From the Superintedent’s Desk

School improvement goals set for upcoming school year

Hello Stockbridge Families,

In a few weeks, students will be returning to school for the 2023-2024 school year. We have great anticipation for the new school year and the implementation of the preparations we have made for the students. This past year, we made a lot of progress and we are excited to take the next step in meeting the needs of our students. We have established the following school improvement goals to address their needs.

The following goals have been set for the 2023-2024 school year.

Goal No. 1:  ALL students will be proficient in literacy K-12. To address this goal, we will have many strategies, but one major initiative will be to use tutors for one-on-one instruction to help students achieve the goal of reading at grade level. In addition to classroom instruction, we will work with Beyond Basics to implement the Orton Gillingham program to meet the literacy needs of students.
Goal No. 2: All students will be proficient in mathematics K-12. To address this goal, we will work with students and teachers to implement tier one (classroom level) and tier two (small group) math interventions that will promote the mastery of basic math skills.
Goal No. 3: All students will develop healthy relationships and a sense of belonging in a safe school environment. To address this goal, we will work to develop consistency across the grade levels and use Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) to set expectations and supports for students in the district.
Goal No. 4: All students will reach proficiency in all content areas and specials through implementation of best assessment practices. To address this goal, we will work with staff to use research-based best practices to assess students in their work. An emphasis on formative assessment will provide students with a more consistent picture of how they are doing and will inform staff members on how they should adjust their curriculum and instruction.

School safety is an ongoing focus and priority for our school district.

In August, we will provide ALICE training for our staff. This training provides detailed instruction on how to respond to an active intruder in the building. ALICE training explores various types of responses that can be tailored to any given situation as needed. These skills are transferable to all aspects of life.  We are addressing school safety in many ways and the following is a list of the initiatives that we are working on to promote school safety. 1) Staff training on threat assessment. 2) Crisis team meetings. 3) Building level drills: including fire drills, tornado drills, and emergency response drills. 4) Installation of vape detectors and additional cameras. 5)Expansion of our mental health services. 6) Annual bus evacuation drills. 7) Revision of the emergency operations plan. 8) The addition of a school resource officer.

We will continue to further develop and refine all of these programs as needed.
We are looking forward to having the students and staff return in the fall to a safe and productive learning environment. We will continue to write grants and bring resources into the district to better meet the needs of the students and staff and to further these goals and initiatives.

We do ask for your help in creating structure for your students.
Please encourage them to get engaged in the learning process and in the extracurricular activities that are provided in school and in our community. Limiting screen time and encouraging reading are great places to start.

Another goal we have is to get our families more involved in the educational process.
You will notice in our communications and in the structure of our activities that there will be a focus on getting parents and families more involved in the educational process. Please take advantage of these opportunities and engage in your students’ learning. We look forward to working with you in the fall to engage your students in opportunities that will positively impact their future.

Go Panthers!

Brian Friddle
Superintendent of Schools