New Year Goals

New Years Goals
Posted on 12/18/2015

Season’s Greetings and Happy Holidays from everyone in the School District of the Menomonie Area! 

Schools in the SDMA will be closed for winter break beginning Thursday, December 24 and until the students and staff return on Monday, January 4. The Administrative Service Center will be open to the public from 7:30 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. on December 28, 29, and 30; however, with some executive staff members taking vacation, it might be best to call ahead to make an appointment if specific attention is needed.

Even though the calendar is getting ready to flip to a new year, the vision for our school district remains clear as we work toward the mission of preparing ALL students to become lifelong learners, caring individuals, and responsible citizens. We continue to rely on our strategic planning process for maintaining alignment between our school district’s resources and the changing needs and expectations of our community, so the input continually received from students, parents, staff, and community members is very important and much appreciated.

Recently, the SDMA Board of Education reviewed the annual update to the school district’s strategic plan. In addition to discussing the written summary of the six town-hall-style meetings held this fall, board members offered additional suggestions related to district initiatives in the strategic planning areas of Learning Experience, Technology, and Facilities.

Learning Experience- The Board would like the see the district further encourage the development of autodidacts (self-taught learners) and better prepare students for college and careers through more course choices, greater flexibility in scheduling courses, and more exposure to online learning. 

The district plans to move forward in the Learning Experience strategic planning area by:

  • Offering the required Civics course at MHS in an online format in 2016-2017 (in addition to the current option with traditional instruction).

  • Considering the expansion of Extended Learning Time (ELT) at MHS for providing additional intervention and learning extensions for students.

  • Further developing elementary personalized learning opportunities and investigating the possibility of a world language immersion program at the elementary level.

  • Reviewing the vision and future goals for summer school programming in the SDMA.

  • Developing an action plan for full implementation of Academic and Career Plans (ACP) for grades 6-12 by 2017-2018, and allowing students access to multiple pathways and increased flexibility in course selection for career- and college- readiness that includes:

    • The review of alignment between SDMA graduation requirements, state regulations, and other applicable standards.

    • An analysis of MHS course offerings to ensure alignment with Board policy, recommend updates, and to eliminate any unnecessary prerequisites and other antiquated course restrictions.

    • Consideration of a PE replacement credit option for students involved in school-sponsored athletics programs in accordance with state law.

Technology- The Board would like a clear vision established for the future of technology in the school district, including a discussion of possible 1:1 device integration.

Facilities- The current 10-year long-term capital replacement plan will be expanded to 30 years so that proper planning and budgeting can occur.

Should school stakeholders have any questions, concerns, or suggestions related to our school district, I invite you to visit the Administrative Service Center on Pine Avenue or contact me at 715-232-1642. More information about our schools can be found on the school district website (www.sdmaonline.com) and on Twitter (www.twitter.com/sdmaonline).

Acknowledgement:  Several members of the school district’s administrative team helped facilitate the strategic planning town-hall-style meetings and develop action plans to accomplish the goals set by the SDMA school board.