2.0 Budget:

2.2 Produce a budget plan which deliberately prioritizes student achievement, the ability to recruit and retain highly qualified staff, and enrichment / intervention  programs aligned with CUSD Mission Statement. 

One of the guiding principles of our Long Range Plan is to ‘make purposeful efforts to recruit and retain highly qualified staff’ across Coronado Unified School District. This evening, staff presented an Action Item to the Governing Board requesting approval of an Early Retirement Notice Stipend. If approved, interested staff will have an opportunity to notify the district, in writing, of their plans to retire at the end of school year 2019-20. In exchange for their early notification, the district will issue a $1,000 stipend. This request is aligned with our guiding principle as it affords us ample time to recruit the best possible applicants to join our CUSD staff. 

The timing of initiating the hiring process is critical as it increases opportunities to screen and recruit top applicants searching for placement in our region. This initiative leverages our district over other districts as we will begin the process of posting positions, screening, interviewing, and placing potential staff. As we recruit applicants in early Spring 2020, we will do so deliberately with the knowledge of where openings exist within our system. 

4.0 Communication:

4.1 Establish an effective and efficient communication plan for CUSD ensuring consistent branding and messaging across all platforms. 

As previously shared with the community and Governing Board, CUSD has started using the Thoughtexchage platform to solicit feedback from shareholders. Thoughtexchage helps organizations crowdsource answers to questions posed in real time. In addition, participants are free to contribute ideas, read and respond (via ranking) to others’ ideas, and participate anonymously. The software ‘ranks’ those themes which surface with the most user support,  allowing organizations to make informed decisions which have demonstrated community buy-in. Our recent parent Thoughtexchange prompt ‘How can CUSD best prepare our students for college and career readiness?’ yielded 265 thoughts from 317 participants. Of those thoughts, 8,511 ‘ratings’ were assigned. Themes emerged and were ranked as most supported by participants. The top three themes (with examples) are listed below:  

• Student Choice / Flexibility

  • Dual Credit Opportunities

  • Internship / Work Experience Placement

  • Increase Exposure to World Languages across CUSD

• Increase Counseling Services 

  • Exposure to Post Secondary Options

  • Initiate Post Secondary Discussions with Students/Parents at an Earlier Age

  • Guest Speakers from Industry  

• Provide Life “Readiness” Skills 

  • Financial Literacy / Budgeting

  • Resume / Public Speaking / Interview Skills 

  • Time and Stress Management 

Staff will present a comprehensive overview of the results during open session. 

4.3 One School, One Campus Update

In March, 2019, the Governing Board approved the relocation of Transitional Kindergarten and Kindergarten students back to the main campus at Village Elementary School, effective school year 2020-21. Action taken by the Governing Board included direction for the Superintendent to provide monthly updates and timelines on efforts made to adequately prepare the facilities, staff, students, and community for the transition. 

Planning and preparation associated with the relocation of TK/K from ECDC back to Village Main remains on schedule.  Administrators and Staff are currently engaged in conversations for the final phase of classroom movement and needs in order to relocate the remaining programs and staff out of the 700 building into other spaces on campus. Maintenance staff are actively soliciting quotes from flooring and paint vendors for classrooms in the 700 building with work to begin during winter recess. We will make every effort to complete this work in-house if it proves to be the most cost-effective and efficient use of staff time. Instructional teachers and staff will have an opportunity to provide input on furniture, flooring and paint prior to work commencing.

The iLAB (Innovation Lab) at Village Elementary is almost complete! Beginning on December 2nd, all students at Village main campus will have access to new designated space where STEAM learning will come to life. The facility will boast engaging Project Lead the Way curricula, Science and Engineering project consumables, industrial sink, technology, flexible seating and furniture, and a floor to ceiling ‘ideation’ wall. We are excited to provide these experiences in our new iLAB for our TK/K students in 2020-21!