In May, 壁咚影院 identified the following 壁咚影院 Promise priority areas for the 2023-24 school year: Innovation, Serve and Celebrate Others, Mental Health and Wellness, Early Literacy, and Equity and Excellence. The result of detailed reflection on annual reports and feedback from community members, the Promise defines the district鈥檚 strategic plans to achieve identified goals and key performance indicators to measure progress in each area.
I鈥檓 very appreciative of students who come and speak because I take the words of every student into account and find it very meaningful.
— 壁咚影院 Board Member Shana Segal
Although most of the priority areas carried over from last year, Innovation replaced Healthy Attendance in this year鈥檚 Promise following more consistent attendance and increased interest in new artificial intelligence tools. Key subgoals include incorporating technology into curriculum and instruction, increasing students鈥� access to postsecondary opportunities. Because these goals are recent and constantly evolving, 壁咚影院 Board Member Shana Segal explained the importance of engaging students. 鈥淲e鈥檝e been hearing that it鈥檚 hard for students to attend after-school committee meetings, so we鈥檙e trying to hold more meetings during lunch and use the feedback to guide teaching practices and improve learning experiences,鈥� she said. 鈥淎s a board member, I鈥檓 very appreciative of students who come and speak because I take the words of every student into account and find it very meaningful.鈥�
We鈥檙e trying to move from doing (community service) for credit to doing it because it鈥檚 a worthwile thing to do.
— 壁咚影院 Board President Jennifer DiBrienza
Serve and Celebrate Others, defined in the 2022-23 annual report as 鈥渂uilding people up through positive interactions and acknowledging those who invest in others,鈥� has been a long-standing priority of the district. Still, Board President Jennifer DiBrienza noted that it continues to adopt new meanings. 鈥淲e have a long history of expecting kids to do community service and then putting it on their transcript,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ut we鈥檙e trying to move from doing it for credit to doing it because it鈥檚 a worthwhile thing to do. There are so many amazing things our staff does 鈥� we鈥檙e trying to recognize those.鈥� Examples of this recognition include the traveling builder helmet, awarded to employees who are positively impacting their communities, and the State Seal of Civic Engagement, awarded to civically active high schoolers.
We now have a therapist for staff that anyone can reach out to, and I鈥檝e already heard from some Gunn staff who said they鈥檝e reached out. I think it鈥檚 so important that staff are supported because they鈥檙e on the front lines of working with our students.
— Principal Wendy Stratton
Post-pandemic, Mental Health and Wellness has been another district priority, and it is one that DiBrienza expects will remain in future Promises.
In addition to providing tiered levels of support based on student needs and expanding the Social Emotional Learning curriculum, the district is also working to bolster staff mental health support, according to Principal Wendy Stratton. 鈥淲e now have a therapist for staff that anyone can reach out to, and I鈥檝e already heard from some Gunn staff who said they鈥檝e reached out,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 think it鈥檚 so important that staff are supported because they鈥檙e on the front lines of working with our students.鈥�
The goals of Early Literacy and Equity and Excellence were also renewed from last year鈥檚 Promise. Data from the iReady Assessment, Smarter Balanced Assessment and Panorama Survey indicate that the district has made strides in supporting the academic achievement of underrepresented groups and the development of a more diverse and inclusive curriculum.
We鈥檙e working hard at Gunn with the SLAM program, the Student Leaders for Equity and the diversity commissioners on SEC to have more events that celebrate all of our different students and make them feel seen and special for who they are.
— Principal Wendy Stratton
Stratton hopes that Gunn will continue to progress in both areas this year by maximizing resources and opportunities in equitable ways. 鈥淭o interrupt predictable patterns of performance for target groups鈥� students, we know that you have to look at many areas, like school climate, curriculum and instruction, and community engagement,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e working hard at Gunn with the SLAM (Student Leaders Anti-Racist Movement) program, the Student Leaders for Equity and the diversity commissioners on SEC to have more events that celebrate all of our different students and make them feel seen and special for who they are.鈥�
