The Progress Report: July

Even while our classrooms are quieter in July, the work of transformation is anything but on pause. This month, we are using our time wisely, not only to plan, but to build central and coherent systems that will serve as the backbone for the year ahead.

From Cabinet strategy sessions to staff professional development, we're leaning into the district’s Continuous Improvement Plan (DCIP) and strategic priorities with intention and urgency.

Why? Because we know that what we build in July shows up in September; in how students experience learning, how schools run, and how staff feel walking into their buildings on Day One.

This is the season for setting the tone, and for getting it right. We’re:

Aligning leaders around our strategic plan including non-negotiables for learning outcomes.
Identifying major change management initiatives that require care, clarity, and precision.
Designing checks and balances to help us track progress, pivot early, and stay true to our goals.

We’re also putting action behind equity by expanding accelerated summer learning opportunities. These programs are helping to close academic gaps before school starts, increase engagement, and give students a stronger launchpad into the fall. Summer is both a reset and a runway for success.

Together, we are laying the foundation for a school year built on purpose, powered by systems, and anchored in student success.

Let’s take a closer look at what we’ve been building.

Our award-winning summer learning programs are preventing learning loss, and accelerating gains. This year’s theme is fittingly Create ∗ Learn ∗ Play! As two former summer instructors put it:

“The math curriculum is awesome. It’s all ready to go and kids are really into it.”

“This is so fun. School should be like this all the time."

At a glance...

A total of 2,980 students are currently enrolled for the 2025 summer session.
Focus areas include early kindergarten transition, literacy and math intervention, Leap Into 9th and 6th Grade, credit recovery, Indian and migrant education, and support for English language learners and students with disabilities.

Summer is helping us build academic momentum, one classroom at a time.

Our Staff Professional Development (PD) programming is incredibly active over the summer. These sessions inform our pedagogy and best practices, inspire us to be the best we can be, and remind us why we entered public education in the first place.

We host a total of nine PD events during the summer.
Sessions cover everything from new educator and leader orientation to improving the learning experience for our newcomer multilingual learners.
This year’s focus is on the new District Continuous Improvement Plan and the Ideal Student Learning Actions, which specify what we want to be true for every single student in every single classroom in the district.

Most recently, PPS district leaders held focused strategy sessions to anchor our work in the District Continuous Improvement Plan (DCIP), our logic model that guides our work. These sessions brought clarity, direction, and a shared understanding of the work ahead. Using our shared vision and theory of action, Cabinet teams focused on:

Reaffirming our non-negotiables for learning outcomes (literacy, math, attendance, high school success)
Mapping the year ahead through the lens of coherence and capacity-building
Identifying areas of complex change that require thoughtful implementation, role clarity, and cross-functional collaboration

A key part of this work is recognizing that if we want to improve how students experience school, we also have to improve how our systems and adults function around them. The logic model helped anchor our thinking in what matters most:

Building a culture of shared responsibility and improvement across the system
Making sure central office teams are in sync with what schools need
Supporting equity-focused leadership so that all students feel seen, safe, and successful

The takeaway is that the leadership team is heading into the school year on the same page, with clear strategies and a strong sense of purpose. We know where we’re going and what it will take to get there.

At the most recent PPS Board meeting, we said goodbye to three exceptional Directors – Julia Brim-Edwards, Herman Greene, and Gary Hollands – as well as our Student Representative JJ Kunsevi. Their leadership has been invaluable as we’ve navigated challenging times for our district, and we will always be grateful for their selfless and impactful service.

With change comes opportunity. We’re excited to welcome our newly elected school board members to the team: Rashelle Chase-Miller, Stephanie Engelsman, Christy Splitt and Virginia La Forte. These dedicated individuals bring fresh perspectives and a shared commitment to the success and well-being of our students and school communities.

We’re laying the foundation. We’re aligned around purpose. And this fall, our scholars will feel the difference.

Together, We Rise.

Dr. Kimberlee Armstrong

Superintendent

The Progress Report: July

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What We Build in July Shows Up in September What We Build in July Shows Up in September

Accelerated Summer Learning: Fast Track to Fall Success Accelerated Summer Learning: Fast Track to Fall Success

From Central Office to the Classroom: Summer Work That Shapes the Year From Central Office to the Classroom: Summer Work That Shapes the Year

Cabinet-Level Strategy & Alignment Cabinet-Level Strategy & Alignment

Board Transitions Board Transitions

From Plans to Progress From Plans to Progress

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