Strategic Plan
The Robertson County School System operates under the direction of a six-member school board and a director of schools. Members are elected by popular vote in county elections. They serve staggered, four-year terms. The director of schools is appointed by the board members.
The school board is a critical link to the community at large. It has developed a mission and vision that strongly affect the day-to-day operations of the Robertson County School System. The Board works as a team to ensure fiscally sound policies and to guarantee citizens that policies and practices focus on success for all students.
School Board Members
Josh White
Board District - 2
Commission Districts - 2 & 3
Stephen Ayres
Board District - 5
Commission Districts - 7 & 11
Demetria White
Board District - 1
Commission Districts - 1 & 8
Steering Committee
- Stephen Ayers, Board of Education
- Melanie Dickerson, Interim Director of Schools
- Michele' Galluzzi, Human Resources Supervisor
- Mark Gregory, Career and Technical Education Supervisor
- Patsi Gregory, School Nutrition Supervisor
- Connie Hogan, Board of Education
- Emily Hollingsworth, Federal Programs Supervisor
- James Marshall, Technology Supervisor
- Bob Pruitt, Secondary Education Supervisor
- Scott Rice, Board of Education
- Misti Swindle, Special Education Supervisor
- Lewis Walling, System Data Supervisor
- Demetria White, Board of Education
- Jeff White, Board of Education
- Josh White, Board of Education
- Angel Williams, Elementary and Middle Grades Supervisor
Engaged Committee
- Robin Couts, Instructional Technology Coordinator
- Melanie Dickerson, Interim Director of Schools
- Michele' Galluzzi, Human Resources Supervisor
- Mark Gregory, Career and Technical Education Supervisor
- Patsi Gregory, School Nutrition Supervisor
- Emily Hollingsworth, Federal Programs Supervisor
- Stephen Hudak, Webmaster and Digital Media Developer
- James Marshall, Technology Supervisor
- Bob Pruitt, Secondary Education Supervisor
- Misti Swindle, Special Education Supervisor
- Donna Trice, Administrative Assistant
- Lewis Walling, System Data Supervisor
- Angel Williams, Elementary and Middle Grades Supervisor
- Tammie Williamson, K-5 Curriculum and Instruction Coordinator
Springfield Mayor Ann Schneider reads to a Westside Elementary School class.
Empowering All Students to Succeed
Executive Summary
The community that comprises and supports Robertson County Schools is dynamic and engaged in the education of its children. Members value academic rigor and fundamental values. They support the need to strengthen sound educational practices in a period of dramatic technological and social change. In planning for the next five years, the Robertson County Board of Education has sought to incorporate these principles into its five-year strategic plan, which provides a rational and comprehensive blueprint to ensure that all students are empowered to succeed.
Strategic Plan Overview
This strategic plan is the culmination of intense collaboration among educators, parents, and community members. It is reflective of a systemic review of past efforts and accomplishments to establish a trajectory for future reform. Historically, Robertson County has set priorities and committed resources to ensuring that schools determine goals and establish accountability for achievement. Realizing that the school system reflects all aspects of the community and of the democratic society to which it belongs, the Robertson County School System acknowledges its responsibility in fulfilling the needs of the community by preparing students for their roles as responsible citizens. In order to do so, the school district must keep abreast of current societal and educational trends and must develop useful applications of that knowledge, which ensure that all learners may maximize their potential to succeed. This plan articulates a strong belief that quality schools are dynamic community forces, ever subject to program and administrative change for the purpose of improved student performance. It provides an in-depth assessment of programs, operations, and services to validate local performance against established criteria of effective schools.
Every successful organization must constantly assess its current level of effectiveness and strategically plan for the future. This process was initiated with Robertson County Schools for the purpose of identifying baseline performance levels, determining strategies for improvement, and outlining an accountability plan that would ensure focus was maintained on prioritized areas.
In the process of developing a rich picture of the present reality and a clear vision of where the system wants to be, three priority areas were identified as components to which amassed resources should be applied for district improvement: Effective Student Learning, Equitable and Transparent use of District Resources, and Enhanced Stakeholder Partnerships. This blueprint outlines how these broad goals of improving student outcomes and increasing efficiency of the organization can be achieved. It further gives direction and guidance to faculty and staff as we build capacity to provide an exemplary education program for all students. The plan is aligned with the state's strategic plan as well as with the district's mission, vision, and core beliefs. It defines who we are.
Students use a planer
To ensure each student is prepared to succeed in life.
- Mission
Robertson County Schools will enable all students to reach and exceed high academic standards while empowering them to succeed in a technologically advanced and culturally diverse society.
- Vision
Who We Are
The mission explains the district’s reason for being and how stakeholders are served. A commitment to transforming schools by identifying challenges and providing clear pathways to success supports a clear focus on students. By investing in the principle that all students can succeed and meet their highest potential and by recognizing that success in life is often correlated to a strong educational foundation, the vision of Robertson County Schools articulates the duty and purpose of the district.
Based on this purpose, our vision defines what we will become. As a learner-centered organization, we are committed to investing in the holistic student and to building ethically responsible and active contributors to society. We become a community of life-long learners.
Vision:
Robertson County Schools will enable all students to reach and exceed high academic standards while empowering them to succeed in a technologically advanced and culturally diverse society.
Core Beliefs
-
Purpose
We believe there is no profession with a greater purpose than ours. We understand our responsibilities are complex. We develop minds and character. We inspire those in our care to think, to question, and to imagine a life better than the present. We recognize there is a ripple effect within our work: well-rounded, educated students lead to improved communities, a stronger nation, and an informed society.
-
Trust
We believe that trust is the foundation from which all other core beliefs develop. Trust is essential if an organization is to thrive and succeed. We recognize trust is multifaceted – it involves competence, character, and contractual obligations. It is developed and earned over time through our words and our actions. We acknowledge that trust generates commitment, fosters teamwork, and promotes progress.
-
Communication
We believe effective communication determines whether we fall short or succeed as an organization. At a basic level, efficient communication provides guidance for our daily work. In voicing our expectations, we must be intentional and consistent. At a deeper level, our communication practices value the ideas and opinions of all involved. These practices are open, honest, and purpose driven.
-
Collaboration
We believe collaboration creates a culture of continuous improvement. We know effective collaboration is driven by a common mission. It occurs within a context of trust and respect. Through collaboration, we support innovation, solve problems, and provide for high levels of student learning. We recognize our work is too important to attempt in isolation.
-
High Expectations
We believe high expectations result in high performance and are the right of every individual connected to our school community. Equality, appropriate levels of challenge, and accountability are necessary in a culture of high expectations. We support this belief through the decisions we make and the resources we provide. We expect success – wasted time and mediocrity are unacceptable.
-
Respect
We believe respect is dependent upon feeling safe, supported, engaged, and valued. We know fairness, equality, truth, and civility are precursors to earning one’s respect. We recognize and appreciate everyone’s voice. We value diversity in individuals’ backgrounds, experiences, approaches, and ideas.
-
Knowledge
We believe operating without accurate knowledge is educational malpractice. It is our responsibility to continually seek current and relevant knowledge to guide our practices. We believe this is how we reach excellence. It is also our responsibility to transfer the need for knowledge to our students. A life-long learner seeks improvement for self and for the community as a whole. Knowledge sustains our journey.
Looking Back
Over the last five years, significant strides have occurred in student learning opportunities and academic gains, teacher and principal training, and community partnerships. Advanced and varied occupational and academic classes have been added to the curriculum, including technology and STEM classes. Technology hardware and software have been incorporated into the learning environments. New or improved facilities have allowed for many additional extracurricular activities. Transportation of students has been improved through streamlined operations as well as routing and tracking capabilities.
Investments in human capital have increased to include dedicated academic coaches and teacher leaders to work daily with colleagues, increased numbers of assistant principals and school counselors to meet the challenges of changing demographics, reorganized operational systems to broaden access to support, and differentiated and relevant teacher training.
Dynamic partnerships have been forged with higher education and with community- based operations. Local schools have been the beneficiary of significant gifts of time, money, and resources. External and internal communications have been a primary focus, showing improvement. District culture has dramatically improved to become more collaborative.
Since 2016:
Multiple Level 5 Schools (several repeating year after year)
Multiple reward schools (three in 2018, two in 2022)
Level 5 academic growth in all grades 3-8 categories during 2021
Increased student achievement in fifteen subgroups (94% for 2022)
Significant increase in industry certifications (both expanded availability and student success)
Looking Forward
Pride in these past accomplishments does not lessen commitment to stakeholders - students, staff, families, and community partners. The mission continues to focus on every child: to ensure that each is empowered to succeed. Educational dialogs are permeated with a quote from Thomas Fuller that “Good is not good where better is expected.” With our mission, vision, and core beliefs serving to unify the strategic plan for students, the goals and initiatives identified will guide future reform efforts and serve the overarching purpose for the next five years.
Implicit in each goal is the commitment to seek excellence in every classroom and to promote the individual success of each student. Further commitment to investing in staff to support their roles as educational leaders at all levels is acknowledged. The broader community and all stakeholders bring resources and individual perspectives to the classroom and must be valued for their knowledge and sought for their expertise.
Student and teacher evaluate plant growth
Goals
Focus on Effective Student Learning
- Ensure and Strengthen Foundational Learning
- Ensure Excellence and Equity Among All Schools
- Improve Instructional Design to Address Diversity and Equity
- Create Optimal Learning Environments Through a Respectful Culture and Climate
Manage District Resources to Ensure Tranparency and Equity
- Strengthen and Deepen Effective Educator Support
- Support All Students With Resources for Use of 21st-Century Technology Resources
- Develop and Continually Review the Five-Year Facilities Plan
Enhance Stakeholder Partnerships
- Grow Relationships With Stakeholders by Increasing Meaningful Collaboration
- Create a Culture of Exemplary Customer Service
- Strengthen External and Internal Communication
- Provide Accountability to Ensure Safe Environments
Focus on Effective Student Learning
All stakeholders in the educational process expect and deserve instructional environments that provide high-quality instruction and student-centered decision making. This plan deepens our commitment to serve all students through meeting their individual learning needs and through providing strong practices proven to support them with multiple opportunities to succeed. The four student-learning priority areas will ensure excellence in the classroom and enhanced rigor in academics, resulting in increased student engagement and improved student learning.
Focus on Foundational Learning
- Increase number of instructional coaches.
- Strengthen academic coaching program by ensuring shared understanding of effective instructional strategies, providing timely and in-depth feedback to teachers, and establishing clear expectations and accountability.
- Create district advisory team to provide anecdotal and evidentiary monitoring of elementary and middle grades district reading model.
- Use English Language Arts and Mathematics Instructional Practice Guides for monitoring high-quality instruction to inform supports and professional opportunities for teachers.
- Create district advisory team for annual review / revision of pacing / sequencing guides.
- Continue to expand Pre-K opportunities and parent/community partnerships.
- Provide training to parents to assist in supporting their children's school experience.
- Implement with fidelity RTI2 and RTI2-B interventions.
- Strengthen interventions for students with disabilities and English Learners by ensuring high-quality instruction is aligned with instructionally appropriate Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), Individual Learning Plans (ILPs), and Individual Learning Plans for Dyslexia (ILPDs).
- Continue training on high-quality instructional materials and implementation of curricula with fidelity.
Focus on Excellence and Equity
- Continue to evaluate current program offerings seeking to close opportunity gaps among all students.
- Develop a collaborative model and mentoring program to enhance Career and Technical Education (CTE) instruction.
- Continue to expand alternative program options for all students.
- Utilize walk-through observations in all classes to improve quality and decrease variance in classrooms.
- Expand professional learning opportunities for all employees.
- Provide updated technology resources and student devices to all schools through the development of an equitable distribution plan.
- Ensure all schools receive equitable quality health programs in collaboration with community partners.
- Ensure all expenditures for resources are data driven.
- Promote collaboration and schedules among all high schools to provide virtual learning opportunities.
Focus on Diversity and Equity
- Ensure equitable representation of student body in all programs and events. This includes nontraditional students, students with disabilities, ELL students, and minority students.
- Provide budgets for resources (posters, displays, media) to reflect diverse populations.
- Increase funding for media centers to expand resources in response to changing demographics.
- Create and utilize a system Diversity Coordinator role to ensure collaboration on cultural competency best practices and to promote stakeholder, community/family involvement.
- Ensure all parent and family communication is accessible to all, including non-English speaking families.
Focus on Culture and Climate
- Promote activities that move the district forward on the cultural competency continuum.
- Expand use of parent, teacher, and student advisory forums.
- Ensure principles of district leadership training are embedded in all schools.
- Develop and implement a district-wide school culture audit. Consider viability of advisory team to improve culture, climate, and perception of all schools.
- Ensure the practices of the Professional Learning Community (PLC) are implemented with fidelity and consistency.
- Support positive culture and climate environments for all students and staff through the work of cultural competency teams.
Manage District Resources to Ensure Transparency and Equity
Investment in human capital is critical to achieve the goals of Robertson County Schools. The recruitment and retention of qualified and motivated teachers who are able to work in safe environments, have access to appropriate tools and resources, and enjoy adequate working conditions and remuneration is a focus of our Strategic Plan. Investment in 21st-century technology is necessary to equip students with important STEM skills and teachers with the ability to embed these skills into pedagogical concepts. Significant school and community commitments to technology will prepare our students to succeed in the technologically advanced society.
Educator Support
- Develop and implement strategies for creating a positive work environment.
- Examine employee attendance rates and develop incentives for exemplary service.
- Develop and implement strategies for increasing substitute fill-rate.
- Recognize years of service, beginning with year one and in five-year increments.
- Expand instructional coaching in all schools.
- Establish model classrooms of exemplary literacy instruction.
- Target professional development to teachers’ areas of need.
- Inform all staff annually of expectations of accountability.
- Develop a leadership pipeline in the district.
- Provide wellness programs, self-care training, and like services to all employees.
- Expand structured mentoring and support programs for teachers.
- Develop and implement salary and benefit packages that allow the district to compete with other Middle Tennessee school districts in hiring and retention, including stipends for hard-to-fill positions.
21st-Century Technology
- Increase number of technology personnel for enhancing tech-support and instructional technology training.
- Expand utilization of technology to increase course offerings and system communications.
- Develop a plan and budget for increasing one-to-one devices for students.
- Administer a teacher technology survey to measure staff comfort with and use of technology.
- Continue to strengthen training for teachers in use and integration of technology.
- Utilize technology to promote creativity communication and collaboration with all staff.
Facilities Plan
- Anticipate community needs through analysis of a structured county and system evaluation.
- Ensure a process that guarantees alignment with community’s educational needs and cultural goals.
- Make an objective appraisal of existing capacity and prioritize building campus maintenance needs.
- Articulate the district’s policy regarding coordination with other public agencies (e.g., parks and recreation, health department, planning commission).
- Ensure all projected facilities accurately reflect demographics, transparency, and equity.
Enhance Stakeholder Partnerships
We believe sustainable partnerships with families and the broader community help to achieve our goal of empowering all students to succeed. We strive to implement systems that maximize stakeholder engagement by building and maintaining trusting and transparent opportunities that leverage the talents, resources, and support of all members of our community. We want our stakeholders to become meaningfully engaged in our entire district's work as they are critical collaborators in our success.
Meaningful Collaboration
- Partner with outside agencies to establish expanded services to students and staff.
- Expand support services for students and families.
- Utilize multiple means for gathering input from stakeholders in planning for and prioritizing school system needs.
- Seek ways to improve recognition of community partners.
- Host family engagement events regularly that involve educational components and facilitate two-way communication with families.
Customer Service
- Respond to all stakeholders with timely and accurate information.
- Provide continuous training to all staff to promote a positive customer service environment.
- Build capacity of all staff to provide effective, timely, and respectful customer service.
- Engage teachers, administrators, and support staff in important conversations about quality customer service.
- Expand to families the services provided by district social workers.
Communication
- Strengthen systems to share and receive feedback on district’s plans with all stakeholders.
- Promote and improve stakeholder engagement.
- Strengthen and streamline internal communications.
- Utilize both the district website and mass messaging system to improve communication with all stakeholders.
- Provide current information on district, school and teacher webpages.
- Research and employ marketing strategies to enhance system image and district messaging.
Safe Environments
- Create monthly meetings to include community members, school personnel, and school resource officers (SRO) in order to share strategies, concerns, and issues.
- Expand the use of audio / video monitoring equipment.
- Streamline the building maintenance process to increase efficiency and limit wait time.
- Employ a safety monitor.
- Develop a district advisory team to provide feedback on building issues.
The following goals and priority areas of Robertson County’s five-year strategic plan are identified as necessary components to support and sustain effective schools as we pursue the important task of ensuring our students are academically successful and personally prepared for their roles in society. Strategies for reaching these goals are detailed in this strategic plan. We believe systemic improvement is attainable when all stakeholders commit to a common vision for the district’s future.
The Performance Expectations which follow serve as potential indicators to measure initiatives and to provide opportunities for incremental evaluation. All strategies stem from the Tennessee State Best For All Strategic Plan whose overarching goals are:
- Academics: All Tennessee students will have access to a high-quality education, no matter where they live.
- Student Readiness: Tennessee public schools will be equipped to serve the academic and non-academic needs of students in their career pathways.
- Educators: Tennessee will set a new path for the education profession and be the top state in which to become and remain a teacher and leader for all.
Focus on Effective Student Learning
- Ensure and Strengthen Foundational Learning
- Ensure Excellence and Equity Among All Schools
- Improve Instructional Design to Address Diversity and Equity
- Create Optimal Learning Environments Through a Respectful Culture and Climate
Manage District Resources to Ensure Tranparency and Equity
- Strengthen and Deepen Effective Educator Support
- Support All Students With Resources for Use of 21st-Century Technology Resources
- Develop and Continually Review the Five-Year Facilities Plan
Enhance Stakeholder Partnerships
- Grow Relationships With Stakeholders by Increasing Meaningful Collaboration
- Create a Culture of Exemplary Customer Service
- Strengthen External and Internal Communication
- Provide Accountability to Ensure Safe Environments
Focus on Effective Student Learning
Indicator | 2021 - 2022 | 2022 - 2023 | 2023 - 2024 | 2024 - 2025 | 2025 - 2026 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
The percentage of kindergarteners ready for first grade will increase annually. (Universal Screener) | 63.2% | ||||
The number of students in grades 1 - 5 falling below the 25th percentile will decrease annually. (Universal Screener) | Reading: 460 Math: 665 |
||||
The percentage of students meeting the success rate* for grades 3 - 5 will increase annually. | 28.9% | ||||
The percentage of students meeting the success rate* for grades 6 - 8 will increase annually. | 26.9% | ||||
The percentage of students meeting the success rate* for grades 9 - 12 will increase annually. | 22.5% | ||||
The percentage of students scoring at or above expectations in ELA will increase annually. | 30.5% | ||||
The percentage of students scoring at or above expectations in math will increase annually. | 21.4% | ||||
The percentage of students scoring at or above expectations in science will increase annually. | 32.3% | ||||
The percentage of students scoring at or above expectations in social studies will increase annually. | 30.4 | ||||
The district will achieve at least a TVAAS level 3 or make comparable or greater gains to the state in ELA. | 1 | ||||
The district will achieve at least a TVAAS level 3 or make comparable or greater gains to the state in math. | 1 | ||||
The district will achieve at least a TVAAS level 3 or make comparable or greater gains to the state in science. | 1 | ||||
The district will achieve at least a TVAAS level 3 or make comparable or greater gains to the state in social studies. | 1 | ||||
The district will reduce the percentage of students in identified subgroups scoring at the lowest level of achievement annually. | 43.5% | ||||
The average ACT composite score will increase annually. | 17.7 | ||||
The percentage of students identified as chronically out of school will reduce annually. | 18.5% | ||||
The percentage of students who graduate within four years and one summer will increase annually. | 86.8% | ||||
The percentage of students meeting the Ready Graduate criteria will increase annually. | 27.4% | ||||
Students participating in advanced high school course offerings will increase annually. | |||||
The percentage of students exiting EL status will increase annually. | 7.3% | ||||
The percentage of students meeting the growth standard on the state EL assessment will increase annually. | 45.6% |
- Success Rate: includes science, ELA, math, and ACT/SAT composite.
- Unless otherwise identified, all percentages will come from state assessment results.
Manage District Resources to Ensure Transparency and Equity
Indicator | 2021 - 2022 | 2022 - 2023 | 2023 - 2024 | 2024 - 2025 | 2025 - 2026 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Implement a salary and benefits package that is competitive with surrounding counties in the Mid-Cumberland District. | |||||
Teacher attendance rates will improve annually. | |||||
Teacher retention rates will improve annually. | |||||
Teachers indicate professional development support that enhances their abilities to implement instructional strategies that meet the diverse needs of student learners is provided. (Tennessee Educator Survey) | |||||
Schools use a consistent approach with all students when addressing disciplinary issues of a similar manner. | |||||
Staff members indicate overall satisfaction with ther work environment. | |||||
Teachers indicate school leadership makes a sustained effort to address staff concerns. (Tennessee Educator Survey) | |||||
The availability of student technology devices will increase annually. | |||||
Teachers indicate technology in their classrooms contribute to their ability to differentiate instruction. (Tennessee Educator Survey) | |||||
A five year facilities plan will be developed and reviewed annually to ensure it meets current needs and to ensure it is funded appropriately. |
Enhance Stakeholder Partnerships
Indicator | 2021 - 2022 | 2022 - 2023 | 2023 - 2024 | 2024 - 2025 | 2025 - 2026 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Parents' overall level of satisfaction with their child's educational experience will remain at or above 90% of respondents noting very satisfied. (Parent Survey) | |||||
Parents' use of school websites will increase. (Parent survey) | |||||
Parents' use of PowerSchool will increase. (Parent Survey) | |||||
Parents' overall view of behavioral issues at school will improve annually. | |||||
Community, parent, and teacher advisory groups will meet regularly wo provide input on system needs. | |||||
A funding plan will support adequate monitoring equipment in all schools and on all buses. |