District 54 educational goals outlined

Every successful organization has a plan of action with specific goals to guide its work. Schaumburg Township Elementary District 54, being a high-performing school district, is no different. Our mission of Ensuring Student Success is at the forefront of everything that we do.

District 54 has experienced unprecedented gains in student achievement since the plan was approved by our Board of Education and put into action. It includes our district's mission, vision, collective commitments, goals and annual projects. The complete document can be found on our district's website at sd54.org.

Results from the most recent state and local assessments indicate that our students continue to make remarkable progress. The ongoing support that we receive from our parents and community, along with our hard working and dedicated staff, has made District 54 what it is today - a great place to learn! We are proud of the outstanding learning opportunities that take place in our classrooms and are looking forward to seeing what our staff and students will accomplish during the 2010-2011 school year.

The work that we do in all 27 of our schools is guided by the following district goals:

• Students who have attended District 54 schools for at least one year will read at grade level upon entering third grade.

• Each school will close the achievement gap for all students in reading and math as measured by both district and state assessments.

• At least 90 percent of all students will meet or exceed standards in reading and math as measured by both district and state assessments.

In addition to being accountable for these goals, our staff is engaged in a variety of districtwide projects. The projects are aligned with district goals and assist us as we continuously improve the educational experiences that we provide for our students. Several of this year's key projects are highlighted below.

To support and strengthen our reading instruction, we will be implementing a new literacy plan in kindergarten through second grade. In addition, a new writing framework will be utilized in every grade across the district. These will give our staff additional instructional strategies and resources as they teach their students to become proficient readers and writers.

Even though our English-language learners are performing well when compared to students across Illinois, we feel that we can do better. To close the achievement gap for our English-language learners, we will be implementing a new program structure. These changes will enable us to provide more intensive learning opportunities to help these students transition into English as quickly as possible.

This year, every student will be receiving the revised standards-based report card. This change is intended to keep students, parents and staff more fully informed about the progress that is being made and any area that may need additional support.

To improve communication, our district and each school launched a new website. Please share your feedback regarding any of the improvements.

During the past year, we have been analyzing student enrollment trend data and current school boundaries. Given the size of our district and the number of students that we serve, it is not hard to imagine that additional adjustments in attendance boundaries will periodically need to be made. Later this fall, we will be scheduling informational meetings for any family that is impacted.

We are looking forward to another great school year in District 54 and believe that 2010-2011 will be our best yet!