Understanding Our Continuous Improvement Process

Several years ago, in the district’s Framework for Our Future conference, the community-at-large provided input to our Board of Education leading to the DeForest Area School District’s stated mission to “provide an excellent education” for all students we serve. Like any organization, achieving excellence depends upon clearly identifying what excellence looks like. Our Board of Education envisions this “end in mind” for student learning as, “each student in the DeForest Area School District will be knowledgeable and skilled in the use of tools necessary to be a responsible citizen in his/her community”. The energies and focus on the district is set firmly on accomplishing this stated “end”.

Once the “ends” are known, it is necessary to have a clear picture of how the journey of continuous improvement toward the goal will be achieved. For example, when considering the first “end”, the district has spent considerable effort in documenting our curriculum and developing processes to refine and coordinate the teaching of that curriculum.

Professional staff have devoted hours to analyzing the most effective instructional techniques that contribute to all students achieving to their potential. Curriculum Department Heads assist all staff in the ongoing development of both curriculum and delivery strategies to constantly enhance student learning. Teacher mentors work with new staff to ensure that skills and habits are developed to support the most effective student learning. 

Assuring that activities designed to promote continuous improvement will be effective is dependent upon a coordinated and comprehensive system of feedback for teachers. The quality of data available to teachers directly impacts the effectiveness of the adjustment they make on a regular basis as they work with individual learners.

The move by our district to implement the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) assessment and the addition of planning time for teachers to analyze MAP data and modify instructional delivery are two examples of system changes that support the “end” of providing the best possible instruction to all students.

Each year building staff review the current status of student achievement, the various strategies and systems that are in place to support the professional staff efforts to continuously improve upon all students’ performance, and the anticipated adjustments that are necessary to “provide an excellent education”.

Taken together, these elements are defined as our “Continuous Growth Process”. In practice they represent our commitment to strive for excellence by constantly improving our programs of instruction. You may hear and read about recognized strengths within the system as well as areas of concern in which there is an identified need for adjustment in order to be most effective. In either case, we are committed to identify strategies that will continuously improve the learning outcomes for students. Feel free at any time to talk with school staff about our progress.

Contact: Ann Higgins, 842-6531
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