News

Every month, superintendents from around the region gather at the North Central ESD for the Superintendent Advisory Committee (SAC) meeting. These meetings provide district leaders an opportunity to discuss current happenings across the region and state, collaborate on initiatives, and continue their own professional learning and leadership development.

Image: During the September 2022 SAC meeting, Dr. Linda McKay introduced the superintendents to systems improvement.

In spring 2021, the region’s superintendents shared pressing needs and areas of growth, and provided feedback regarding their leadership priorities for the 2022-23 school year.

While planning for the 2022-23 meetings, SAC President Dr. Tracey Beckendorf-Edou (Cascade School District) and President-elect Tabatha Mires (Waterville & Palisades Schools Districts), based on the feedback received, identified a key part to continuously improving would be to dedicate time to study the math outcomes for students in the region and collaboratively investigate the current systems within the school districts.

During the monthly SAC meetings, the regional superintendents will jump into learning more about systems improvement while focusing on the content area of math. Focusing on math allows all districts to look at their systems, explained Dr. Linda McKay, the Assistant Superintendent at North Central ESD.

“Math is an instructional content common in all our schools no matter the size,” she added. “We also know students’ proficiency in demonstrated math skills in 3rd grade supports future STEM learning along with their ultimate college and career pathways.”

Systems improvement involves methods of identifying, analyzing and improving current practices to continuously improve the educational outcomes for each and every student.

Together, the superintendents will investigate all forms of data, including traditional state assessment scores, formative assessments, observations, and staff and student experiences. These data points will allow school leaders to gain a deeper understanding of the current systems that are producing the current math outcomes and identify next steps for improving.

Image: Throughout the year, Superintendents will look at all forms of data within their school district.