Strategic Plan approved
Jacksboro Independent School District board members approved the district’s strategic plan for the next five years during a board meeting Oct. 10.
The district worked with Moak Casey Consultants in Austin to develop and make the plan more measurable, according to Superintendent Brad Burnett. The plan was shared with the board who agreed it would hold district administration and staff more accountable.
“We want to keep communication open on our plan,” Burnett explained. “It makes the plan more measurable to the evaluation process.”
With the strategic plan being finalized, it will help guide the district improvement plan, Burnett said. The campus improvement plans will then go before the board for approval next month.
The district’s principals gave campus updates. Jacksboro Middle School Principal Jackie Hamilton said her school is giving positive notice to students who are showing positive things in areas like character with the possibility of winning a Sonic gift card every six weeks.
Jacksboro Elementary School Principal Michael Qualls said his school has developed a sensory room for students having a “bad day”. Instead of being taken to the principal’s office for bad behavior, students will have an opportunity. Qualls said the room was just finished that day and gives students a chance to self-regulate in the room.
The district had a chance to discuss its former English as a Second Language (ESL) program now called Emergent Bilingual. Right now, 194 students are in the program district wide, which is up 30 from last year. Assistant Superintendent Sara Mathis said the program is going well with a focus on the EB program on all three campuses.
Before a student can test out of the program, which normally takes around six years of work, there’s a number of criteria they have to meet, including testing high on state mandated tests. Revisions to the district operation plan were made, including an active shooter plan. An organizational chart and who’s responsible for what was added. The plan will be updated as needed, Burnett said. It will now be submitted to the state for review.
