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SanSabaISDDistrictofInnovationPlanFinalPlan

DraftedOctober10,2016RevisedNovember22,2016

StrategicPlanningTeamAdoptiononDecember7,2016FinalizedatSanSabaISDBoardMeetingonDecember12,2016

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BackgroundInthesummerof2015,the84thTexasLegislaturepassedHB1842,allowingpublicschoolstoapplytobecomeDistrictsofInnovationandtogainexemptionfromcertainprovisionsoftheTexasEducationCode.TheSanSabaIndependentSchoolDistrictTrusteesmadeaprovisiononOctober11,2016topursuestrategicplanningtobecomeaDistrictofInnovation.SanSabawishestocreatelearningopportunitiesthatbenefitallstudentsandpromotethecommunityofSanSaba.Beingabletogrowstudentincareerandtechnicalfieldsaswellasenhancingliteracyskillsinalllearnersisapriority.OnOctober10,2016,SanSabaISDhostedapublichearingtodiscussthedirectionofSanSabaISD’smovementondevelopingaplanforpursuingaDistrictofInnovationdesignation.AcommitteewasapprovedandwillmeetonOctober25,2016toformulateaplanforimplementingstrategiesfortheStrategicPlanningDocument.SANSABAISDMISSIONSTATEMENT

The mission of the San Saba Independent School District is to provide an educationalenvironmentthatwillenableallstudentstodevelopessentialacademicskillsfora lifetimeoflearning and to prepare students to be responsible, contributing citizens in a diverse andchangingworld.TheDistrictiscommittedtomaintaininghighexpectationsofstudentsaswellasstaff by demonstrating professional behavior and by supporting all students and schoolprograms.

“AttitudeisaChoice”

SanSabaISDiscommittedtopersonalizingtheeducationalexperienceforeachstudent.INNOVATIONPLANBASEDONNEEDSSanSabaISDservesaruralcommitteeofaround3,000.Theschooldistrictenrollsapproximately720studentsgradePk-12.ThedemographicsinSanSabacompriseadistrictthathosts67%EconomicallyDisadvantaged,56%Hispanic,53%White,14%EnglishLanguageLearners,and7%SpecialEducationstudents.Theresourcestoprovideamultilinguallearningenvironmentandbridgeanylearningbarriersforstudentsisahighpriorityinthedistrict.Prioritiescenteraroundprovidingopportunitiesforstudentstocompeteforglobalpostsecondaryopportunitiesandforallstudentstobeproductivemembersofacommunity.TheSanSabaBoardofTrusteesidentifiedareasofneedataspring2016goalsettingmeeting.Thegoalscanbebrokendowninfourareas:

1. RecruitandRetainQualityStaff2. AddressAgingFacilities

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3. ParentInvolvement4. LessentheeffectsofPoverty

SanSabaISD’sInnovationPlanwilladdresswaytoprovidetheflexibilitytobetteraddressthesegoals.Theplanwillalsofocusonprovidingcommunityneedsbybettercommunicatingtheneedsofagrowingcommunity.THESTRATEGICPLANNINGCOMMITTEELeighAnnGlaze SuperintendentMichaelBohensky AssistantSuperintendentScottSnyder HighSchoolPrincipalDaveLewis MiddleSchoolPrincipalKayShackelford ElementaryPrincipalDanaPannell HighSchoolCounselorLeanneJohnson MiddleSchoolCounselorKathrynRobertson ElementarySchoolCounselorKevinShahan BoardPresidentMistyEverett BoardVicePresidentJeffreyOsbourn BoardMemberKimDaniel HillCountryCommunityAction–HeadStart KenJordan SanSabaMayorDanaSmith SocialServices/Region7CaseManagementLiaisonLisaTheodosis ScottandWhiteHealthCareSharonBlossman SanSabaJusticeofthePeaceRobinWelch AVIDColleenWomack CareerandTechnologyRepresentativeDr.J.D.Sheffield HouseRepresentativeforDistrictAREASOFINNOVATION*ProfessionalDevelopment*InstructionalStrategies*AppraisalandTeacherContracts*ParentalInvolvementINNOVATIONSInnovationGoal#1SchoolStartDate(TEC25.0811a)(EBLEGAL)CurrentLaw

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StatelawcurrentlyprohibitsschooldistrictsfromstartingclassbeforethefourthMondayinAugust,unlessdistrictsareyear-rounddistricts.ProposedInnovationStrategySanSabaISDlooksforopportunitiestoincludestudentsinthecommunity.OnMonday,October10,2016,SanSabaISDprovidedanopportunityforallstudentstoparticipateinajointcommunityinvolvementdaywithKeepSanSabaBeautiful.Flexibilityinthecalendarwillhopefullyprovidemoreopportunitiestoengagestudentsinmeaningfulopportunities.

1. SanSabaISDproposestobegininstructionnoearlierthanthe3rdMondayofAugust.Thischangewillcreatebetterflexibilityinthecreationofthedistrictcalendaraswellasallowingmoreopportunitiesinschedulingmeaningfulandbalancedstaffdevelopmentdays.

2. Thestartdatewillallowthedistricttoprovidemoreinstructionaldaysbeforestateassessment.

3. Theprimarygoalsofthischangewillbetobetteraligncalendarsandbalancetheinstructionaldaysduringthefirstandsecondsemesterofinstruction.

4. Thisstrategywillprovideformoreconcentratedprofessionaldevelopmentinkeyareasduringinstructioninsteadofplanningbeforeneedsarerealized.

InnovationGoal#2TeacherCertification(TEC21.003a)(DBALEGAL)(DBA)(DBALocal)TEC21.003(a)statesapersonmaynotbeemployedasateacher,teacherinternorteachertrainee,librarian,educationalaide,administrator,educationaldiagnostician,orschoolcounselorbyaschooldistrictunlessthepersonholdsanappropriatecertificateorpermitissuedasprovidedbySubchapterB.ProposedInnovationStrategy

Thecampusprincipalmaysubmitarequesttothesuperintendentforlocalcertificationthatwillallowthecertifiedteachertoteachinarelatedfieldforwhichhe/sheisnotcertified.Theprincipalmustspecifyinwritingfortherequestanddocumentwhatcredentialthecertifiedteacherpossessesthatwouldqualifythisindividualtoteacherthecourse. Thecurrentcertificationruleslimitthedistrictsoptionstohireprofessionalswithworkrelatedexperience.Aruralcommunitycanbenefitfrommanyqualifiedprofessionalwithinitscommunity.TherearevarietyofSTEMandCATErelatedcoursesthatprofessionalscanprovidevaluableworkinformationandexperience.Inordertomaximizetheopportunitiesforstudentstotakesuchcourses,thedistrictwillconsiderthequalificationsnecessarytocreatealocalrequirementforthesecoursesinsteadoftherequirementsinTEC21.0003(a).Theexemptionwillallowthedistrictto:

1. ProvidemorevarietyforCATEandSTEMclasses2. Providevaluableworkrelatedexperiencetobecommunicatedtostudents

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ThesuperintendentwillreportthequalificationstotheBoardofTrusteesatthefirstboardmeetingfollowingtheseassignments.InnovationGoal#3ExtensionorProbationaryContracts(DKLEGAL,DKLOCAL,DKEXHIBIT)(TEC21.102)(SupportsSSISDBoardGoal#1)TexasEducationCodesstatesthat“Theprobationarycontractmayberenewedfortwoadditionalone-yearperiods,foramaximumpermissibleprobationarycontractperiodofthreeschoolyears,exceptthatprobationaryperiodmaynotexceedoneyearforapersonwhohasbeenemployedasateacherinpubliceducationforatleastfiveoftheeightyearsprecedingemploymentbythedistrict.”Thisprovidesthatteacherswithoverfiveyearsofexperiencemustbegiventermcontractstheirsecondyearinthedistrict.Theplanwouldmakeitpossibletoprovideprobationarycontractsforanynewteacherinthedistrictforuptothreeyears.Thiswouldhelpthedistrictpromoteanenvironmentandensureanenvironmentoflearningandprofessionaldevelopmentforteachersonprobationarycontracts.Teacherswithprobationarycontractscouldbeprovidedmentors.

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SANSABAISDSTRATEGICPRIORITIESANDPROCESSESBoardGoals2016

1. RecruitandRetainQualifiedStaffa. Goal–SSISDwillpromoteanenvironmentthatensuressupportanddevelopment

thatwillleadtotheretentionofhighlyqualifiedstaff.b. IndicatorsofSuccess

i. Cohesivenessofstaffwithadministratorsandpeers.ii. Competitivesalariesareusedtoretainandrecruithighlyqualifiedstaff.iii. SSISDwillprovidehighereducationopportunitiestoallstaffinterestedin

furtheringtheireducationalcareer.2. AgingFacilities

a. Goal---SSISDwillprovidefacilitiesthatmeettheneedsofschoolbasedactivitiesinasafeandsecureenvironmentwhichencouragesparticipationandpride.

b. IndicatorsofSuccessi. Adequatespaceforexistingpopulationandspaceforpotentialgrowth.ii. Environmentallysafefacilities.iii. Increaseparticipationinactivities.

3. ParentInvolvementa. Goals–SSISDwillprovidean inclusiveprocessforparentsthat incorporatesall

stakeholdersinsupportingsuccess.b. IndicatorsofSuccess

i. Opportunitiesforparentinvolvementii. Participationofparentsinschooleventsiii. CommunityInvolvement

4. Poverty

a. Goal—Provide resources to significantly decrease the effects of poverty forstudentsandincreasetheiracademicsuccess.

b. IndicatorsofSuccessi. Increaseenrollmentofthefree/reducedprogram.ii. ClothesClosetiii. Providehighqualitymealsiv. Summerworkprogramofkidsv. FridayBackpacksvi. Partnerwithlocalfoodpantryvii. Continueschoolsupplygiveawayviii. Trainingprograms/certificatesforstudentstobreakthecycleofpoverty

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TIMELINEFORSANSABADISTRICTOFINNOVATIONPLAN

DATE ACTION NOTES

October10 BoardApprovalofResolution

October10 PublicHearingtoconsiderpursuingDOIPlan

October10 BoardApprovalofDOICommittee

October25 SBDM/DOICommitteeMeeting

November4 PostDOIfinalPlanfor30Days

November NotificationtoTEA

December7,2016 DOICommitteePublicMeetingandApprovalofDOI

DecemberBoardMeeting BoardApprovalofDOI

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