2025-2026 Strategic Plan

Board Approved: 9-9-2025

Focus Area #1: Goal Statement:

College and Career-Ready Students

The GSD #231 will provide a variety of quality opportunities in academics and life skills in order to ensure students are ready to excel with future goals and to serve as productive citizens.

Objectives:

• GSD will ensure that students are able to excel academically, so they can develop the skills that will support all areas of students’ lives in all grades K-12.
• GSD will academically prepare students to be successful when taking college-placement and job-placement exams such as PSAT (Preliminary SAT), SAT, ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery Test), ACT, etc.
• GSD schools will offer programs that provide students with life skills, such as critical thinking, personal finance, resiliency, and workplace soft skills.
• GSD schools will help students develop plans for their future and support all post high-school options including career and technical programs, college preparation, military, and workplace training.

2025-2026 Tasks

1. Continue focusing on:
   1. Increasing percentage of students who complete dual credit classes
   2. Increasing the number of college credits/certificates earned by students
   3. The use of student four year plans in grades 8-12
   4. Increasing FAFSA completion rate
   5. Maintaining CTE programs and increase number of students participating in them
   6. Increasing graduation and positive placement rates for graduating seniors
      

Focus Area #2: Goal Statement:

Recruitment, Development and Retention of High-Quality Staff/Faculty

The GSD #231 will actively recruit, hire, and retain professional, engaged, and effective team members in all areas.

Objectives:

• GSD will support collaboration on best practices, professional development, and rigorous instruction that fit within the strategic plan at the district, building, and team levels.
• GSD will develop strong recruitment practices, including maintaining competitive salaries and benefits and utilizing all available options to become the district of choice for employees.
• GSD will effectively utilize the evaluation process to identify strengths and weaknesses in an effort to ensure staff members reach their full potential through continuous improvement.

2025-2026 Tasks

• Prioritize district-wide, building-level, and individualized professional development to advance the goals outlined in the District Strategic Plan.
• Continue implementation and refinement of the district’s mentor program.
• Foster and strengthen a “grow your own” philosophy to develop and retain educators, helping to fill critical teaching positions.
  

Focus Area #3: Goal Statement:

Facilities/Safety

The GSD #231 will provide a safe, clean and secure school environment in up to date facilities, that are well-maintained and efficiently utilized, while proactively planning for the future.

Objectives:

• GSD will prioritize the health and safety of students and staff as part of the overall facilities plan.
• GSD will update plans for emergency communications between buildings, classrooms, and first responders.
• GSD will focus on. school safety and security in order to maintain and enhance an overall positive and successful learning environment.
• GSD will implement long-term planning for facility maintenance and future building through collaborative efforts with all stakeholders.

2025-2026 Tasks

• Partner with administration, district staff, parents, and community stakeholders to successfully pass a bond levy.
• Collaborate with local emergency responders to implement critical components of the District Crisis Response and Prevention Plan.
• Complete the high school and elementary/middle school parking lot renovations, with improvements to ADA accessibility and the resolution of longstanding safety concerns.
• Pursue and secure grant funding to support the addition of a School Resource Officer.
• Continue SafeSchool staff training
  

Focus Area #4: Goal Statement:

Communication

The GSD #231 will actively engage and collaborate with all people involved in the education and support of students.

Objectives:

• GSD will implement a marketing and community engagement strategy to promote the district.
• GSD will provide and effectively utilize communication tools to support consistent and timely school and district-level communication.

2025-2026 Tasks

• Regularly update and maintain the district website to ensure accuracy and accessibility.
• Implement enhanced marketing strategies-leveraging the website, social media, reader board, local newspaper, and other platforms-to promote district programs and successes.
• Strengthen communication between schools, classroom teachers, and parents/guardians.
• Establish an effective and consistent process for updating parent/guardian contact information in PowerSchool.
• Increase the percentage of parents/guardians actively using PowerSchool to monitor student progress and stay informed.
  

Focus Area #5: Goal Statement:

Financial Responsibility

The GSD #231 will be responsible and accountable for district resources while providing transparency and community engagement to support the district’s needs and the strategic plan.

Objectives:

• GSD will plan for future sustainability by prioritizing maintaining the fund balance.
• GSD will utilize all funds (Federal, State, local) in compliance with the specific revenue streams to support the overall financial health of the District.
• GSD will maintain a clear and transparent budget process.

2025-2026 Tasks

1. District budget, yearly audit report, master labor agreement, monthly financials, vendor and personnel contracts will be posted on the district website
2. Implement updated district finance program (Qmlativ) and complete training
   

Focus Area #6: Goal Statement:

Quality Learning Opportunities

The GSD #231 will provide resources and strategies to support high academic achievement within a positive culture and learning environment.

Objectives:

• GSD will work to ensure the curriculum is vertically and horizontally aligned so students continually build knowledge K-12.
• GSD will support the integration of technology within the curriculum in a systematic way for all students including navigating different platforms and digital citizenship in a way that addresses student learning needs.
• GSD will continue to focus on and implement strategies, programs and plans that help foster a positive culture and learning environment for all students and staff.
• GSD will continue to strive for growth in all academic measures. To include, but are not limited to, IRI, ISAT, PSAi SAT, graduation rates and school based assessments.

2025-2026 Tasks

• Align English Language Arts and Mathematics curricula and assessments across the district to ensure consistency and coherence.
• Update subject-area and grade-level pacing calendars on the district website.
• Superintendent, principals, and counselors will identify, implement, monitor, and communicate student achievement targets, goals, and progress.
• Continue district-wide implementation of the Professional Learning Communities (PLC) model.
• Successfully implement the Little Senators Preschool program in collaboration with community partners.
• Launch the new required Digital Literacy course for the graduating class of 2028.