Long Range Plan 2007-2012

 

Mission:
The mission of the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District, in partnership with the richly diverse communities, is to develop creative, productive learners who demonstrate the skills, knowledge, and attitudes to meet life’s challenges, by providing stimulating, integrated learning opportunities in a safe, supportive environment.

Guiding Principles:
Our guiding principles consider the ideal educational experience for all students to be one in which:

  • Each person can learn and be successful
  • Learning becomes a lifelong process
  • Each individual is recognized as unique, valuable, and is treated with respect and dignity
  • Prevention of academic difficulties is preferred to intervention
  • Education is the accepted responsibility of the entire community
  • The educational environment is physically and psychologically safe and healthy
  • Cultural diversity is recognized and respected
  • High standards and expectations are essential elements
  • Positive change is embraced
  • Decisions are student-centered, data-driven, and made collaboratively
  • High quality programs, personnel, and practices supporting the mission and vision of the district and developed and nurtured
  • There is recognition that all students are gifted in some way and at risk at some time
  • Learning experiences/opportunities are equivalent in range and quality to all students regardless of where they live and/or their economic status

Goal #1 – Organizational Competence:

KPBSD will adequately provide services to students in order to prepare them to thrive in a 21st century global economy and society.

The District will do this through:

Step A: Assuring all students a safe, respectful, student-centered and welcoming environment in which to learn

Step B: Teaching student well with:

  • non-negotiable goals for achievement and instruction

    (i.e. all students performing at grade level or have a plan and supports in place to attain proficiency)

  • comprehensive, integrated, creative curriculum
  • high quality, energized staff
  • varied and diverse instructional methodologies
  • continuous progress monitoring and adjustments for learning
Goal #2 – Organizational Improvement

KPBSD will continuously and thoughtfully enhance the value and quality of its personnel and services utilizing data and input.

The District will do this through:

Step A: Having outside entities audit, provide recommendations for improvement, and have the District adopt necessary changes in specific areas such as:

  • communications
  • building utilization (right sizing of buildings for infrastructure, yet providing for shared community and school spaces)
  • energy/efficiency
  • work classifications (job responsibility review)
  • data warehousing and use

Step B: Developing and adopting a long term comprehensive model for professional development

  • focusing on student achievement
  • aligned, effective, relevant, engaging curriculum and instruction using research based “best practices” and “high yield strategies”
  • building on past training while meeting future needs
  • utilizing multiple delivery models
  • assuring training is embedded, sustainable, and addresses changing personnel
  • emphasizing collaboration
  • implementing changes with fidelity, intensity, and consistency

Step C: Building a system that accepts responsibility for the continual progress of all students, making sure all students’ needs are met at every level

Goal #3 – Organizational Agility

KPBSD will be a responsive organization able to move quickly and easily as new information and changing circumstances dictate.

The District will do this through:

Step A: Providing maximum, quality choices in classes, programs and schools

Step B: Continuing and expanding work with local providers assuring “safety nets” for all students

Step C: Nurturing and expanding partnerships in the community and state to provide additional opportunities for students, particularly in areas of critical need

Step D: Continuing ubiquitous technology integration and implementation as well as exploring and adopting appropriate emerging technologies to improve student performance and prepare students for their future world

Step E: Providing individualized learning plans and flexible accommodations for students to reach their highest personal potential.
The individualized plans will:

  • Be developed by a team of student, parents, school professionals
  • Engage students in their own learning and provides a clear path to success
  • Expect differentiation in classrooms
  • Provide menus/choices in delivery systems
  • Include interventions that work
  • Supply individual coaching focused on marketable and life skills
Goal #4 – Organizational Sustainability

KPBSD will be a viable, vibrant organization focused on students and plans regardless of changes in leadership and personnel.

The District will do this through:

Step A: Securing sufficient monetary resources for meeting the needs of students now and in the future

Step B: Being efficient as an organization, ensuring the greatest portion of resources possible used to impact student learning directly

Step C: Providing extensive leadership development throughout multiple levels of the organization

Step D: Using the district’s strengths (unique geographic location, technology infrastructure, and collaborative team structure) as tools for attracting and retaining quality personnel as well as developing a sense of self, sense of place, and sense of community for students.