District Initiatives
During the 2023-24 school year, DASD will develop a community-informed educational strategic plan to guide us for the next six year.
A strategic plan is a comprehensive document that outlines the goals, objectives and strategies of a school district. It serves as a roadmap for the district's future direction and provides a framework for decision-making and resource allocation. A well-crafted strategic plan helps to guide and unify the efforts of all stakeholders.
The ultimate goal of our school system remains the same: learning, growth and success for every student.
Current Projects
Strategic
PLanning
During the 2023-24 school year, DASD will develop an educational strategic plan which will engage our district school community.
Construction
From responding to enrollment growth to providing increased academic opportunities, DASD is prepared to respond to ongoing facility needs across the district.
Siemens Property
(Lionville Station)
DASD’s plan to achieve full-day kindergarten is contingent upon the building of a new 5/6 center.
2023-24 budget
The primary objectives of the budget are to cover instructional and operational expenses, and to prepare for full-day kindergarten at all 10 elementary schools.
Full-day Kindergarten
Full-day K would provide opportunities for expanded learning, more time to practice and grow social and emotional skills, and opportunities to learn through play.
SCHOOL Start TImes
In an effort to promote overall student health, DASD has been researching how shifting school start times may be able to support our students.
Strategic Priorities
To set the district’s course and align its actions and initiatives, our leadership team has outlined seven strategic priorities for the 2022-23 school year. These priorities were created with significant input from school- and district-level administrators, faculty association leadership, the DASD Board of Directors, and other members of our school community. These strategic priorities represent a coordinated and responsive effort to prepare students for future success.
Student & Employee Wellbeing
- Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS)
- School Start Times
- Secondary Schedule Enhancement
- High School Student Attendance
- Significant Disproportionality a
- Culture of Inclusivity and Empathy
- Participate in Chester County Mental Health Consortium
- Social-Emotional Curriculum Implementation
Student Learning
- Implement updated/new K-5 language arts curriculum
- Evaluate staffing levels of reading and math specialists using qualifying student caseloads to identify if adjustments are warranted
- Continue progress with the district’s curriculum review cycle
- Develop mathematics components of K-12 Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS)
- Evaluate Downingtown Cyber Academy (DCA) program offerings, enrollment and financial needs
- Reflect on class size policy based on current enrollments
- Review and update dual enrollment opportunities for high school students
- Identify trends in policy violations to develop interventions and coordinate Student Assistance Program (SAP) services, while continuing to partner with alternative programs to meet the continuum of students’ needs
- Initiate the development of an educational model for the future 5/6 Center and the district-wide, full-day kindergarten program
Personnel
- Improve efficiencies in the hiring process to support the search for high-quality candidates and to enhance the applicant experience
- Improve marketing efforts to attract and recruit a highly qualified, diverse workforce
- Research and analyze recruitment and retention strategies for hard-to-fill positions, including, but not limited to, custodial and facilities staff, classroom support staff, substitutes and bus driverse
- Enact succession planning and pipeline development
- Develop and propose 2023-2024 staffing plans based upon evidenced needs
Communication
- Provide proactive and transparent communication that addresses all internal and external stakeholder groups to improve understanding, and to build trust and engagement
- Focus on building a school community environment of positivity, openness and understanding by sharing student experiences in DASD schools
- As part of security audit, review and update crisis communication procedures
Facilities, Grounds & Operations
- Elementary Facilities Projects
- Secondary Facilities Projects
- Realize the final location of the 5/6 Center and begin design planning
- Perform facility safety and security audits with involvement of community first responders and county emergency management officials
- Align and update five-year facility project plan with district capital funding
- Consider property acquisition for future facility needs
Fiscal Stewardship
- Develop the 2023-2024 annual budget proposal to focus resources on student learning and operational priorities
- Create five-year general fund budgets in accordance with projected Act 1 limits, including progress toward full-day kindergarten implementation
- Analyze five-year capital fund planning in support of facilities/construction, technology and curriculum needs
- Develop long-term financial plans to support future facility needs using existing capital resources and possible debt financing
- Expand partnership with the Downingtown Community Education Foundation’s development and fundraising efforts to “enrich the educational experience of DASD students and create a thriving community.
Technology
- Continue the systemic alignment, horizontally and vertically, of student and staff devices, software and online systems to support and improve teaching and learning
- Utilize the capital plan and budget for technology architecture and infrastructure to improve resiliency, as well as accommodate new construction and additions to DASD sites, including rerouting the wide area network and adding internet redundancy
- Evaluate the technology division’s current staffing model to support and maintain the school construction projects, additions and planned new 5/6 Center, including the evaluation of service ratios with K-12 best practice models