Strategic Plan Implementation

5-Year Plan Overview

2023-2024 School Year

Objective 1:

• Implement RULER
• Facilities Planning

Objective 2:

• Danielson FFT – Learning
• MTSS Tier 1 – Analysis

Objective 3:

• Conduct program reviews
• Create MTSS handbook

Objective 4:

• Create Communications handbook
• Establish feedback process
• Implement new communication platform

Objective 5:

• Develop stakeholder engagement plan

Objective 6:

• Develop and administer staff climate and culture survey
• Design EA professional development and orientation processes
• Establish buildings leadership teams to create and monitor progress towards building goals and improve building culture or support for all staff

2024-2025 School Year

Objective 1:

• Implement district mental health plan

Objective 2:

• Danielson FFT – CDPs
• MTSS Tier 1 – Action Plans

Objective 3:

• Implement MTSS handbook
• Learning around UDL for DO leaders, creation of IC map for UDL
• Continue program review, present completed reviews to school board

Objective 4:

• Implement Communications handbook

Objective 5:

• Implement stakeholder engagement plan
• Revise Career and Academic Planning (DCAP)
• Design Parent University

Objective 6:

• Continue above strategies and respond to feedback from surveys through district and building action plans

2025-2026 School Year

Objective 1:

• Strengthen support for Tier 2 interventions

Objective 2:

• Danielson FFT – Evaluation
• MTSS – Ongoing Improvement

Objective 3:

• Monitor MTSS implementation using IC Map, adjust support as per data
• Learning around UDL for principals and teacher leaders, and staff 
• Teachers incorporate UDL learning into lesson design

Objective 4:

• Implement Communications handbook

Objective 5:

• Implement revised ICAP
• Design apprenticeship and internship programs
• Review and revise feedback process for stakeholders

Objective 6:

• Develop and administer staff PD satisfaction survey
• Design and implement a grow your own apprenticeship program

2026-2027 School Year

Objective 1:

• Implement sensory spaces
• Strengthen Tier 3 interventions

Objective 2:

• Curriculum Framework
• Elem. Standards Referenced Grading

Objective 3:

• Monitor MTSS implementation using IC Map, adjust support as per data
• Monitor and adjust support for incorporating UDL into classroom delivery

Objective 4:

• Implement Communications handbook

Objective 5:

• Design enrichment programs for literacy and math
• Implement feedback process for stakeholders

Objective 6:

• Continue above strategies and respond to feedback from surveys through district and building action plans

2027-2028 School Year

Objective 1:

• Continue implementation

Objective 2:

• Secondary Standards Referenced Grading

Objective 3:

• Monitor MTSS implementation using IC Map, adjust support as per data
• Monitor and adjust support for incorporating UDL into classroom delivery

Objective 4:

• Implement Communications handbook

Objective 5:

• Monitor and revise as needed goals and action plans based on engagement and feedback from the community

Objective 6:

• Continue above strategies and respond to feedback from surveys through district and building action plans

Objectives, Strategies, and Action Steps

Objective 1: Each student will benefit from a safe and vibrant environment that facilitates learning and promotes physical, mental, emotional, and social well-being.

Strategy: Fully implement RULER as the universal PK-12 SEL curriculum

Specific Action Steps:

Phase One: All teachers will implement RULER tools and lessons with all students whose parents do not opt-out. 

• Responsible: Teachers (Teaching & Learning)
• Year: 2023-2024

Phase One: District Office staff will design a building administrator walkthrough process to monitor RULER implementation. 

• Responsible: Teaching & Learning
• Year: 2023-2024

Phase One: Principals will engage in walkthroughs to monitor RULER implementation.

• Responsible: Principals (Teaching & Learning)
• Year: 2023-2024

Phase One: District Office staff will create a RULER IC Map.

• Responsible: Teaching & Learning
• Year: 2023-2024

Phase Two: Building Principals and teacher leaders will use the RULER IC Map to self-assess implementation and provide learning to staff as needed until full implementation is established.

• Responsible: Principals / Teacher Leaders (Teaching & Learning)
• Years: 2024 through 2027

Strategy: Finalize and implement the district mental health plan

Specific Action Steps:

Phase One: District Office staff will complete a draft of the District Mental Health Plan to present to the full school board for approval.

• Responsible: Special Education Department
• Year: 2023-2024

Phase One: District Office staff will assist buildings in offering the Revised Childhood Anxiety and Depression Screener (RCADS) for students.

• Responsible: Special Education Department
• Year: 2023-2024

Phase One: District Office staff will train principals on the protocols outlined in the District Mental Health Plan for mental health service providers seeing students in schools.

• Responsible: Special Education Department
• Year: 2023-2024

Phase One: District Office staff will create a calendar outlining professional learning for staff related to mental health. 

• Responsible: Special Education Department
• Year: 2023-2024

Phase Two: District Office staff will arrange professional learning around mental health for school staff per the District Mental Health Plan.

• Responsible: Special Education Department
• Year: 2024-2025

Phase Two: Principals, with support from District Office staff, will implement a Multi-Tiered System of Support for mental health.

• Responsible: Principals (Special Education Department)
• Year: 2024-2025

Strategy: Plan, Organize, and Implement Safety training, including ALICE / Active Intruder training

Specific Action Steps:

Phase One: Create and use an emergency drill organizational document with regular review for accountability

• Responsible: Associate Superintendent
• Year: 2023-2024

Phase One: District Office staff will coordinate with the City of Ames and Ames Police to complete active intruder training.

• Responsible: Associate Superintendent
• Year: 2023-2024

Phase One: District Office staff will work with the state contracted company to complete geo mapping for each building

• Responsible: FP&M
• Year: 2023-2024

Strategy: Review specialty support positions

Specific Action Step:

Phase One: District Office staff will assess the efficacy of all support positions related to SEBH across the district and determine potential changes.

• Responsible: Special Education Department
• Year: 2023-2024

Strategy: Create sensory and culturally sensitive spaces in each school building that enhance learning for students

Specific Action Steps:

Phase One: District Office staff will review facilities priorities and revise to assign higher priority to needs associated with safety and sensory needs.

• Responsible: Superintendent
• Year: 2023-2024

Phase One: Principals will designate an individual in each building to serve as the contact person for facilities concerns related to sensory and cultural needs; reports will be made annually to the facilities committee.

• Responsible: Principals (FP&M)
• Year: 2023-2024

Phase One: District Office staff will study the existing state of buildings and create an action plan to create sensory-sensitive spaces for students in each school.

• Responsible: FP&M and Special Education Department
• Year: 2024-2025

Phase Two: District Office staff will work with building staff to implement the plan to create sensory-sensitive spaces for students in each school.

• Responsible: FP&M
• Year: 2025-2026

Objective 2: Each student will benefit from a consistent and viable curriculum, engaging instruction, and connected programs designed to ensure that everyone gets what they need to be successful.

Strategy: Fully implement the Danielson Framework for Teaching

Specific Action Steps:

Phase One: District Office staff will create a Danielson IC Map with feedback from teacher leaders and principals.

• Responsible: Teaching and Learning
• Year: 2023-2024

Phase One: Principals, with support from District Office staff, will design learning for staff around the Danielson Essential Components.

• Responsible: Principals (Teaching & Learning)
• Year: 2023-2024

Phase One: All teachers will actively participate in professional learning around the Danielson Essential Components.

• Responsible: Teachers
• Year: 2023-2024

Phase One: All principals and teacher leaders will use the Danielson IC Map self-assessment.

• Responsible: Principals / Teacher Leaders
• Year: 2023-2024

Phase One: Teachers may opt-in to incorporating Danielson into their CDPs, and teacher leaders and principals will provide feedback to teachers who opt-in.

• Responsible: Teachers
• Year: 2023-2024

Phase Two: District Office staff will co-create Danielson Evaluation Tools.

• Responsible: Teaching & Learning / HR Director / Associate Superintendent
• Year: 2024-2025

Phase Two: Principals will evaluate teacher leaders using the Danielson Evaluation tools.

• Responsible: Principals (Associate Superintendent)
• Year: 2024-2025

Phase Two: All teachers will incorporate Danielson into their CDPs.

• Responsible: Teachers (Teaching & Learning & HR Director)
• Year: 2024-2025

Phase Three: Principals will evaluate all teachers using the Danielson Evaluation tools. 

• Responsible: Principals (Associate Superintendent / HR Director)
• Year: 2025-2026

Phase Three: Interview questions and rubrics will be aligned to the essential components of the Framework for Teaching.

• Responsible: HR (HR Director)
• Year: 2025-2026

Strategy: Ames CSD will improve alignment across Tier 1 instruction by using the Universal Tier 1 Building Blocks

Specific Action Steps:

Phase One: District Office staff will create a handbook with common expectations across reading, math, and social, emotional, and behavioral health for Tier 1 as part of the MTSS Handbook (see Obj. 3).

• Responsible: Teaching & Learning Department
• Year: 2023-2024

Phase One: District Office staff will lead principals and teacher leaders in Tier 1 analysis for Building Block 1: Instructional Time for reading, math, and social, emotional, and behavioral health and create action steps for implementation.

• Responsible: Teaching & Learning
• Year: 2023-2024

Phase Two: District Office staff will lead principals and teacher leaders in analysis of building blocks across reading, math, and social, emotional, and behavioral health for Tier 1 instruction; buildings will add to their implementation plans on an ongoing improvement cycle.

• Responsible: Teaching & Learning
• Year: 2024-2025

Phase Three: District Office staff will support building leadership teams in ongoing improvement efforts in Tier 1 using the IC MAP for Universal Instruction as a self-assessment for action plan creation.

• Responsible: Teaching & Learning
• Year: 2025-2026

Ames CSD will design, develop, and implement a curriculum framework

Specific Action Steps:

Phase One: District office staff will provide professional learning for principals and teacher leaders around the curriculum framework.

• Responsible: Teaching & Learning
• Year: 2025-2026

Phase Two: District Office staff will implement the curriculum framework with curriculum review teams.

• Responsible: Teaching & Learning
• Year: 2026-2027

Implement standards-referenced grading and reporting practices PK-12

Specific Action Steps:

Phase One: Elementary teachers will update standards-referenced grading as curriculum areas are implemented.

• Responsible: Teachers (Teaching & Learning)
• Year: 2025-2026

Phase Two: District Office staff will research reference-based grading and create an IC Map for district adoption.

• Responsible: Teaching & Learning
• Year: 2025-2026

Phase Three: District Office staff will lead professional learning for principals and teacher leaders around reference-based grading

• Responsible: Teaching & Learning
• Year: 2025-2026

Phase Four: Principals and teacher leaders will provide professional learning for teachers around reference-based grading.

• Responsible: Principals / Teacher Leaders
• Year: 2027-2028

Phase Five: All PK-12 teachers will implement reference-based grading.

• Responsible: Teachers
• Year: 2028-2029

Objective 3: Each student will benefit from a clear system in which academic, behavior, and social emotional needs are identified, skills are taught, and high expectations are met.

Strategy: We will differentiate the learning of our students and staff

Specific Action Steps

Phase One: District Office staff will engage in learning around Universal Design for Learning.

• Responsible: Special Education Department / Teaching & Learning
• Year: 2024-2025

Phase Two: District Office staff will lead professional learning for principals and teacher leaders around Universal Design for Learning.

• Responsible: Special Education Department
• Year: 2025-2026

Phase Three: District Office staff will create a Universal Design for Learning IC Map.

• Responsible: Special Education Department
• Year: 2024-2025

Phase Four: Principals will provide professional learning for staff around Universal Design for Learning.

• Responsible: Principals
• Year: 2025-2026

Phase Five: All PK-12 teachers will incorporate Universal Design for Learning into instruction.

• Responsible: Teachers
• Year: 2025-2026

Phase Five: Building Leadership Teams will monitor ongoing implementation using the IC map and continue to provide learning to support implementation.

• Responsible: Principals / Teaching & Learning
• Year: 2026-2027

Strategy: We will conduct evaluations of the specialized programs the district offers

Specific Action Steps

Phase One: District Office staff will complete program evaluations for special programs, including special education, ESL, ELP, SUCCESS and ALP.

• Responsible: Teaching & Learning / Special Education Department
• Year: 2023-2024

Phase Two: District Office staff will lead implementation of changes recommended based on program evaluations.

• Responsible: Teaching & Learning / Special Education Department
• Year: 2024-2025

Phase Three: District Office staff will continue to support ongoing program innovation and review of data to meet outcomes established in review

• Responsible: Teaching & Learning / Special Education Department
• Year: 2025-2026

Strategy: We will have a clearly-defined and consistent Multi-Tiered System of Support across all grade levels for academics and behavior

Specific Action Steps

Phase One: District Office staff will create a Multi-Tiered System of Support handbook to align systems across the district. This will include an IC Map for each area of MTSS.

• Responsible: Teaching & Learning
• Year: 2023-2024

Phase Two: Building leadership teams will implement the MTSS handbook with a focus on building identified areas of the IC map that most need improvement.

• Responsible: Principals / Teaching & Learning
• Year: 2024-2025 and annually thereafter

Objective 4: Each student will benefit from effective communication and feedback with staff and the community.

Strategy: Establish communication standards that prioritize the needs of students to promote transparency, accessibility, and overall effectiveness

Specific Action Steps:

Phase One: District Office staff will create a communication standards handbook.

• Responsible: Communications Department
• Year: 2023-2024

Phase Two: District Office staff will implement the communication standards handbook.

• Responsible: Communications Department
• Year: 2023-2024

Strategy: Develop and implement communication standards and expectations in job duties and training for staff

Specific Action Steps:

Phase One: District Office staff will review and plan for specific standards and expectations and identify job duties.

• Responsible: Communications Department
• Year: 2023-2024

Phase Two: HR will implement job description changes and Communications will train staff

• Responsible: Human Relations and Communications Depts.
• Year: 2024-2025

Strategy: Establish a comprehensive feedback process that aims to create a more collaborative, inclusive, and effective organization that is responsive to the needs and preferences of students, staff, and the community

Specific Action Steps:

Phase One: District Office staff will develop a district wide feedback process.

• Responsible: Technology Department
• Year: 2024-2025

Phase Two: District Office staff will implement the district wide feedback process.

• Responsible: Technology Department
• Year: 2024-2025

Objective 5: Each student will benefit from a variety of community partnerships that support their educational, career, and extracurricular pursuits.

Strategy: Deliver a comprehensive stakeholder engagement plan that integrates the community into the decision-making process to harness their collective expertise and resources so that students are supported in their overall educational, career, and extracurricular pursuits

Specific Action Steps:

Phase One: District Office staff will develop a stakeholder engagement plan, including a community partnership plan.

• Responsible: Superintendent and Assoc. Supt and Communications Dept.
• Year: 2023-2024

Phase One: District Office staff will establish an Alumni Network

• Responsible: Communications Department
• Year: 2023-2024

Phase One: District Office staff will re-establish the Ames Education Foundation.

• Responsible: Superintendent
• Year: 2023-2024

Phase Two: District Office staff will implement the stakeholder engagement plan.

• Responsible: All Depts and Principals
• Year: 2024-2025

Phase Two: Principals and teachers will incorporate real world learning experiences into instruction through community partnerships.

• Responsible: Principals
• Year: 2024-2025

Phase Two: District Office staff will lead school staff in revising and improving the ICAP.

• Responsible: Teaching & Learning
• Year: 2024-2025

Phase Three: Principals will lead implementation of the revised ICAP.

• Responsible: Principals (Teaching & Learning)
• Year: 2025-2026

Phase Three: District Office staff will lead school staff in the process of designing additional apprenticeship / internship programs for students.

• Responsible: Teaching & Learning
• Year: 2025-2026

Phase Four: District Office staff will design enrichment programs for literacy and math.

• Responsible: Teaching & Learning
• Year: 2026-2027

Strategy: Identify and address the barriers that prevent families from fully participating in their student’s education to create a culture of partnership and collaboration between families and schools

Phase One: District Office staff will conduct a needs assessment for family engagement.

• Responsible: Communications Department
• Year: 2024-2025

Phase Two: District Office staff will establish a Parent University.

• Responsible: Communications Department
• Year: 2024-2025

Phase Three: District Office staff will establish a feedback process for stakeholders.

• Responsible: Technology and Communications Departments
• Year: 2025-2026

Phase Four: District Office staff will implement the feedback process for stakeholders.

• Responsible: Technology and Communications Departments
• Year: 2026-2027

Objective 6: Each student will benefit from a diverse staff who will engage in regular, high-quality professional learning and reflection.

Strategy: Data will be gathered on current teacher satisfaction with professional development within the Ames CSD as well as their desire to increase differentiated PD for teachers and EAs

Specific Action Steps:

Phase One: District Office staff will create and implement a teacher survey regarding professional development satisfaction.

• Responsible: Human Resources and Teaching & Learning Depts.
• Year: 2025-2026

Phase Two: Principals will implement a teacher survey regarding professional development satisfaction.

• Responsible: Principals
• Year: 2026-2027

Strategy: Use targeted strategies to recruit, hire, and retain a diverse staff that mirrors student demographics

Specific Action Steps:

Phase One: District Office staff will implement strategies to recruit diverse staff members.

• Responsible: Human Resources Dept
• Year: 2023-2024

Phase Two: District Office staff will establish a “grow your own” apprenticeship program.

• Responsible: Human Resources Dept
• Year: 2025-2026

Strategy: The district will enhance the exit survey process to identify trends and themes to reduce turnover of high-quality staff

Specific Action Step:

Phase One: District Office staff will update the exit survey administered to staff leaving the district, administer the survey, and act based on the results.

• Responsible: Human Resources Dept
• Year: 2023-2024

Strategy: Building leaders will do “walk-throughs” where every teacher’s classroom is informally visited on a regular basis

Specific Action Step:

This will be implemented in IC Maps aligned with Danielson through feedback and evaluation (See Objective 2)

• Responsible: Teaching & Learning Dept.
• Year: 2024-2025

Strategy: Create and administer a culture survey to teachers, support staff, and administrators

Specific Action Steps:

Phase One: District Office staff will develop a culture and climate survey and administer the survey twice per year.

• Responsible:
• Year: 2024-2025

Phase Two: District Office staff and principals will develop an action plan in response to the culture and climate survey.

• Responsible: ???? / Principals
• Year: 2024-2025

Strategy: Building administration will take bi-annual action in response to data collected in the culture survey

Specific Action Step:

Phase One: Principals will develop action plans in response to the culture and climate survey results.

• Responsible: Principals
• Year: 2024-2025

Strategy: Each building will create a building leadership team that will meet regularly, address building goals, and improve the culture of support for all staff

Specific Action Steps:

Phase One: Principals will engage in learning around distributive leadership.

• Responsible: Teaching & Learning / Associate Superintendent
• Year: 2023-2024

Phase One: District Office staff will create a handbook for Building Leadership Teams including roles & responsibilities.

• Responsible: Teaching & Learning / Associate Superintendent
• Year: 2023-2024

Strategy: EAs within the Ames CSD will receive support in seeking additional learning opportunities

Specific Action Steps:

Phase One: District Office staff and behavior interventionists will provide regular professional development for EAs on district wide PD days.

• Responsible: Special Education Department
• Year: 2023-2024

Phase Two: District Office staff will promote Purple Pathway

• Responsible: Grove
• Year: 2024-2025

Strategy: All EAs will receive orientation that relates to their daily work either before or within their first two weeks of their hire

Specific Action Step:

Phase One: District Office staff and principals will provide orientation for EAs as part of the onboarding process.

• Responsible: Grove / Principals
• Year: 2023-2024