Phase Two: integrate Access

integrate Access to Assess Student Learning and Achievement

This component focuses on student learning and achievement in alignment with the Strategic Plan and incorporates an “Instructional Leadership Tour,” visiting and observing the Strategic Plan in action at all school sites. This phase focuses on getting to know students and employees, particularly school leadership, and also provides a panoramic view of climate and culture. The Superintendent, Executive Cabinet, and Cabinet will participate in engagement opportunities throughout the community with parents, students, and partners.  

GOVERNANCE TEAM

Provide a “Rhythm of Communication” with the Board of Education on the progress of the i3 Plan. By utilizing the methods currently in place, the Board remains up-to-date and in sync with the execution of the plan. If any adjustments are needed, these would be checkpoints to notify.

The Superintendent will communicate regularly with the Board by providing updates at Agenda Review meetings and Study Sessions. Strategic Plan Quarterly updates will highlight how the i3 Plan aligns with district goals. The Superintendent will schedule meetings with individual board members as needed.

ORGANIZATIONAL ALIGNMENT AND OPERATIONS OF CABINET AND SENIOR STAFF

The Superintendent will seek to identify chronically underperforming schools and conduct a root-cause analysis to understand gaps in meeting the needs of students. These assessments will also include Superintendent reviews of evaluation systems for all employee groups within the district and school sites. The Superintendent will also assess how departments align and work toward student achievement

Developing a comprehensive perspective will include evaluating how all departments' Key Performance Indicators align with Priority Student Outcomes and the Strategic Plan. Finally, the Superintendent will assess the current professional development efforts and capacity for meeting the training needs of principals, teachers, and district staff.

STUDENT LEARNING AND ACHIEVEMENT

It is the responsibility of every employee to ensure all students graduate from HCS college-, career-, and life-ready. To ensure instruction is occurring at high levels, teachers must have a rigorous K-12 instructional curriculum, pacing guides/unit plans designed to facilitate optimal learning opportunities. It is important to equip educators with tools to monitor student progress and ensure they are using those tools, as well as to have research-based interventions to deploy when the students are not yet performing on grade level. Most importantly, we must ensure all decisions are made based on Priority Student Outcomes. HCS will advance opportunities, access, and outcomes for every student in literacy proficiency at every grade level, readiness to learn at every grade level, and college-, career-, and life-ready skills post-graduation.

In keeping with the district’s vision to ensure a high-quality, world-class education for every student, the Superintendent will evaluate the current assessment system with the curriculum and instructional staff and review the infrastructure that manages assessment demands. The Superintendent will review disaggregated CCRPI data, instructional program alignment, current goals, and priority action areas through meetings with the district's instructional leadership team.

To enhance student learning and achievement, high on the list of priorities for the Superintendent is determining the process HCS uses to ensure all students are performing at grade level or receiving appropriate, targeted interventions (MTSS).

These objectives will encompass determining how comprehensive and research-based the current curriculum is, to what degree it is aligned among schools, and assessing the fidelity with which the curriculum is used throughout the district.

This will also entail a review of curriculum and programs, particularly of student subgroups currently not demonstrating expected target goals.

Understanding strategies around promoting advanced coursework, such as Honors and Advanced Placement programs, will be instrumental to increasing access and equity. Related to these efforts, the Superintendent will review the methods or initiatives implemented to increase SAT and ACT scores, the number of National Merit Scholars, and AP/STEM schools.

To further meet the needs of every child in the district, the Superintendent will assess how students are identified as Economically Disadvantaged, Students with Disabilities (SWD), English Language Learners, and Gifted, and evaluate strategies implemented to improve outcomes for these students.

Determining principals’ autonomy and authority based on the organizational structure and opportunities to contribute to decision-making at the district office is a key action step within the Superintendent’s Plan, ensuring principals, as a vital leadership lever, are empowered to facilitate student success.

SUPPORT STRUCTURES FOR HEALTH AND WELLNESS

In evaluating the district’s support structures to advance health and wellness, the Superintendent will review student discipline infractions and Positive Behavior Intervention Strategies/Practices. This phase will also include assessing schoolwide and districtwide professional development efforts for all school staff aligned with discipline infractions, particularly those related to harm to others, as denoted by the Georgia Department of Education.

The Superintendent will also observe and discuss the role of Student Services, Counselors, and Mental Health and Wellness Facilitators, ISS in secondary schools, and the new role of ISS in elementary schools.
Additionally, the Superintendent will review student attendance data and practices to minimize absences and evaluate employee school and non-school site visits that indirectly impact school sites.

Instructional Walks

The Superintendent will conduct visits to schools in implementing the Instructional Walks with principals, teachers, support staff, and Executive Cabinet to discuss where we are as a district and where we need to be to meet the needs of all children. These walks will focus on student engagement, school leader and teacher effectiveness, safety, and security across HCS. This is where we will see how the five Strategic Actions are being implemented in schools to achieve the Priority Student Outcomes set forth in the Strategic Plan.

P.O.W.E.R. Forum

During the first and second semesters, the district will host a Priority Outcomes Wielding Exceptional Results Forum (P.O.W.E.R. Forum) with all principals. These forums will provide growth and professional development opportunities for instructional leaders to learn and share strategies that work across HCS. They will also provide opportunities for the Superintendent to support schools with issues that need to be resolved and ensure student achievement while elevating accountability for all leaders, starting with Executive Cabinet and Cabinet, to support and assist school leaders in finding solutions for issues that may impede student learning and achievement goals. This will be the most collaborative forum to positively impact the goal of developing effective school leaders and teachers. 

STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT

Public schools require a commitment from the entire community to be successful. It is critical to understand the culture, history, and expectations of Henry County. The Superintendent and staff must be proactive and deliberate in reaching out to stakeholders, particularly those who may be underrepresented in public engagement, to ensure an equitable voice.

There will be a focus on establishing openness and transparency in all internal and external communication systems and protocols. Most importantly, the leverage school principals wield in creating an environment for engagement is crucial, making collaboration a priority. 

With a commitment to deepening stakeholder engagement, the Superintendent will attend Community Cluster Conversations, meet with the Student & Parent Advisory to gain insight and feedback on how HCS can achieve its Strategic Plan goals, and meet with current Community Leadership Academy members. Meetings with HCS Teachers of the Year, Educational Support Personnel of the Year, and other honored staff members will provide further insight regarding Strategic Plan priorities.

Supporting these objectives and strengthening community partnerships will also include observing and discussing the implementation of the HCS mentorship program, visiting the Welcome Center, and reviewing and/or developing capacity-building and leadership development plans.

OPERATIONAL CULTURE

The Superintendent will employ various strategies in embracing the Board’s Strategic Action goal to advance a high-performing operational culture. These include observing and discussing cybersecurity updates based on school site visits.

The Superintendent will also observe and discuss the impact of the deployment of facilities and maintenance support, the first two years of the five-year Capital Plan, and the implementation and impact of new legislation.

To accomplish the community-inspired goals related to this Phase, the Superintendent will also review employee contracts, salary schedules, and benefits in preparation for the FY26 budget. Activities in this phase will also extend to reviewing all non-school site employee evaluation systems and resource allocation to ensure the district's budget is aligned to support student achievement.

The Superintendent will observe and discuss the degree to which all offices monitor metrics to meet the needs of internal and external stakeholders to ensure efficiency and support for student achievement.