Smart Goal 1: Increase Student Achievement

Goal: The number of students scoring Proficient or Advanced on the MAP/EOC will meet or exceed the Missouri state average.

Key Actions:

• Ensure access to high-quality Tier 1 instruction for all students.

• Implement a Model of Instruction to support best teaching practices.

• Complete HRS Level 2 Certification to ensure effective teaching.

• Develop and refine Critical Concepts proficiency scales.

• Complete the development of a guaranteed and viable curriculum.

• Strengthen Response to Intervention (RTI) programs across buildings.

• Sustain high-quality Professional Learning Communities (PLCs).

• Provide ongoing feedback and coaching based on the district’s Model of Instruction.

• Provide opportunities for professional development that align with research-based instructional practices.

• Increase student engagement as measured by teacher evaluation tools.

Person Responsible: Curriculum & Instruction, Principals, SPED Department
Funding Source: Local, Federal Programs, ESSER
Performance Metrics: MAP, EOC, ACT, iReady, Local Assessments

Smart Goal 2: Improve Performance On Local Assessments

Goal: All student groups will increase performance on local assessments (iReady, etc.) by 2-3% annually.

Key Actions:

• Implement Literacy Plans in every K-12 building.

• Ensure access to high-quality Tier 1 instruction for all students.

• Develop and refine Critical Concepts proficiency scales.

• Strengthen Response to Intervention (RTI) programs across buildings.

• Sustain high-quality Professional Learning Communities (PLCs).

• Provide ongoing feedback and coaching on instructional effectiveness.

• Complete a staffing and resource audit for the ELD program.

• Recruit teachers to complete TESOL training.

• Assist students in goal setting and growth monitoring.

• Use NSD Data Analysis Protocols to analyze iReady data and implement data-based interventions.

• Engage the Student Group Task Force(s) and the Newcomer program.

Person Responsible: Curriculum & Instruction, Principals, SPED Department, ELD Coordinator
Funding Source: Local, Federal Programs, ESSER, CLSD Grant, Read Lead Succeed Grant
Performance Metrics: iReady, Local Assessments, EOC, ACT, HRS Level 4 Survey

Smart Goal 3: Increase Student Participation In Advanced Coursework

Goal: Increase student participation in curriculum-based programs to reflect district demographics.

Key Actions:

• Conduct a demographics study to analyze community growth and needs.

• Increase offerings of a diverse range of Pre-AP, AP, Dual Enrollment (DE), and Dual Credit (DC) courses.

• Increase professional development and certifications of teachers for AP, DC, Pre-AP courses.

• Review rubrics and criteria for course placement to remove unintended barriers for all students.

• Create a communication plan for all students and parents/guardians to explain the value and availability of dual credit/AP courses.

• Develop a 7-12 Pre-AP/AP option of study for students.

• Compare annual results of students who took and passed AP exams.

• Explore opportunities for district-paid AP tests.

Person Responsible: Superintendent, Curriculum & Instruction, Principals, Counseling Department
Funding Source: Local, ESSER, Federal Programs
Performance Metrics: College Board Assessment Data, Course Enrollment, AP Test Participation

Smart Goal 4: Improve Student Attendance

Goal: Student attendance will be no lower than 95% each quarter.

Key Actions:

• Form a data team to analyze attendance data and trends.

• Review the district’s plan for communication of attendance concerns with students and parents/guardians.

• Strengthen relationships with families and ensure frequent communication.

• Develop incentive programs for attendance.

• Communicate the importance of attendance through statistics, letters, and conversations with students and parents/guardians.

• Collaborate with transportation to ensure accurate route times.

Person Responsible: Curriculum & Instruction, Principals, Counseling Department, Communications Director
Funding Source: Local, Federal Programs
Performance Metrics: Attendance Data, HRS Level 1 Data

Smart Goal 5: Increase College And Career Readiness

Goal: Expand college and career readiness opportunities for all students.

Key Actions:

• Increase offerings and certifications of teachers for AP, DC, and Pre-AP courses.

• Provide opportunities for college and career planning experiences.

• Implement Individual Career and Academic Plans (ICAPS) for junior high and high school students.

• Monitor NSD student post-secondary success through data collection (post-graduation interviews).

• Increase authentic learning opportunities (NEWCaps, STEAM, PBL, PLTW, etc.).

Person Responsible: Curriculum & Instruction, Principals, Counseling Department, SPED
Funding Source: Local, ESSER, Federal Programs
Performance Metrics: ICAPS, Graduate Follow-Up Data, Program Enrollment

Smart Goal 6: Expand Early Childhood Education (Ece)

Goal: Increase ECE opportunities for families in the district.

Key Actions:

• Educate the community on the benefits of ECE.

• Increase the number of ECE classrooms and staff.

• Explore and secure funding options for ECE.

• Develop outreach programs to increase student enrollment.

• Explore transportation opportunities.

• Partner with various community Pre-K programs.

• Increase Parents as Teachers (PAT) participation.

Person Responsible: Curriculum & Instruction, Principals, SPED, EC Director, Communications Director
Funding Source: Local, Federal Programs, ESSER, PAT
Performance Metrics: Pre-K Enrollment, Kindergarten Screening, Parent Visits

Smart Goal 1: Retain 90% of Certified Staff Annually

Key Actions:

• Continue developing a safe, supportive, and collaborative environment for all staff.
• Provide competitive salaries, wages, and benefits to attract and retain top educators.
• Offer meaningful feedback on teacher evaluations to promote growth and effectiveness.
• Enhance and expand the mentoring program to support new teachers.
• Increase access to instructional coaching services for professional development.
• Invest in instructional and leadership capacity to empower teachers.
• Expand opportunities for participation in Wildcat Wellness programs to promote staff well-being.
• Utilize exit interview data to identify areas for improvement and retention strategies.

Person Responsible: All District Admin, Superintendent, Principals, Curriculum & Instruction, HR, Wellness Director
Funding Source: Local, Federal Programs, ESSER
Performance Metrics: HRS Level 1 Data, Retention Data, Teacher Evaluation System, Staff Wellness Points, Exit Interview Reports

Smart Goal 2: Retain 80% of Classified Staff Annually

Key Actions:

• Maintain a safe, supportive, and collaborative work environment for all classified staff.
• Provide competitive salaries, wages, and benefits to retain employees.
• Ensure meaningful feedback on staff evaluations to improve performance and job satisfaction.
• Invest in instructional and leadership capacity for classified staff.
• Expand participation in Wildcat Wellness initiatives.
• Utilize exit interview data to inform retention strategies.

Person Responsible: All District Admin, Superintendent, HR, Wellness Director
Funding Source: Local, Federal Programs, ESSER
Performance Metrics: HRS Level 1 Data, Retention Data, District Evaluation Data, Exit Interview Reports, Staff Wellness Points

Smart Goal 3: Ensure All Staff Participate in Professional Development Aligned with District Goals

Key Actions:

• Provide department-specific professional development tailored to various roles.
• Align professional development offerings with district initiatives and instructional priorities.
• Ensure staff have dedicated time to attend professional development opportunities.
• Recruit and retain quality substitutes to support teacher participation in training sessions.
• Develop and implement a building-wide professional development plan.
• Offer incentives for staff who share their professional learning within the district and beyond.

Person Responsible: All District Admin, Principals, PD Committee, Communications Director, HR
Funding Source: Local, Federal Programs, ESSER, DESE Grant
Performance Metrics: PD Report for High-Quality Teachers, HRS Level 2 Data, Staff Absence Fill Rate

Smart Goal 4: Recruit and Retain a Diverse Workforce Reflective of the Community

Key Actions:

• Expand the Grow Your Own program to encourage local talent to pursue careers in education.
• Provide incentives for bilingual and biliterate applicants to increase diversity.
• Strengthen partnerships with teacher preparation programs to create a talent pipeline.
• Actively participate in job fairs to recruit a diverse pool of candidates.
• Offer competitive wage and benefit packages to attract highly qualified professionals.
• Develop internship opportunities for student teachers to support future educators.

Person Responsible: Curriculum & Instruction, HR, Communications Director, Principals, Superintendent
Funding Source: Local, Federal Programs, ESSER
Performance Metrics: Number of Applicants, Retention Data, Assessment Data

Smart Goal 5: Increase the Number of Applications for Job Openings

Key Actions:

• Create internship opportunities for student teachers to develop a future workforce.
• Offer competitive wage and benefit packages to attract a larger applicant pool.
• Strengthen connections with teacher preparation programs to increase job interest.
• Increase district presence at area job fairs to recruit talent.
• Use social media and digital marketing to advertise job openings effectively.
• Develop a staff referral incentive program to encourage employee recruitment.
• Provide networking opportunities at professional development events to engage potential hires.

Person Responsible: Curriculum & Instruction, HR, Communications Director, Principals, EdTech Director, Superintendent
Funding Source: Local, Federal Programs, ESSER, DESE Grant
Performance Metrics: Number of Applicants, Retention Data

Smart Goal 1: Obtain district-level certification for HRS Level 1 and recognition for Model PLC status

Key actions:

• Support all buildings through ongoing professional development and consultation to achieve HRS Level 1 certification.
• Provide continuous training and resources to sustain best practices and achieve Model PLC status.
• Monitor evidence of building progress toward certification goals.
• Send teams of administrators and teachers to the HRS Summit and PLC Institute for continued learning.

Person responsible: Curriculum & Instruction
Funding source: Local, Federal Programs, ESSER
Performance metrics: HRS Level 1 Certification, Model PLC Certification, Number of Registrations

Smart Goal 2: Increase stakeholder perception of a safe and supportive environment by 5%

Key actions:

• Adopt and begin implementing a new Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) curriculum.
• Complete the implementation of Trauma-Informed Schools Stage 1 across all buildings.
• Increase student engagement and sense of belonging as measured by survey data.
• Implement Tier 1 SEL curriculum in classrooms to support students' emotional well-being.
• Provide professional development on trauma-informed teaching strategies to staff.
• Conduct SEL training for students and staff through district counselors.
• Strengthen student transition programs to foster connections within the school community.
• Offer professional development on behavior support systems for educators.

Person responsible: Curriculum & Instruction, Counseling Director, Principals, Professional Development Committee
Funding source: Local, Federal Programs, ESSER
Performance metrics: MindUp Usage Data, Stage 1 Implementation Checklist, HRS Survey, Climate Survey, Panorama Data, MOI Data, PD Surveys, Behavior Referrals

Smart Goal 1: All students will have a weather-ready safe location for severe weather threats

Key actions:

• Prioritize storm shelter locations at Jefferson Street, Haas/STEAM School, Parents as Teachers, and the Administration Building.
• Assess current storm shelters at all buildings for safety, security, and emergency supply stock.
• Communicate assessment findings with building administration and personnel.
• Develop a plan to address any issues found during the assessment.

Person responsible: Assistant Superintendent of Operations
Funding source: Local, Federal Programs, ESSER
Performance metrics: Completion of structures, Safety/Facilities Plan, Admin Agendas, Building Plans

Smart Goal 2: Ensure stakeholder protection against online and on-campus threats

Key actions:

• Provide training to staff and students on how to avoid online threats.
• Train staff and students on how to respond to threats on campus.
• Analyze current security assets and identify needs for improvement.

Person responsible: Assistant Superintendent of Operations
Funding source: Local, Federal
Performance metrics: Behavior referrals, ParentSquare reports, HRS Survey

Smart Goal 3: Ensure all stakeholders have access to and occupy well-maintained, safe facilities

Key actions:

• Conduct quarterly checks of equipment and materials for each campus.
• Develop a new facilities master plan.
• Maintain a long-range preventative building maintenance plan.
• Ensure building safety through regular checks, including Z-locks and drill procedures.

Person responsible: Assistant Superintendent of Operations
Funding source: Local, Federal
Performance metrics: Budget reports, Maintenance reports, Completion of Facilities Plan

Smart Goal 4: Ensure all staff and students effectively utilize appropriate technology resources

Key actions:

• Provide professional development for staff on the effective use of technology.
• Assess current technology assets and identify needs for improvement.

Person responsible: Ed Tech Director, Technology Department
Funding source: Local, Federal
Performance metrics: Various local surveys (PD, Panorama, etc.)

Smart Goal 5: Maintain up-to-date, working technology

Key actions:

• Replace 20% of district laptops each year.
• Conduct an annual review of technology assets and needs.
• Maintain infrastructure and equipment to ensure functionality.

Person responsible: Technology Department
Funding source: Local, Federal
Performance metrics: Inventory audit, Long-range technology plan, Annual technology review