First 100 Days

SHAPING THE FUTURE OF

ALEXANDRIA CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS DR. GREGORY C. HUTCHINGS, JR. SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS

Ensuring Every Student Succeeds

FIRST 100 DAYS

JANUARY 2019

MY FIRST

100 DAYS

It takes a community.

As the new superintendent of schools for Alexandria City Public Schools, let me first say how delighted I am to be back in Alexandria and to have the opportunity to lead this great school division.

Over my first 100 days, I promised not to make any significant changes and to actively listen to the community’s insights and opinions. With a few small exceptions I have kept that promise and it has proved invaluable. Connecting with our community and listening to community input both internally and externally has been possibly one of the most important aspects of my first 100 days in this role. I have learned an enormous amount from many people who so generously shared their thoughts with me — Thank You!

DR. GREGORY C. HUTCHINGS, JR.

My listening and learning tour has allowed me to approach the task of identifying a framework for ACPS that will take us to the next level of an equitable learning environment for all students. I have learned that this is a community that cares deeply about our school division, and is passionate about our diversity, our faculty and staff, and ensuring the best possible outcomes for our students. I have heard that you welcome the wide variety of programs and courses we offer at the high school level and appreciate the supports we offer our students who need a little extra help.

I have also heard that you want a superintendent who is accessible to staff, parents and students, and connected to the community. We know that this is one of the most critical things a superintendent can do to help support a successful school division and you have played a critical part in creating this connection.

The work has already begun in earnest and we have already accomplished many things in these initial months that some superintendents never have an opportunity to accomplish during their entire career. This includes opening three new school buildings, moving the T.C. stadium project forward, and launching an ambitious approach to resolving our high school capacity issues. We have taken a fresh approach to our principals meetings, providing them with opportunities to collaborate on best practices in school improvement as well as increase their professional capacity so that they continue to be lifelong learners. We have also set up a new process of school improvement planning, which acknowledges that all schools have room for growth. A team of Central Office administrators meet regularly with teachers and staff and administrators from each school to make sure they are getting the supports they need to meet their goals for the meeting the needs of students.

This is just the beginning of our journey to becoming the best ACPS has ever been and I’m looking forward to working collaboratively with each of you on behalf of our young people in ACPS. There are of course areas that need our attention immediately, and although we celebrate our diversity in ACPS it is critical that we focus our attention on equity. This is a conversation that may not always be comfortable but I am confident that going forward we can lead the frank and courageous conversations that are essential if we are going to fulfill our vision of seeing every student succeed. These kinds of courageous conversations will also help strengthen the sense of unity across our school division and we will be looking for ways to extend the sense that we all belong to one city with one high school and that we are all essentially Titans – with Titan Pride.

This is not only going to take time, it is also going to take dedication and courage and the participation and support of our entire community. We are stronger together. I invite you to join me in this incredible journey towards making ACPS the best it has ever been.

Now my first 100 days are over, let’s get to the next level of school division success.

LISTENING AND LEARNING:

WHAT I HEARD

Academic Excellence and Educational Equity: You want multiple learning pathways to suit different student needs, less emphasis on standardized tests and more hands-on learning experiences. You want our students to graduate with 21st century skills and more options for students not looking to go to college.

An Exemplary Staff: We know that ACPS struggles to recruit and retain staff which creates inconsistency in the classroom. We need to stay competitive in the area to not only recruit the best staff but then to retain them once we have trained them. We need ACPS staff to stay and provide onboarding for all new employees. We need to clearly articulate expectations for working with the diverse student population in ACPS.

Health and Wellness: You want to ensure we have happy and healthy students. You also want to see more restorative practices in our schools to help create equity in disciplinary practices.

Family and Community Engagement: You like our ‘Coffees with the Principal’ and multilingual communication, but we do not always provide excellent customer service in other ways. In addition, external partners cannot easily get access to ACPS schools to provide supports. You want greater trust between parents, schools and the community, more training on technology platforms for parents.

Facilities and the Learning Environment: You want our capacity issues resolved, especially at the high school level. You want to maintain smaller class sizes, would like to see less crowded buses and safe walking routes to and from schools. In addition, you want to see environmental sustainability in our schools and well-maintained facilities.

Effective and Efficient Operations You believe that ACPS needs better processes that are aligned and connected so that issues get resolved quickly and changes are better communicated to all impacted. We need to continue to work to improve our levels of transparency!

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A FRAMEWORK FOR BUILDING EQUITY TAXONOMY IN ACPS

ENGAGED AND INSPIRED LEARNERS

INSTRUCTIONAL EXCELLENCE

OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN

SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL ENGAGEMENT

PHYSICAL INTEGRATION

ACPS needs to be the best place to LEARN, TEACH and WORK. So what does it take to get us there?

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*BASED ON BUILDING EQUITY: POLICIES AND PRACTICES TO EMPOWER ALL LEARNERS BY DOMINIQUE SMITH, NANCY FREY, IAN PUMPIAN AND DOUGLAS FISHER

ACTIONS AND PRIORITIES GOING FORWARD OVERARCHING THEMES:

EQUITY This is the lens through which we need to view all our work going forward if we are truly committed to seeing every student succeed. Equity needs to be viewed in terms of a high quality learning environment, educational resources, retention and the recruitment of staff as well as our facilities across the division. We need to meet students where they are and not where we want them to be; then, provide the necessary supports or enrichment to help them achieve their success.

COMMUNITY COLLABORATION We are best when we work as a team. Success will require community effort, teamwork and the ability to pull together to take us to the next level. In order for our city to be a success; our schools must be a success.

TRANSPARENCY This is another lens through which our work needs to be viewed. We must be committed to transparency for all aspects of our work across the division as part of our accountability to the Alexandria community.

ALIGNMENT Our goal is to align everything we do with the overarching goals of the ACPS 2020 Strategic Plan. This includes our actions from the big picture, to our instructional practices and our School Improvement Plans at the school level.

SYSTEMS AND PROCESSES We are best when we have established processes and organizational structures that are clearly outlined and everyone — from the staff to the public — can follow. These processes also help us better prepare for the communication of procedural changes within our school division.

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MY VISION: IT TAKES A COMMUNITY...

ENGAGED AND INSPIRED LEARNERS We must ensure our students have the opportunities they need to develop into well-rounded individuals who will serve as the next leaders of their generation as well as engaged and competent decision-makers who graduate prepared to positively contribute to the world.

Student engagement and leadership through a high quality learning environment that embraces all cultures and differences which fosters a shared decision making environment with student voice.

OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN We must establish systems and processes that foster equitable opportunities to learn as well as ensure all of our students have access and are engaged in a challenging curriculum that is relevant and culturally responsive.

Human and Social Capital: Leveraging human and social capital to ensure students have the necessary soft skills to thrive in the world through partnerships with organizations, businesses and higher education institutions.

Inequities in Classrooms and Schools, Modern-day Segregation and Access to Challenging Curriculum: Unapologetically addressing inequities in schools and classrooms through a challenging curriculum and incorporating inclusive practices in classrooms to support diverse learning abilities and needs.

PHYSICAL INTEGRATION Establishing equity in our schools also means establishing equitable learning environments. Equitable does not mean equal. Instead it means giving each school what it needs to support the successful outcomes for the students it serves.

From Equality to Equity: Transition from equality to equity and ensure that all students are engaged in a high quality learning environment through removing educational barriers to advanced level opportunities.

From Race to Identity: Showcase identification aspects of a student other than race.

From Classroom to School-wide Supports: Focus on support beyond the classroom to school-wide by ensuring school improvement planning is the guide for increasing student achievement.

INSTRUCTIONAL EXCELLENCE We must set a division wide expectation for academic excellence through an instructional framework that ensures our teachers are supported in delivering instruction in an equitable way to all students across the entire school division.

Districtwide Instructional Excellence: Sustain a level of instructional excellence for the entire school division through school/department improvement planning with clearly articulated roles and responsibilities of faculty, staff and administrators for attaining academic goals.

Professional Learning: Provide engaging and job-embedded professional learning through a division-wide instructional coaching and leadership coaching framework.

Systems to Support Instructional Excellence and a Framework for Quality Teaching: Establish systems to support instructional excellence in all classrooms using a framework for quality teaching that empowers teachers to engage all students as well as provide teachers with a “no secrets� teacher evaluation system with clear expectations.

SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL ENGAGEMENT Cultural competency in all schools to support the social-emotional needs of all our students. We must create a welcoming school environment where relationships are essential and the mental well being of our students is a priority while we are giving our students the supports they need to be successful and graduate prepared for the world.

Cultural Proficiency in All Schools: Increase cultural competency through mandatory training for all ACPS employees to establishing a culturally competent learning environment for all students.

Restorative Practices, Response to Trauma and Attendance: Embrace Multi-Tiered System of Support, including Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports, restorative practices, trauma responsive classrooms, and reduction of chronic absenteeism through division-wide efforts to focus with fidelity on social and emotional needs of students.

Welcoming School Climate and Relationships: Expect all schools will provide a welcoming school climate for all students and families by developing positive relationships and providing inviting classrooms.

HIGHLIGHTS FER

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THANK YOU SUPERINTENDENT’S TRANSITION TEAM Sasha Bates. John Brittain. Patrick Byrnett. Francis Chase. Rae Covey. Don Davidson.

Janet Eissenstat. Mayor Bill Euille. Kate Garvey. Joe Haggerty. Carroll Hebron.

Kurt Huffman. Jeanette Jackson. Amanda Kelley. Stephanie Landrum. Amy Liu. Dr. Tammy Mann. Vantross Medina-White. Dawnielle Miller. Nicholas Miller. Ingris Moran.

Clinton Page. Pierrette Peters. John Porter. Saif Rahman. Douglas Reed.

Crystal Vanison Robinson. Jimena Sanjines. Kathryn Sicard. Ann Yanagihara.

A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO THE MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL AND CITY MANAGER

ALEXANDRIA CITY SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS DISTRICT A

DISTRICT B

DISTRICT C

Jacinta Greene Michelle Rief Christopher A. Suarez

Cindy M. Anderson (Chair) Margaret Lorber Veronica R. Nolan (Vice Chair)

Meagan L. Alderton Ramee A. Gentry Heather Thornton

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