By Alesia Gillison, Chief Academic Officer/Assistant Superintendent
At Pickerington Schools, the beginning of the school year looked different by design, and the results of our new initiatives have been successful. This is attributed to our excellent staff, students, and families!
Our collective theme for the school year is Knowing Thy Impact, which highlights our team's positive impact on our students, families, and community. The first teachers that children experience are parents and family members, and by building strong partnerships with families, we will work to bring our Plan for Progress’ three pillars — Academic Excellence, Efficient Operations, Modern Facilities — to fruition. This year, we are committed to continuing to work together through all relationships:
- Relationships with students
- Relationships with parents
- Relationships with the community
- Relationships with colleagues
Knowing Thy Impact on Staff and Students
Just before classes began, we intentionally welcomed staff back with a Convocation that focused on honoring them for their commitment to students and families .And things began differently for our students as well with our first staggered start to the school year. The initiative intentionality allowed students to get acclimated to their school routines and meet their teachers, counselors, administrators, and new classmates. The staggered start schedule allowed students to ease into their school year and begin building relationship foundations. The responses from students, staff, and families have been positive, and the staggered start is something we intend to continue at the beginning of the next school year.
Knowing Thy Impact on Students, Staff, and Families
We also opened this school year with three new district goals that will continue to move us from good to GREAT!
By the end of the 2024-2025 school year, a minimum of 80% of Pickerington students will meet typical growth as measured by the iReady Reading and Math diagnostics. This is an average yearly increase of 8 percentage points over the next three years. *Typical Growth is the average annual growth of students at each grade and placement level. iREADY Reading (K–12) and iREADY Math (K-8).
By the end of the 2024-2025 school year, a minimum of 80% of Pickerington students will demonstrate proficiency on the English Language Arts and Math Ohio State Tests (OSTs). This is an average yearly increase of 8 percentage points over the next three years.
By the end of the 2024-2025 school year, a minimum of 80% of Pickerington students will indicate a sense of belonging on the Panorama survey. This is an average yearly increase of 8 percentage points each year over the next three years. *Panorama is a survey provided to Pickerington students grades 3-12 twice a year to measure student perceptions of their classroom experience.
Knowing Thy Impact on Students, Staff, Families, and the Community
Engaging the entire Pickerington community is also a key component of achieving our goals for the year. The Pickerington Family and Community Day Festival was the first of many community engagement events that will be held during the year. Other planned events include the Night of Engagement in December, the Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration in January, our annual CommUNITY Fair in April, and the Night of ExcELLence in May. Keep watching our social media channels and district website for details on these events throughout the school year.
