Goals

1. The Board will, at all possible times, utilize evidence-based decision-making.
2. The Board will continue its efforts to communicate, consult, and collaborate with all partners, stakeholders, staff, and the broader community in an open and transparent manner.
   • In collaboration with the Administration, the Board will schedule several public workshops to engage the full Board and community on key issues facing the District, including financial, long-term planning, and facilities issues.
3. The Board, in collaboration with the Administration, will work to increase committee effectiveness, transparency, and communication by:

• Specifically defining each committee's purpose and charge;
• Defining annual committee goals that align with and support District goals;
• Holding open meetings whenever practicable in light of the agenda;
• Establishing clear guidelines for community engagement during open meetings; and
• Providing meeting summaries to all Board members and the public in a timely manner.

Our Mission

Our mission is to prepare all of our students to lead lives of joy and purpose as knowledgeable, creative and compassionate citizens of a global society.

Our Values

To achieve our mission, we strive to stay true to our values of partnership, innovation, and care.

• Our schools are places of partnership where educators work closely with one another, where relationships with families are forged, and where collaborations with individuals and organizations across our community and throughout the world support the highest levels of teaching and learning.

• Our schools are places of innovation where curiosity is sparked, risk-taking is encouraged, and where problems are viewed as opportunities for deeper understanding and creative solutions.

• Our schools are places of care where every child is known, every culture valued, and where kindness and courage are modeled.

Our Strategic Planning Goals: 2016 - 2021

• Wellness and Balance

• Every Child Known

• Closing the Achievement Gap

• Innovation in Teaching and Learning

• Communication, Connection and Care

Our Theme for 2019-2020: Knowing Every Shild – Supporting Them Together Superintendent's Goals: 2019-2020

1. Advancing Equity in the Service of Student Achievement: Equity is the goal that overarches all five of our strategic planning goals. A district that is educationally equitable is one in which we welcome and value all individuals for who they are and provide the structures, relationships, and resources they need to achieve their greatest potential. The throughlines that connect all of the strategic planning goals and that move us toward our vision of equity are 1) differentiation of instruction and 2) culturally responsive teaching. In 2019-2020, the Superintendent will extend those throughlines and advance both equity and student achievement through the attainment of the following goals:

a. Implementation of a District-Wide Approach to Restorative Practice and Justice – As an outcome of our Equity Audit, the strategic implementation of a district-wide plan for Restorative Justice will continue our focus on proactive approaches such as building a strong sense of community within each school, training in implicit bias and trauma-informed teaching, increasing the diversity and responsiveness of our staff, and connecting with leaders in our community. It will also involve responsive approaches such as repairing harm and restoring relationships when violations of community standards occur. This work will be ongoing and will involve engagement of students, educators, and community leaders. By June of 2020, building on the training last year for all administrators and each school’s Climate and Safety Team, the Superintendent will ensure 1) training for all Equity Team members in the principles and application of Restorative Justice, 2) training for all school counselors in the principles and application of Restorative Justice, 3) the development of a code of conduct for PHS based on the principles and practices of Restorative Justice, and 4) the development of a bias- response process for the District that incorporates the principles of Restorative Justice.

b. Implementation of the Components of Culturally Responsive Teaching – The Superintendent will work with his administrative team to coach teachers through faculty meetings, department meetings, and professional development days in the practical and daily implementation of the components and associated elements of culturally responsive teaching including.

• Component A: Recognizing the Educational Impact of Cultural Diversity.  
  • Elements: Awareness of Own Culture* Knowledge of Students' Cultures*Patterns of Cultural InteractionComponent
• B: Addressing Demographic Inequities in Achievement.
  • Elements: Knowledge and Use of Achievement Data Across Demographic Groups to Inform Instructional Practice * Differentiated Instruction
• Component C: Building Relationships Across Cultural Differences.
  • Elements: Culturally Responsive Classroom Relationships/Expectations *Effective Communications with Diverse Groups of Parents * EffectiveUse of Communication Support Resources
• Component D: Adapting Curriculum to Reflect Cultural Diversity
  • Elements: Multicultural Content Integration and Multiple Perspectives * Physical Classroom Environment
• Component E: On-going Self-Reflection About Cultural Competence
  • Elements: CollegialDialogue*ExposuretoDifferences*Staff Development

c. Enhancing Equity through Response to Diverse Learners – The superintendent, together with the Director of Student Services and the Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction, will continue a three-year process to evaluate and enhance outcomes for special education students as they relate to IEP compliance, organizational efficiency, and effective and empathetic communication with parents and guardians of students with special needs. This will be the third year of this goal and will focus on an independent evaluation of organizational efficiency, as well as effective and empathetic communication with parents and guardians of students with special needs.

d. Enhancing Equity Through Enrichment for All – The superintendent together with the Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction and the building principals will implement the District’s new enrichment program entitled FOCUS (Fostering Our

Children’s Unique Strengths). The implementation will include the creation of learning opportunities based on the Multiple Intelligences as well as math extension activities. The implementation will also outline multiple measures for participation including teacher and parent observations as well as student self-selection.

e. Development of an “Equity Dashboard” for Assessing and Communicating Progress - To help regularly assess and communicate progress in the implementation of the District’s equity efforts, the Superintendent will work with the Board and Administrative Team to develop an Equity Dashboard with key metrics, including the following:

• Welcoming school environment as measured through annual climate survey
• Graduation rates
• Placement in AP and Honors Courses
• Participation in Arts and Athletics
• Engagement in School as measured by the ChallengeSuccess Survey
• Attendance Data with a focus on Chronic Absenteeism
• Rates of Special Education Classification
• Discipline Data
• Academic Performance as measured through standardized assessments

2. Facilities Stewardship: Our facilities should support our staff, our students, and all of our strategic planning goals. Wellness, instructional innovation, even community, connection, and care can be enhanced through adequate, thoughtfully designed, and efficiently operating physical spaces. The Superintendent will work with the Board to accomplish the following:

a. Referendum Implementation, Oversight, and Communication – The Superintendent will continue to work with the Board and the Director of Facilities to oversee the implementation of the projects associated with the $26.9 million referendum, provide regular communication to the community about the progress of those projects, and engage the community in ways that allow for input regarding the projects from stakeholders and community members with recognized expertise.

b. Sustainability and Energy Efficiency – The Superintendent will collaborate with the Director of Facilities in the development of 1) an implementation plan of projects identified as part of the State’s Energy Savings Improvement Program (ESIP) or other energy savings programs, and 2) a set of protocols and practices for increasing energy efficiency district-wide.

c. Planning for Growth – As student enrollment in the District continues to grow, we must plan for our facilities to accommodate that growth. In developing such a plan, the Superintendent will work with the Board, the municipality and with members of the community to 1) update and refine our demographic projections, 2) outline multiple options for school expansion, and 3) explore funding options that minimize tax impact.

d. Support of Best Pedagogical Practices – The design of space, the implementation of technology, even the selection of furniture should all be guided by current research on best practices for teaching and learning. The Superintendent together with the Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction will establish a committee of teachers, administrators, Board members, students, community members, and representatives from institutions of higher education to develop a set of recommendations regarding the role of facilities in supporting best pedagogical practices.

e. Maintenance of Existing Facilities – The Superintendent will work with the new Business Administrator and Director of Facilities in the development of a detailed internal maintenance plan to supplement the three-year plan submitted in the Fall to the county office. The internal document, presented to the Facilities Committee by June, will reflect District priorities and result from the new Director’s evaluation of District needs.

3. Financial Stewardship and Sustainability – In a continuing commitment to maintain the affordability of public education in an increasingly resource-constrained environment, while also enhancing learning for a growing and diverse student population, the superintendent will take the following steps towards establishing a three-year path towards fiscal sustainability: 1) work with his administrative team to implement a priority-based budgeting process with the goal of presenting the Board with multiple pathways for closing the anticipated budget gap whilemaintaining the District’s mission, 2) work with the Board and association leadership teams to develop fair and sustainable employment contracts, 3) continue to collaborate with community partners to explore savings through additional shared-services, 4) continue to generate and review creative measures for reducing expenses, 5) continue to generate and review creative measures for increasing revenues, and 6) join the Board in its advocacy for legislative changes in the State’s school funding formula and other aid allocations.

4. Transforming Child Nutrition: Enhancing Our Mission Through Food – In the Princeton Public Schools, we view our cafeterias as an extension of our classrooms - and of our values. Through our breakfast and lunch programs, we are committed to the health and wellness of our students, to the sustainability of our planet, to the provision of quality food for all children regardless of economic means, to partnership with our community, and to food as an entry point to learning. In the 2019 school year, the Superintendent will work with our Food Service Management Company and its new onsite director to 1) ensure the provision of a globally adventurous, nutritious and healthy menu, 2) develop a student survey to evaluate the food quality and cultural diversity, 3) establish participation goals and a plan to achieve them, and 4) establish sustainability protocols and ensure they are followed.

5. Creation of a New Communications Structure – The Superintendent will work with the Board and his administrative team to develop a multifaceted communication structure that 1) celebrates learning and student achievement, 2) recognizes and honors the diverse languages and cultures within our community, 3) provides the community with timely information regarding key issues and initiatives, 4) responds quickly and appropriately to crisis situations, and 5) invites feedback from all stakeholders.