For the past several months, there have been numerous articles and presentations dealing with District Comprehensive Improvement Initiative known as the Summit Project. This project will enable Othello School District access to various resources to continue our improvement effort. The grant amount will range from $200,000 to $1,000,000 per year for three to five years.

As part of the Summit Project, the Othello School just completed three weeks of School Reviews and Needs Assessment. Below you will find a brief summary from Vicki Bates, Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) Summit District Improvement Initiative Coordinator, that identifies recommended areas of priority. In the next couple of weeks, the initial action plans addressing these priority areas will be thoroughly developed and submitted to the Othello School District Board of Directors for review and approval.

Ms. Vicki Bates Summary:

A Summit Needs Assessment (NA) Team had the privilege of working with Othello School District educators September 29 - October 9. A large group of Othello stakeholders came together the evening of Monday, September 29, to receive a comprehensive data report and suggested initial points of entry from the NA Team. Stakeholders provided feedback that assisted the NA Team in focusing their efforts over the coming days as they met with educators and students in interviews and focus group conversations. Following analysis of the data, district documents/artifacts, and interview findings from district participants, the NA Team developed 11 recommendations for Othello School District. On Monday, October 6, stakeholders met again to receive the recommendations and rationale, then, proceeded to identify the top three priorities for immediate action planning and work this school year. The remainder of the week, representative educators from Othello's schools and central office developed initial action plans for their selected priorities. Othello educators will be working to:

§ Develop and implement a common vision of quality instruction across the system,
§ Develop and implement a K-12 math program that aligns with Washington's new math standards and ensures all high school graduates are prepared for post-secondary education and work, and
§ Design and implement a language development program that supports English Language Learner's access to district reading programs/interventions and accelerates over time their academic success in core programs.

Further, the following priorities were identified for implementation across the action plans: clarity of roles and responsibilities, engagement of teacher leadership, targeted support for new teachers, and expectations for principals as instructional leaders. Hats off to Othello educators for their engagement and good work!

Vicki Bates
Coordinator
Summit District Improvement Initiative

The Othello School District would like to express their appreciation to numerous staff, parents, and community members involved in the Stakeholders Group meetings held on September 29 and October 6. These individuals volunteered their time to provide valuable and critical input in the development of action plans to address priority areas for improvement. This involvement resulted in a "magical" evening where collaboration, openness, trust, and cooperation continue to provide motivation, determination, and hope to our district as we continue our journey to the summit of student success through building our capacity. x