how these classes are meeting the needs of newcomer students at Gemini. The team met again on December 6, 2024, to review newcomer ELA class objectives, create a revised course description, and develop criteria to use when determining when to exit a student from the newcomer class. 

The District Attendance Team implemented preventative and responsive supports to enhance student attendance, including monthly attendance emails to families, tips for maintaining regular attendance in family newsletters, and a multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS) for students at risk of chronic absenteeism and their families.

The District EDI Team - comprising 22 administrators, teachers, support staff, and related services personnel - met on September 18, 2024, to participate in some professional learning and begin implementing the three-year plan. We meet again on January 22, 2025.

District 63 and Oakton entered into a memorandum of agreement to provide three-hour adult English classes at the Family Resource Center (FRC) twice weekly (T/Th) during each semester and the summer. Classes took place during summer and fall 2024 and will continue into spring 2025. 

Not yet started.

In June, the FRC reviewed its newcomer/new student intake process. In order to streamline communication between the FRC Parent/Community Liaison (PCL) and schools, family responses to the intake interview questions are now captured in PowerSchool - making them accessible to building administrators and social workers. Based on each family’s needs assessment, we may provide more - or less - intensive support. But ongoing communication remains a key part of assisting all of our newcomer families. Intensive supports include waiving Expanded Learning fees for the family's first year in U.S., access to the FRC Marketplace/Welcome Center, ongoing support from the PCL, and English classes for parents and children.

Early in November 2024 teachers were surveyed to assess their knowledge and usage of District digital tools. Results are currently being analyzed to identify professional development needs and determine next steps. To streamline the evaluation and approval of educational technology tools, the District will establish a Tech Tool Evaluation and Approval Committee (TTEAC) in early 2025. The TTEAC will also play a key role in integrating professional development for staff on both new and existing digital tools used in District 63.

All K-8 digital citizenship lessons have been incorporated into grade-level essential maps. As of October 29, 2024 125 digital citizenship lessons had been taught in District 63, representing 21.3 percent of the required lessons for the year.

In collaboration with the Assistive Technology Facilitator, the Technology Department continues to provide digital resources and devices to enhance learning access for all students. This includes iPads for use as communication devices and Prowise boards in STIL classrooms to support students requiring adjustable boards.

The Technology Department introduced asynchronous digital onboarding via EdPuzzle Professional as part of the new teacher orientation. All new certified staff and student teachers completed the training by September.

Family STEAM Nights at Melzer (September), Mark Twain (October), Apollo (November), and Nelson (December) each drew an average of 100 students. Upcoming events are scheduled for Washington (January 2025) and Gemini (February 2025).

Instructional Technology Coaches (ITCs) are trialing AI tools, including MagicSchool for elementary and Brisk for middle school, with teachers and students. At Gemini, the ITC is exploring ways to integrate digital citizenship lessons focused on AI.

BrightArrow was implemented, however, the process has faced significant challenges. Alternative solutions are under review, with potential changes planned for summer 2025.

Initial implementation of PowerSchool's Analytics and Insights Program focused on administrators and staff supporting the MTSS process. Over the summer and fall, coaches, interventionists, and literacy specialists received training. Ongoing support is available through one-on-one coaching. Next steps include expanding training to all staff via online videos and job aids.

Key vulnerabilities from the last penetration test have been addressed. The Technology Department launched Cybernut, a gamified phishing training program. As of November 11, 2024 over 2,300 training emails have been sent district-wide, with a 27 percent report rate. Additionally, a Cybersecurity Incident Response Team (CIRT) is finalizing a response plan, and a phased onboarding of a Cybersecurity Specialist begins this month.

For fiscal year 2023-24, the District was at the Illinois State Board of Education.(ISBE) Recognition level. The budget adopted by the Board last September ensures that the District will maintain at least a Review designation. 

The five-year financial projections presented at the May 2024 Board meeting highlighted the use of accumulated fund balance over the past six years to continue to fund all educational programs. The presentation included two scenarios: the first assumed the District maintains the current level of staffing and the second assumed positions vacated due to attrition are not replaced. Under both models, the fund balance as a percentage of annual expenditures at the end of the five-year period ranges between 50 and 60 percent, which is more than twice the guidance given by ISBE.

For the next year, we are prioritizing our most critical learning spaces: improving the learning spaces for the STIL program's sensory room as well as the music and art rooms at Washington. Over the next two years, we will finalize a plan to address learning spaces across all our buildings over the long term.

The execution of our plan for improving learning spaces over the next year is in progress. The Board has approved funding for the projects in the form of bonds, proceeds from which were received on November 18. We are working to finalize the procurement methods and timelines over the next month.

Wold Architects filed the Life Safety Report in November 2024. The reports for Twain, Nelson, and Washington have already been approved and, pending ISBE's questions and/or comments, we anticipate approval on the remaining buildings by the end of January 2025.

The Life Safety Report provides a priority list of projects. Priority A projects are most critical and will be addressed during summer 2025. Priority B projects will be addressed in subsequent years - with completion scheduled for summer 2029. Non life-safety projects that improve and modernize the District's infrastructure will begin to be addressed in the summer 2025 with the upgrade of Mark Twain's roof and likely the parking lot.

Execution of our plan for modernizing infrastructure over the next year is in progress. As noted under Objective 2, Action Step B, the Board has approved funding for the projects in the form of bonds. 

The District maintains regular and extensive communication with families and staff. Families receive a biweekly District e-newsletter (every second Friday) as well as weekly school e-newsletters; staff receive a monthly District e-newsletter and weekly school e-newsletters. Other channels include emails, texts, and phone calls sent as needed; social media updated twice daily on District pages and as appropriate on school sites; website and digital signs regularly updated; electronic bulletin boards in each school; and a twice-yearly print newsletter disseminated to all addresses in the District as well as elected officials and community partners.

Administrators frequently seek feedback and support for written materials, web pages, social media, and general communications problem-solving. Events and activities are widely promoted through District communication channels, with media requests handled by Communications.

A new mass communications system, BrightArrow, has been implemented - and ideally should provide a wide range of translation features. However, challenges persist. The District is reviewing alternatives and may implement changes in the coming months.

We regularly communicate with PTO leaders and held our first PTO President Leadership Council Meeting in October. The next meeting is scheduled for January 8, 2025.

 Refer to Objective 1, Action Step C for an update on BrightArrow.

The FRC is stocked with District newsletters, and District-level news is shared on FRC webpages and social media.

We have created a detailed Partner List (which is ever-evolving) that will be updated annually with new and potential new partners. 

The District routinely communicates with elected officials, including Congresspeople, State Senators and Representatives, Cook County Commissioners, local Mayors, and our Township Supervisor. We are also active with ED-RED, which advocates for suburban school district needs in Springfield. Recently, one of our State Senators secured a $250,000 grant for the Summer Reading Program and will visit in late spring.

Stay interview questions have been developed and meetings with staff members began in December 2024. 

The script for the first video is being written, with completion scheduled for February 2025.

 "Join Our Team" advertisements have been strategically placed on benches, yard signs, and banners.

Nine Illinois State University student teachers are participating, with plans to hire several as potential candidates.

Eight job fairs are planned for winter/spring 2025, with six already confirmed.

We continue to review salaries for each employee group with other school districts. 

EMTAA negotiation dates are scheduled and will begin on March 12, 2025. 

We continue to gather benefits information from neighboring school districts.