This time of year is always an interesting time as we work to finish the 23-24 school year strong while also shaping the 24-25 school year to best serve our students, families and staff within our fiscal parameters. As we prepare and plan for the 24-25 school year, the strategic plan drives the work of the district with an ongoing commitment to prioritize the key areas that were identified by the fall 23’ student, family and staff survey. The fall survey revealed clear priorities which have become the foundational elements of our planning. Today’s update addresses key action items in each of the identified priority areas, and of course all the regular calendar reminders.
24-25 District planning and updates in alignment with strategic plan and survey priorities:
Safety and Security: Ensuring the safety and security of our school environments remains paramount. Whether it’s physical or cyber, we are working on a number of enhancements ranging from protocols, to physical building arrangements, to refining emergency response procedures.
Recruitment and Retention of High-Quality Staff: Exceptional educators are the number one influence on student learning! We’re excited to honor our staff at an appreciation celebration on April 18th and we are aggressively recruiting to fill our open positions with the most talented staff in a timely manner.
Student Behavior and Discipline: Positive behavior and effective discipline strategies are essential for a conducive learning environment. A number of changes were put into place during the 23-24 school year which will continue into the 24-25 year, including quarterly building updates provided at school board meetings.
Mental Health: In today’s complex world, mental health continues to be a priority. With the myriad of services that are provided, we’re grateful for the support and partnerships with Hastings United Way, Hastings Family Services and Canvas Health.
Career and Technical Education: As our district continues to work to ensure that our programming is meeting the needs and interests of our students and is as competitive as possible, we have been very intentional about looking at pathway programs and analyzing possibilities. In May of this year, we’re looking forward to partnering with our Hastings Chamber to engage with our industry partners in an event titled, “Building Bridges: Industry Engagement with Hastings Public Schools.”
