Strategic Plan Update

As we wrap up another exciting school year, we are pleased to share an update on our Strategic Plan.

Guided by our promise of "Empowering the future together...with Mattawan Pride," this plan continues to drive our efforts in creating collaborative, student-focused, and excellent educational environments for everyone.

Since the plan's inception in 2022, we've made significant strides across our five key targets, thanks to the dedication of our staff, the support of our families, and the involvement of our community.

Below is just a highlight of progress in each area, touching on some of the key action items we've accomplished. This is not an all-inclusive summary.

Three last items:

You can quickly note new items since the Fall update by looking for this notation:🚨 *NEW since the Fall* 🚨

You can view a Strategic Goal Tracker at the end if this update.

You can view the full plan document by clicking the links at the end of this update.

It is an honor to serve alongside such talented staff and supportive families.

Yours in Continued Partnership,

Randy Fleenor, Superintendent

& The Board of Education

We've seen strong momentum here, with many initiatives on track or completed.

Goal: providing clear and personalized pathways

🚨 *NEW since the Fall* 🚨District School Improvement Teams completed a comprehensive review of existing Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) to determine fidelity of implementation, identify areas of strength and growth, and establish targeted individual building goals that align with the expectations set forth by the Michigan Department of Education (MDE).

NOTE: It is important to understand that dedicated PLC time empowers teachers to collaborate around student data, identify individual needs, and share best practices. This structured collaboration helps staff design interventions, enrichments, and flexible learning opportunities that create more personalized pathways for students. As a result, students receive tailored support that promotes both academic growth and achievement at their highest potential

✅Deployment of the Multi-Tiered System of Support Handbook to support all buildings has been completed. This resource clearly outlines tiers of support, intervention strategies, and progress-monitoring expectations. By equipping staff with a shared framework and practical tools, the handbook will ensure MTSS practices are implemented with fidelity and aligned across grade levels. This consistency will create personalized, data-driven pathways that support every student in reaching their highest potential.

MTSS stands for Multi-Tiered System of Supports.

In simple terms, it means:

Tier 1: Support for all students

This is the regular instruction, expectations, and support every student receives. For example, strong classroom teaching, schoolwide behavior expectations, and basic social-emotional supports.

Tier 2: Extra support for some students

Some students need a little more help. This might include small-group reading support, math intervention, check-ins with an adult, or targeted behavior support.

Tier 3: Intensive support for a few students

A smaller number of students need more individualized help. This may include one-on-one support, a specific intervention plan, more frequent progress monitoring, or additional services.

The goal of MTSS is to notice student needs early, provide support quickly, and adjust based on whether the support is working.

Goal: diverse, rigorous curriculum

🚨 *NEW since the Fall* 🚨 The board approved the adoption of new science curriculum this year. The materials will be rolled out this fall!

✅6-year curriculum review cycle - Curriculum and resource review is essential for ensuring the best materials for students and teaching staff.

✅New resources in Social Studies, Math, ELA, and Spanish have been purchased and implemented over the last three years.

✅ Vertical teams have been established to bring together educators from multiple grade levels to enhance student support. These teams are actively functioning within the district to promote collaboration and overall improvement.

Goal: social-emotional and mental health

🚨*NEW since the Fall* 🚨 Four out of five schools achieved Showcase status with growth seen in our culture surveys at ALL buildings to unlock the prestigious District Showcase Recognition! Capturing Kids' Hearts (CKH) training, including follow-up sessions and training for hourly staff, new employees, board of education.

✅ K-8 TRAILS (Transforming Research into Action to Improve the Lives of Students), and deployed student, staff, and parent surveys.

✅We’ve streamlined health processes and protocols across all 5 buildings for student health, wellness, and safety; added programming for our students (Project Kid Sight, Vision of Hope, VBCHD Vaccine Clinic, Mobile Dentist, MI Life In Numbers, CALM program), partnering with outside organizations for added health and wellness resources for all students; We’ve added programs such as Capturing Kid’s Hearts, with an additional focus on social-emotional training for both students and staff.

Progress in this area reflects our commitment to our team.

Goal: Attract and Retain High-Quality Team Members Through Competitive Compensation
Our district is committed to attracting and retaining exceptional staff by offering competitive pay, meaningful growth opportunities, and strong labor partnerships. Over the past four years, we have strengthened our position relative to neighboring districts—particularly those we compete with for top talent—through collaborative negotiations with our union partners.

Key accomplishments include:

✅Grow Your Own program to cultivate future educators from within our community.

Note: These efforts have produced measurable gains, including increasing the number of teachers reclaiming 'lost' years of service, increasing staff pursuing advanced degrees, and a decrease in employee departures, excluding retirements.

Goal: Targeted and Consistent Professional Development

✅Three-year PD plan for certified staff, implemented a "new teacher academy" for new hires, and are developing plans for hourly staff.

✅Targeted Professional Development around Social/Emotional Relationship building (CKH), educational equity and critical thinking in teaching (ThinkLaw), PLC training, and a variety of medical and safety trainings.

We've prioritized this target with a number of objectives around safety, enhancements to current assets, and new construction

Goal: Execute a District-Wide Needs Assessment

🚨 *NEW since the Fall* 🚨 Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System permit filed. We have completed our comprehensive stormwater management program plan.

✅Facility and equipment assessment.

✅ Full district assessment (for pre-bond).

✅ Comprehensive safety assessment.

✅ Safety committee established with local law enforcement and first responders.

Goal: Master Site Plan

✅Initial campus assessments.

✅Site planning for school construction pre-bond work.

✅Ongoing site assessments during the current bond projects.

Goal: Pass School Construction Bond

✅Prebond work.

✅ $110 Million-two-proposal-bond passed, May 2024.

✅ Construction underway through 2028.

Goal: Healthy Budget Targets

🚨 *NEW since the Fall* 🚨 Favorable audit received for fiscal year 2024-2025

✅We continue to achieve favorable annual budget audits and maintain a steady fund balance between 12% and 15%.

✅Built additional revenue streams for the general fund, such as our shared time program with area private schools, allowing us to claim additional student counts.

Goal: School Construction Bond

🚨 *NEW since the Fall* 🚨 Phase 1 of Traffic Reconfiguration underway; Transportation & Maintenance Facility construction underway; Multiple projects in schematic design

✅Prebond work completed based on established goals: preserve existing assets; prioritize safety and security; provide future-focused academic and extracurricular experiences for our students; enhance infrastructure; and, demonstrate fiscal responsibility

✅Leveraged Zero-Mill Increase by successfully passing historic $110 million school construction bond in May 2024.

✅Construction underway through 2029.

🎉THANK YOU COMMUNITY!🎉

Project Highlights:

Safety & Security:

• Addressing traffic congestion, lack of parking spaces, and separation of traffic and busing through enhancements
• Replacement of outdated, unreliable security equipment at each building

Transportation:

• Continued replacement of an aging bus fleet

Academic Learning Spaces + Experience:

• Replacement of original, aged classroom equipment and furniture at middle and high schools
• Updates to original, outdated science areas at middle and high schools (excluding the newly renovated portions) to ensure students have state of the art experiences.

Fine Arts:

• Upgrades to lighting and media equipment at the high school auditorium

Infrastructure:

• Replacement of original, outdated lockers, bathrooms, various ceilings, and lighting at middle and high schools
• Renovations to high school weight room including expansion to address overcrowding and scheduling issues for student-athletes and physical education courses
• Upgrade of aged building controls at middle and high schools (water, fire, HVAC, etc.) to provide the most efficient and safe environmental controls
• Addition of cooling to main gymnasiums at the high school

Student Athletic Experience:

• Renovation of aged high school locker rooms
• Renovation of the high school stadium, including artificial turf, new entryways, expanded concessions
• New high school track
• Upgrades to baseball and softball fields
• Construction of a new multi-use turf field (soccer, lacrosse, football)
• Maintenance of existing practice fields; addition of a new outdoor practice space

Other Construction:

• Addressing overcrowding in the current Middle School cafeteria
• Replacement of aged, quickly deteriorating tennis courts
  
• Replacement of aged transportation building and maintenance building
• Construction of a fieldhouse facility for indoor practice teams/band to address lack of 12-month practice space; available for community use
• Construction of a student/community pool

Goal: Strategic Marketing/PR Plan

✅3-Year Marketing Plan with a Community Newsletter, radio ad and billboard campaigns, parent newsletters, and ongoing bond work.

✅New district website launch and rebrand.

✅Launched mobile app.

✅Comprehensive marketing district plan in full swing.

Goal: Enhance relationships with local and state entities, and community

✅Consistent, district-wide survey tool is in development to capture stakeholder feedback more effectively.

✅Community safety team has been initiated in collaboration with local police, state police, Van Buren County Sheriff, and other resources.