June 12, 2024

Dear Cherokee Teachers, Staff, Parents, and Guardians:

As we close out the 2023-2024 school year and look toward summer, I want to share an update on our collaborative work with the Center for Model Schools. Together, we are assessing Cherokee's culture, climate, teaching, and learning in alignment with our District 67 five-year strategic plan.

Cherokee Insight Assessment
The first piece of our work with the Center for Model Schools took place in April and May when we partnered to conduct an insight assessment consisting of school observations and eight focus group discussions with students, staff, and parents. My sincere thanks to those of you (more than 40!) who volunteered to participate in these focus group conversations at a very busy time of year.

In addition to facilitating focus groups, Model Schools visited roughly two-thirds of Cherokee instructional spaces (18 rooms), seeking a deeper understanding of our instructional practices, including:

Student and staff learning dispositions
Student behaviors
Lesson planning and pacing
Classroom discourse and questioning
Differentiation and small-group instruction
Assessment and progress monitoring

Insights Report
The full report may be found here. These results will guide our planning and metrics for the 2024-2025 school year and beyond. As we review the report and consider immediate, short-term, and long-term goals, we will focus on our academic and social support systems, student-centered instructional strategies, and the continuous improvement of teaching and learning.

Next Steps
Dr. Cavanaugh and the Center for Model Schools will discuss the report with the Cherokee Building Leadership Team (BLT) and answer questions in July. They will do the same with Cherokee staff at the beginning of the school year, ensuring everyone has a voice and is part of the ongoing improvement process.

To address key opportunities for growth, Dr. Cavanaugh and her team will work with Model Schools to develop a set of action items, expected outcomes, and key metrics to measure progress and share those with Cherokee teachers, staff, and families in the fall. Dr. Cavanaugh will also discuss highlights during her fall 2024 Curriculum Night remarks and APT meetings.

Thank you for your partnership as we work together to cultivate educational excellence in our schools.

Sincerely,

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Matthew L. Montgomery, Ph.D.