Our Journey to Excellence GORDON COUNTY SCHOOLS

STRATEGIC PLAN 2020–2025

Smart.

Forging a new path 2020–2025 Strategic Plan Development Timeline

June 2020 Reaching the Summit The Gordon County Schools 2020–2025 Strategic Plan was approved by the Gordon County Schools Board of Education.

March–May 2020 Mapping a Strategy Information from the Education Summit was used to develop a set of targeted focus areas, strategies and action steps to inform the system’s new strategic plan.

February 2020 Surveying the Terrain GCS held an Education Summit where stakeholders reviewed data collected from discussion groups to identify possible strengths and opportunities for the system.

January 2020 Developing a Guide The Crafting a 2025 Vision process was held again using identical questions from November but with students as participants in the discussion group.

November 2019 Stating our Mission A stakeholder discussion group was held to answer key questions as part of the Crafting a 2025 Vision process.

The strategic plan development process included a diverse set of participants such as parents, community members, students, teachers, school and system administrators, board of education members, and leaders from business, higher education, civic and faith based groups.

June 2019 Charting a Course School system leadership under the direction of the Carl Vinson Institute of Government developed a strategic planning methodology to chart the strategic direction of the school system from 2020–2025. • What difference should GCS make in Gordon County? • Where would you like GCS to be in five years?

Crafting a 2025 Vision As part of the Strategic Plan visioning process, attendees were organized into discussion groups to answer questions that would better inform them of the issues critical to Gordon County Schools (GCS).

• What initiatives or programs need to be considered or adjusted? • What are some “game changer” ideas that will bring excellence? • What can GCS do to ensure meaningful engagement of communities within the system? • What can GCS do to ensure meaningful engagement with other city/county governments that will help support students?

Steady.

Making gains as we go Every step we take brings us closer to achieving excellence. As we go forward, we take the time to marvel at the steady gains we have made as a school system and to celebrate the many accomplishments of our school community.

1:1 TECHNOLOGY for teachers and students

93.4%

Georgia School Boards Association’s Exemplary Board of Education

graduation rate for

ALL STUDENTS

Student Enrollment

$19.5M

ESPLOST REVENUES

used for school renovations in 2017–2020

(PreK–12th grade)

697 Students identified as gifted 11%

6,333

570 Students identified as special education 9% 380 English language learners 6% 3,844 Students qualifying for free or reduced meals in all grade levels 60.7% 760 Students enrolled in work-based learning 12% 1,881 Students completing a pathway 98.8% 850 Number of dual enrollment courses completed

Gordon County Schools

4 star average rating

SCHOOL CLIMATE

1st

APPLE DISTINGUISHED

$1.8M

EARLY LEARNING AND LITERACY GRANT

27 SCHOLARS named since 2016

public school in Georgia

Strong.

Leading with a purpose The vision and mission of our Plan will guide everything we do. They give purpose to our shared goals and collective commitments and strengthen our ability to successfully lead our students as they advance their education.

Our Vision

Our Mission

Gordon County Schools is a unified school system with strong community partnerships committed to the growth of all students, individual empowerment, and the transformation of public education resulting in graduates ready for college, career, and life.

Our mission is to build a collaborative culture that engages all students and staff in learning experiences leading to growth, empowerment, and transformation.

Our Collective Commitments Quality Education

We are committed to providing a quality education to all students as individuals, recognizing students learn in multiple ways and define success differently.

Gordon County Schools

Safe, Nurturing Environment

SHARED GOALS

We are committed to providing a safe, nurturing, and well-maintained learning environment.

MISSION

VISION

Ongoing Communication

Continuous Collaboration

Effective Staff

Safe, Nurturing Environment

Quality Education

Effective Staff

We are committed to hiring, developing, and supporting high quality, effective staff.

Continuous Collaboration

We are committed to increased student achievement through continuous collaboration of faculty, staff, students, parents, and our community and by leveraging the expertise and talents of our staff.

Ongoing Communication

We are committed to effective, ongoing internal and external communication to build positive relationships with all stakeholders and address individual student progress.

Strategic.

Mapping our progress Our Plan’s strategy map for monitoring academic progress serves as a tangible guide to reaching our ultimate destination—academic excellence. The strategies and action items in our map ensure that our system remains on track.

2020–2025 Strategic Plan Strategy Map

Strategy

Action Items

Learning and Growth for All

increase success by addressing specific achievement gaps

increase teacher and leader effectiveness

implement systematic student advisement

Quality Classroom Instruction and Experiences

strengthen and align resources for teaching and learning

expand integration of technology

implement the PLC process system wide

Family and Community Engagement

improve outgoing communications

expand opportunities for students, parents, and community partners

strengthen intergovernmental collaboration

Operational Excellence and Efficiency

operate a continual cycle of improvement for buildings and grounds

maintain safe, clean learning environments that meet state/ system standards

increase efficiency and effectiveness of transportation services

Fiscal Stability and Integrity

sustain excellent financial stewardship

maintain adequate fund balance

uphold best practices for financial operations

Stable.

Reaching our destination Gordon County is a community rich in tradition and rooted in family values. As we expand our academic campus and grow our system, the Gordon County Schools 2020–2025 Strategic Plan will serve as a landmark guide for current and future members of the community and is accessible to all. Please join us as we continue our journey to excellence!

2020 Gordon County Schools Map

This report was developed and designed by the

Since 1927, the Carl Vinson Institute of Government has been an integral part of the University of Georgia. A public service and outreach unit of the university, the Institute of Government is the largest and most comprehensive university-based organization serving governments in the United States through research services, customized assistance, training and development, and the application of technology. Photos by Gordon County Schools • Gordon County map courtesy of Angela Wheeler, CVIOG All brochure icons used with permission by The Noun Project @ www.thenounproject.com