Superintendent's 2022-23 Goals

1. Strategic Plan Refresh Implementation – The Superintendent is charged with the responsibility of direct and consistent monitoring and oversight of the Strategic Plan to ensure that the school community will see its vision realized. The “All Forward,” strategic plan has been a pillar in the school district since its inception in 2014. Feedback has been positive on all aspects of the implementation, integration, and actualization of the progressive and dynamic strategic plan. In the 2022-23 school year, the “All Forward” Strategic Plan will undergo a refresh, where a reconvening of various “Go Teams” who will focus on updating the language, timelines, and action steps for each of the five pathways and the rationale to continually embark on the work of ‘All Forward”. Multiple updates summarizing the progress of the plan refresh will be presented to the Board and community. The Superintendent’s role will be to continue to refresh and set benchmarks, while insisting on tangible results.

2. Communications and Stakeholder Engagement - As recognized as focal point by the School Board of Directors and the Superintendent of Schools, communications and stakeholder engagement will be expanded and made readily available. The Superintendent will hold several meetings throughout the school district to communicate the goals and progress in the five priority areas— (1) School District litigation, (2) Arnold Field Lighting, (3) Health Start Times, (4) Full Day Kindergarten, and (5) Playing fields for Black Rock Middle School. The Superintendent will lead the work of committees in priority areas 3 and 4, focusing on information sharing and advocacy, in the event priority area 2 is accomplished, thus leading to efficient and fiscally responsible implementation of focus areas 3 and 4. Moreover, the work of the five priority areas will be ongoing, while school district communications will continue to be implemented efficiently pertaining to activities, stakeholder responses, announcements of school district events and stakeholder opportunities to collaborate with the school district administration for committee work.

3. Equity & Anti-Racism – Lower Merion has made notable improvements in implementing policies and committees to address racial injustices and insure equity of its students and staff. The Superintendent will support these policies with continued professional development of staff and student-based programs. The Superintendent will be responsible for leading the work of the Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging to focus on the aforementioned, while creating educator networks in all schools to establish, cultivate and lead the emergence of student voice amongst the student body in LMSD.

4. Achievement Gaps - Lower Merion has made notable improvements in mitigating achievement gaps among historically underperforming students. District-wide Cultural Proficiency is crucial to the ongoing work in this area and will continue through CARE (Committee to Address Race in Education) and The Achievement Imperative Task Force (AITF). More specifically, the Superintendent has directed school administration to identify and support students who are either not or close to not being proficient on the Pennsylvania State Standard Assessments (PSSA). The Superintendent will monitor the Full Day Targeted Kindergarten program. Teachers and building administrators will utilize Building Learning Plans to develop action plans that closely monitor individual student achievement. The Superintendent and Board are committed to continued dedication of resources and supporting an approach that legislates work toward closing achievement gaps and addresses issues related to disparate achievement outcomes for underrepresented, special needs, economically disadvantaged and dissociated students. Both District and state achievement outcome data will be utilized to support this work.

5. Managing Grade Reconfiguration – In the 2022-23 school year the school district is implementing a new grade configuration: grades K-4, 5-8, 9-12. It is the responsibility of the Superintendent to oversee this process and closely monitor progression and communication with the Lower Merion School District stakeholders regarding the reimaging of scheduling, curriculum, resources, facilities management, and personnel alignment in grades K-8.

1. Student Growth and Achievement – Superintendent uses multiple data sources to assess student success and growth as appropriate, specific to the needs within the District and as determined annually in collaboration with the Board of School Directors. Annual or other District performance objectives are articulated and clearly achieved under the direction of the Superintendent relative to PSSA, PVAAS, and other locally determined measures.

2. Organizational Leadership – Superintendent works collaboratively with the Board to support the mission of and a shared vision for LMSD, displays an ability to identify and rectify problems affecting the district, manages LMSD staff to ensure best practices are being utilized by all buildings and departments and works to positively influence the climate and culture of LMSD.

3. LMSD Operations and Financial Management – Superintendent manages effectively, ensuring completion of activities associated with the annual budget by overseeing the distribution of resources in support of LMSD priorities.

4. Communications and Community Relations – Superintendent communicates with and effectively engages the staff, the Board and members of the community, clearly articulating District goals and priorities, addressing issues affecting LMSD, and building support for LMSD goals, initiatives and programs.