- Dothan City Schools
- Strategic Plan
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ABOUT THE PLAN
In the Fall of 2021, Dothan City Schools (DCS) began their Strategic Planning Process to develop their roadmap for the next five years. The planning process, facilitated by the Alabama Association of School Boards, sought to establish the vision and priority goals for DCS as the district moves into the next five years of serving students. This strategic plan will help DCS identify objectives and strategies to prepare our students and employees for excellence while being intentional and purposeful in our decisions over the next five years.
The strategic plan is meant for looking ahead and creating a plan that meets the district's goals for the future while creating a system for the district to ensure accountability and operational effectiveness while adjusting to meet the needs and challenges of DCS students.
“Every strategic plan should be a living document that an organization utilizes to guide them forward over a journey that takes them from good to great,” says Superintendent Dr. Dennis Coe. “At Dothan City Schools, we want to map our strategic direction by offering an excellent district with strong academic achievement, quality teachers, and fiscal responsibility, and that is why we used our community’s input to help us meet our goals.”
As a part of the planning process, Dothan City Schools sought the input of students, employees, parents, and community members through community forums. At these forums, participants learned about the strategic planning process while providing information for the school system’s future.
The plan was presented and formally adopted by the Dothan City Board of Education in February 2022.
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MISSION STATEMENT
C.A.R.E.S.
"Communicate, Achieve, Relate, Engage, Succeed"
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VISION STATEMENT
EMPOWER EVERYONE EVERYDAY
Strategic Goals and Objectives
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Teaching and Learning
GOAL 1
Ensure that the curriculum and the delivery of the curriculum provides challenging, relevant, and equitable learning opportunities for all students.Objective 1- Ensure that all course content and all course offerings are state aligned and the curriculum is locally approved.
Objective 2 - Ensure that pacing frameworks and common assessments are used throughout the district.
Objective 3 - Ensure that a research-based model for classroom instruction is used in every classroom throughout the district.
Objective 4 - Establish successful programs (and utilizing mentoring, peer tutoring, and community volunteers) to maximize student achievement for learners with diverse needs (academically at-risk, non-traditional, special needs, gifted, ELLs, Pre-K, etc.).
Objective 5 - Develop and increase professional conversations with teachers, classroom support staff, and administrators to improve classroom instruction.
Objective 6-Develop and improve practices to provide feedback to students and parents on standards-based progress, grade level progression, and post-secondary opportunities
GOAL 2
Collect, analyze, and use student achievement data for improved teaching and learning.Objective 1 - Provide high quality professional development for teachers, instructional staff, and administrators on the effective use of data.
Objective 2 - Establish and maintain effective data collection and approved measures of student achievement to inform decision making by teachers, staff, parents, and students.
Objective 3 - Regularly monitor, evaluate and report student achievement data and its use in individual school continuous improvement plans and by other appropriate means.
Objective 4 - Use information gained through data analysis to guide instructional and budgetary decisions to improve student outcomes.
Objective 5 -Examine opportunities annually to add or enhance programs to improve student achievement when financially possible (expanded fine arts courses, additional and relevant Career Technical Education programs, early identification and intervention for At-Risk students)
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Governance and Leadership
GOAL 1
Provide for qualified, effective, innovative Board of Education members.Objective 1 - Provide on-going, high quality orientation and training for Board of Education members.
Objective 2 - Review, revise and maintain effective Board of Education policies on which to base sound decision making, effective procedures, and fair consistent implementation of laws, rules, and guidelines.
Objective 3 - Board members should participate in school and community events that build positive community relationships.
Objective 4 - Board members should adhere to standards that entrust staff members with the day-to-day operations of the district.
GOAL 2
Provide qualified, effective, innovative system and school leaders.Objective 1 - Recruit, employ, develop and retain highly qualified, effective, innovative system and school administrators.
Objective 2 - Provide on-going, effective, high quality professional development for the superintendent, system and school administrators.
Objective 3 - Encourage and support continuing education, part1c1pation in leadership development and attain credentials of distinction by system and school administrators.
Objective 4 - Encourage, support, and recognize administrator participation in local school and community events that build positive community relationships.
Objective 5 - Participate in programs of leadership development that prepare employees for possible future school and system level leadership.
GOAL 3
Provide opportunities to involve all stakeholders in collaborative efforts to improve school system governance.Objective 1 - Establish and/or maintain advisory groups, councils, cooperative associations, booster clubs, and school support groups to include diverse representatives from all system stakeholders to provide input, feedback and ideas for improving school and system governance.
Objective 2 - Regularly collect, analyze, and disseminate summary information to system stakeholders on system accomplishments and data to guide their participation in decisions that will ensure that every student is successful.
Objective 3 - Collect and analyze public comments, suggestions, ideas and concerns about school system governance through surveys, correspondence, meetings and forums.
GOAL 4
Effectively use continuous improvement and accreditation monitoring plans to increase student achievement, to evaluate school system success, and to guide decision-making.Objective 1 - Analyze, monitor, and evaluate all school and system continuous improvement plans at least annually and according to benchmarks identified in plans.
Objective 2 -Maintain system accreditation, utilizing the accreditation monitoring and reporting processes to promote and achieve continuous improvement toward system and school goals.
Objective 3 - Engage in regular orientation and trammg for school system personnel in the effective use of continuous improvement and accreditation plans.
Objective 4 - Regularly publish and report progress toward and accomplishment of school system strategic goals and accountability targets to all stakeholder groups.
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Finance
GOAL 1
Dothan City Schools will practice responsible financial management and maintain appropriate financial reserves to support the critical instructional and operational needs of the system.Objective 1 - Ensure that money is appropriated to schools based on state and federal guidelines.
Objective 2- Establish transparency among all schools as to how funds and resources are appropriated.
Objective 3 - Implement processes, controls and support systems to maximize operational efficiency and effectiveness
Objective 4 - Seek additional financial resources to support the successful implementation of all strategic plan initiatives.
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Support Systems
GOAL 1
Dothan City Schools will implement effective programs and procedures to reduce school discipline incidents, suspensions, and expulsions.Objective 1 - Provide safe, secure, inviting, and appropriate environments for a wide variety of extra-curricular and co-curricular activities.
Objective 2 - Review, update, and revise a system-wide code of student conduct and school safety plans on an annual basis.
Objective 3 - Develop a district culture of inclusion that is systemic, consistent, and equitable in intervening in conflicts and confusions arising from variations of differences.
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Safety
GOAL 1
Dothan City Schools will provide support and professional expertise to schools as they create, enhance, and/or maintain safe, secure campuses.Objective 1 - Identify schools with security needs and provide them with technical expertise.
Objective 2 - To establish a Culture of Safety through facilitation of family, school, and community engagement in shared responsibility and collaboration with community partnerships for positive outcomes.
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Health
GOAL 1
Dothan City Schools will improve the overall mental health awareness and knowledge base of students and staff.
Objective 1 - Expand access to mental health and healthy practices through school-based and community partnerships to provide students with a well-balanced life.
Objective 2 - Provide employer assistance options to provide mental health services to staff.
Objective 3 - Maintain transitional support across all grades, between schools and from school to life.
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Transporation
GOAL 1
Dothan City Schools will enhance and ensure the safe transporting of students to and from school on all system owned the school buses.
Objective 1- Acquire and utilize advanced technological resources.
Objective 2 - Streamline vehicle inspections and ensure adherence to safety policies.
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Facilities and Maintenance
GOAL 1
Dothan City Schools will maintain facilities, services, and equipment to provide a safe, clean, and healthy environment for students and employees.Objective 1 - Develop a long-term priority list of critical building needs including new construction, renovation and additions and deferred maintenance projects.
Objective 2 - Ensure that all school system facilities and campuses are clean, safe, attractive and well organized.
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Technology
GOAL 1
Dothan City Schools will provide technology, infrastructure, essential equipment, and resources to support the instructional and operational needs of the system.Objective 1 - Ensure that all classrooms have current, relevant and working technology.
Objective 2 - Examine opportunities to add or enhance technology to improve student achievement when financially possible.