Board approves, prioritizes plan

CRESWELL — Mike Johnson, superintendent of Creswell schools, is close to seeing an eight-month initiative come to fruition.
How sweet it is.
“I just fell in love with this by the way,” Johnson said about data analysis and assessment processes. “We wanted all perspectives and we got them.”
Johnson launched a four-pronged plan to both satisfy state requirements and create a long-term strategic vision for Creswell schools.
Oregon requires a Continuous Improvement Plan and a Student Investment Application.
Completing the process meant a deep dive into data and broad public input.
His team began analyzing disaggregated student achievement and success trends, English language arts (ELA) and math K-12, individual student progress in ELA and math, ninth-grade “on track” to graduate and “on-time” graduation. Johnson then had his team conduct a community-needs assessment and researched “best practices.”
Community leaders, teachers, students and parents helped identify specific targets for success, a strategic five-step plan. It doubles as the district’s identity and vision, Johnson said, a comprehensive strategic action plan to respond to achievement gaps and disparities and an integrated comprehensive strategic improvement plan for continuous district improvements.
“I like the plan on priorities,” Board Director Lacey Risdal said. “It’s pretty exciting that we could get extra teachers and programs for kids.”
Johnson said the district will post job positions after Spring Break. Board member Mark Parker asked about the timeline of approval and hiring.
Johnson said negotiations are going to start after he submits the plan and he was “certain” that their highest needs will be met because they demonstrated that in the data.
“We’ve got to have that, it’s critical,” he said. “I have 100 percent confidence that’s going to be in there.”