Most of us can remember playing video games as a kid. You’d complete a difficult level and have a moment of pure joy over what you had accomplished, which was then quickly replaced by excitement about the new challenge you were about to face at the next level.

Each year, the St. John the Baptist Parish Public School District chooses a motto for its staff and students to rally around throughout the school year. This year, we’re ready to “Level Up!”

For the 2019-20 school year, the school district plans to continue to build on the strengths that exist within its schools, while at the same time focusing on improving the areas that need it.

Earlier this month, the district held its annual Administrative Institute. Normally held just prior to the beginning of the school year, it was moved this time to earlier in the summer to give our leadership teams a bigger head start on preparations for the upcoming academic year. The Institute focused on building the framework for the extensive work that will take place in the 2019-20 school year and focused particularly on what can be done by all stakeholders to positively influence student outcomes.

The Administrative Institute opened with team-building activities that promoted reflection. Also included was a “data dive,” during which the leadership teams at each school had an opportunity to develop action plans for their students for the 2019-20 school year.

Students, of course, are at the core of the goal-setting done during any planning. Planning at the Administrative Institute is no different and the entire process took place with the end goal of improving each individual student growth target in mind.

In addition to formulating plans for their students, schools were also able to share their successes and challenges from the past school year with each other so all could learn from those experiences.

This planning for a successful school year doesn’t stop when Administrative Institute ends and, in reality, continues not only throughout the summer but continuously throughout the school year.

Doing this will allow our administrators, teachers, students and staff to take their teaching and learning to a higher level and lead them to “Level Up” during their best school year yet!

 

Jennifer Boquet is communications specialist for St. John the Baptist Parish Public Schools. She can be reached at jboquet@stjohn.k12.la.us.