Board Meeting Info

We will prepare for the implementation of a seven-hour instructional day in 2023-2024. These efforts include a start and end time of school study, as well as the facilitation of principal-led staff scheduling committees. 

We will design and implement a comprehensive instructional coaching program to support staff in promoting the growth and learning of all students. This includes the selection and training of instructional coaches, as well as program development and monitoring across the district. 

Our instructional coaching program is grounded in the development of our teams, schools, and the district into professional learning communities, and our program model reflects this idea - instructional coaches are a partner in our teams’ PLCs. Instructional coaches  partner with a PLC to set a standards-based goal for student learning, and their work together revolves around ensuring all students meet that goal. During each instructional coaching cycle, we use a structured coaching tool and carefully track student progress toward mastery of the targeted learning standard. As of November 28, we had a total of 57 active cycles. Ten teaching teams were already participating or had formally requested to participate in a second or third coaching cycle. Our six instruction coaches participate in ongoing professional development. For example, prior to the start of this school year, our coaches participated in a seven day Summer Institute developed and led by the Teaching and Learning Department. The purpose of this summer institute was to ensure training, planning, and preparedness to guarantee readiness for our first school year together. We have since been selected to showcase our work at the Dynamic Instructional & Technology Coaches are Hooked on ED Conference, hosted by Lake County Educational Services. 

We will refine our social-emotional learning (SEL) practices, including the identification, prioritization, and instruction of expected social and academic student skills and behaviors. 

School teams have worked to reboot our guaranteed and viable curriculum for social-emotional learning by first prioritizing and aligning the Illinois Social-Emotional Learning Standards within grade level bands. Consensus was reached across the district in the selection of these essential learning outcomes. Teams will soon use these prioritized standards to make any needed updates to our unit plans and pacing calendars. 

We will implement Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), an evidence-based framework for providing social, emotional, and behavioral support for all students. 

All schools implemented PBIS at the start of the school year. Implementation steps included training for administration and staff, participation in a district-wide book study,  facilitation of “cool tools” to teach students expectations for different learning spaces in the school, hosting special celebrations and distributing Eagle Bucks to reinforce positive behaviors, and more. In January, schools hosted PBIS booster days to reteach expected behaviors and celebrate success. Additions and other adjustments have been made to our “cool tools” and reinforcement systems toward improved student learning.

We will implement the recommendations from our comprehensive Dual Language Audit (2021-2022), including a renewed language allocation plan and staffing model, curricular resources, family engagement structures, and goals. 

We are in the process of implementing the program recommendations resulting from our comprehensive Dual Language Audit, and shared last spring. Accomplishments include the realization of an updated staffing  and language allocation plan, as well as training and materials to support the facilitation of new curricular materials for ELA/SLA instruction. Many updated family engagement structures, such as a new parent/guardian informational event for incoming sixth graders and comprehensive BPAC programming, are also in place.

We will support the consistent, first-year implementation of our new foundational resources in ELA/SLA K-5, ELA 6-8, and STEM 6-8. This includes comprehensive resource allocation, implementation guidance, and ongoing professional development. We will also support third year implementation (second year in-person) of our foundational resource in math K-5. 

To support implementation of our new foundational resources in ELA/SLA K-5 and ELA 6-8, we have developed comprehensive guidance documents and sample schedules. We have also partnered with the relevant vendors to host a number of professional development sessions delivered by grade level or grade level bands. Principals have an opportunity to schedule staff support sessions with our Teaching and Learning coordinators and/or guided reading training with our instructional coaches. In addition, teams are encouraged to participate in an instructional coaching cycle to further support implementation success. One of our Teaching and Learning Coordinators regularly partners with our STEM staff during weekly PLC meetings and early release programming to support planning and implementation of our new foundational resource. This team is also supported by the Instructional Technology Director, who has assisted in securing ongoing training in preparation for the implementation of additional instructional modules scheduled for 2023-2024.
 

We will facilitate the development of an updated Guaranteed and Viable Curriculum (GVC) in ELA/SLA K-5, ELA 6-8, reading and math at the preschool level, physical education and health K-8, music K-8, and art K-8 via our GVC Leadership Teams. This includes training around the prioritization and alignment of learning standards. 

At this time, we have hosted two full-day GVC Leadership Team sessions for P.E., health, music, and art. Teams identified and then audited their selection of essential outcomes, organized these outcomes into instructional units, and are now creating pacing calendars. Next steps include unit development, including the identification of learning targets and proficiency scales. GVC development efforts at the preschool level have continued as scheduled; teams are developing learning targets and proficiency scales for both reading and math across two age bands (three to four year olds and four to five year olds). We are scheduled to begin rebooting our GVC for ELA/SLA in the spring.

We will support the consistent implementation of our updated Guaranteed and Viable Curriculum (GVC) in social studies K-8 and math K-8 in coordination with our original GVC Leadership Teams. 

Teaching and Learning coordinators, instructional coaches, and building administrators all work to support the consistent implementation of our updated GVC in both social studies and math. This has included the facilitation of instructional coaching cycles, the purchase of additional math materials to support small group instruction for students in kindergarten and first grade, math support and training for new elementary teachers, and more. We are presently assessing the need to schedule a spring update session with the respective GVC Leadership Teams in the spring. 

We will focus on equity and inclusion in an effort to ensure all students feel safe and represented at school. This includes attention to student access and opportunity with regard to positive student outcomes. 

Providing students with access and opportunity creates an equitable and inclusive environment where all students feel safe, have a sense of belonging, and are represented at school. The Board of Education projects identified below include an equity and inclusion lens to support our collective teaching and learning goals in alignment with our Strategic Plan.

• Guaranteed & Viable Curriculum Refinement

• Foundational Resource Adoption

• Multi-Tiered Systems of Support Development

• School of Dual Language Audit

• PBIS Implementation

• Technology Integration

We will support the implementation of our updated Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS). This includes the refinement of districtwide practices, processes, and curricular materials specific to academic intervention, enrichment, and acceleration services, as well as professional development to support these efforts. This work also includes a focus on Tier 1 of our social, emotional, and behavioral supports (see SEL and PBIS projects).  

The focus of this year’s MTSS efforts have included an emphasis on the redevelopment of our GVC for social-emotional learning and implementation of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) across the district. Improvements to our academic system of supports include weekly PLC meetings for our interventionists and Teaching and Learning coordinators to collaborate around best practices, ongoing implementation of a research-based math intervention program at the elementary level, supporting first year implementation of an ELA intervention program at the middle school level, exploring the tiered tools and strategies included in our new ELA/SLA K-5 foundational resource, as well as comprehensive professional development for our elementary enrichment teams and relevant middle school staff that targets the needs of our advanced learners. Next steps include a second trial of ELA/SLA K-5 intervention programs. 

We will engage in Phase 5 of construction which includes the design and development of Elementary North, to prepare for construction to begin in the summer of 2023. 

In December, the board of education approved contracts for the Elementary North renovation project. The Elementary North project is scheduled to begin in the summer of 2023 and conclude in December of 2024. Although the footprint of the building will not change, major mechanical updates including a new HVAC system, lighting, fire alarms, and clock system will be featured. In addition, all ceiling tiles and flooring will be updated throughout the building and the library will be renovated to align with the current library re-envisioning initiative.

We will integrate technology to provide innovative learning experiences that meet the diverse needs of every learner and support our goals of equity and inclusion. 

We have introduced new technologies to enhance learning experiences for students and teachers by providing increased access to 3D printers and other tools in the classroom. We also partnered with the Key to 73 Foundation to equip middle schools with a GlowForge 3D laser printer to enhance STEM classrooms, and in January all schools will participate in Hour of Code activities developed in coordination with an expert in computer science education.

The tech committee — comprised of teachers and IT staff — meets monthly to leverage the voices and expertise of staff to streamline and enhance our use of technology in classrooms. Current topics include: recognizing and replicating innovative practices, reviewing learning management systems, and discussing recommendations for smoothly integrating technology at all grade levels.

Our professional learning podcast, D73 DRIVE, has received positive feedback from staff. It is a great way for teachers to stay up-to-date with the latest developments and to learn from one another.

We have also scheduled and made site visits to other schools that are excelling in the areas of technology integration. These visits allow us to experience firsthand where schools are successfully integrating technology into their curriculum, allowing us to bring back ideas and best practices to consider at Hawthorn.

We are piloting the use of VR technology in classrooms with a startup, LearnSesh, to evaluate its effectiveness in teaching. Using VR in classrooms can enhance the learning experience by providing immersive, interactive, and engaging activities like virtual field trips, science experiments, history, and language learning, helping students to connect and understand the material better.

We will evaluate current productivity processes for staff and students with the goal of creating streamlined and consistent workflows that increase efficiency to more effectively use devices for student learning. This will include recommendations and professional development for staff, as well as training for students. 

We have focused on improving productivity processes in a number of areas to make us more efficient as an organization. Assessment processes have been streamlined to tighten up planning with the tech department and other stakeholders. Feedback forms have been provided to staff following each assessment window to determine additional needs or areas for improvement. This has decreased the number of tech support tickets and calls related to assessment issues.

In conjunction with the Operations and Teaching & Learning departments, we have identified and implemented workflows to improve the efficiency of tech-related implementation projects. There is currently a Strategic Systems team in place to address requests for new software platforms and digital resource implementation in a more streamlined manner.

We also recognized that the tech ticketing system was not as user-friendly as it could be, leading to a large volume of tickets and prolonged resolution times. We have coordinated with several IT stakeholders to clean up workflows within the system to make it more efficient for teachers while still providing the IT team with the information needed to troubleshoot issues.

Processes for onboarding new hires have also been improved. The technology department has streamlined the processes for providing new staff with devices and access to digital resources.

The time needed for students to log in to some digital resources tends to take longer than expected — especially for some of our younger students. We have been transitioning many of our resources to the Clever platform. This service provides students with an online portal that allows them to access the apps they need for class in an easier manner.

With the foundational PLC pieces in place, PLC teams across the district will work collaboratively to develop Common Formative Assessments (CFAs) and implement assessment for learning cycles. For a second year, the District 73 Leadership Professional Learning Community (PLC) Leadership Teams will continue to collaboratively guide the systemic implementation of these impactful PLC practices and structures across the district. 

This was the second year of deep implementation of Professional Learning Communities across the district. Building on last year’s foundational training, this year’s focus has been on instructional cycles, and the development and implementation of common formative assessments. During our September and November Early Release Days, as well as our October Institute Day, Dr. Dennis King (Solution Tree) guided staff in building upon last year’s work and implementing the assessment for learning cycle. All school schedules were designed for teams to collaboratively engage in this important work. Time was provided at every Early Release Day and during Institute Days for teams to collaborate within their PLC s. Additionally, during Early Release Days, Dr. King partnered with administration around specific leadership training, tools, and protocols that will help administrators provide feedback and guidance to support PLC teams in their buildings. Many buildings ended the year with PLCs  formally reflecting on their progress and planning for next year.  Moving forward into the 2021-22 school year, PLCs will continue to be invaluable as we continue the PLC process and focus on meeting student intervention and extension needs.

We will engage in the design and development of Hawthorn Elementary South building additions and programs. 

Permits have been issued and construction will begin on June 7. Prior to school starting in August of 2021, the HVAC system will be overhauled and all ceiling tiles in the buildings will be replaced.  All other construction will continue during the 2021-22 school year with additions and renovations complete prior to the start of the 2022-23 school year.

We will collaborate with the Hawthorn 73 learning community to develop a strategic plan focused on the growth and learning of all students.

Dr. Hannigan and Dr. King (Solution Tree) facilitated our Strategic Planning Committee to create Hawthorn’s five year Strategic Plan. The committee was composed of 55 representatives from Hawthorn's staff, families, and community. They began meeting in February of 2020 and reconvened virtually this year for three additional meetings. These meetings were utilized to finalize our mission, vision, commitments, and goals. The completed strategic plan was approved by the Board of Education and is each building’s guidepost as they create their school improvement plans. 

We will continue to utilize the results of the 2019 technology audit to develop and enhance the D73 instructional technology plan.

The Instructional Technology Department continues to review staffing levels and needs based on the Net56 technology audit and the current and future demands on remote and hybrid learning. The technology staffing levels now include 5 full time technicians: (1) Tier 1 Help Desk and (4) Tier 2 Support Technicians.  The Director of Instructional Technology will finish out this current school year as the supervisor of this team.  For the 2021-22 school year, a Technology Support Supervisor will be hired to lead this team and support the maintenance of district technology infrastructure. This allows the Director of Instructional Technology to focus on training, Professional Development, and systemic changes that will take place due to the 1:1 implementation of devices for pre-K through 5th grade.

We will implement Bridges in Mathematics (K-5) during the 2020-2021 school year. Efforts will include: providing a consistent scheduling framework; sharing teacher training resources for successful implementation in a remote setting; monitoring and mentoring consistent use of key resource components; and coordinating additional, district-wide training for elementary teachers.

Bridges in Mathematics has been implemented in grades K-5 for students in both general and special education. Staff participated in grade level-specific professional development sessions provided by the Math Learning Center in both the fall and winter; our most recent training focused on differentiation (both intervention and extension) to support student success. Additional professional development was provided to staff in our self-contained special education program. Throughout this year, staff have received bi-weekly newsletters and guidance documents customized for our district. Individual student kits were ordered to further support learning in a remote environment, and staff have had access to digital displays and manipulatives. At this time, we are planning for our second year of implementation. This includes seeking staff feedback around materials that need to be replaced, preferred topics for professional support, and the development of updated implementation guidelines. We are also working closely with the Math Learning Center around the recommended scope and sequence for next year, as well as continued professional development.

We will support the consistent implementation of our updated Guaranteed and Viable Curriculum (GVC) in English language arts (K-8) and math (6-8) via ongoing support and training sessions with our original GVC Leadership Team (teacher representatives and building administrators). Next steps include attention to fidelity and the development of coordinating assessments. 

During this school year, we have led compacted GVC development sessions for grade level departments that have common planning time during the school day. Specifically, middle school algebra, preschool English language arts, seventh grade civics (in alignment with a curricular mandate), and an eighth grade social studies unit (in alignment with a curricular mandate). An invitation to re-engage with our original GVC Leadership Team (K-8 ELA, 6-8 math) for two full days in August has been shared with staff, so that we may participate in our sixth session and then transition to maintenance mode. Additional communication or time together may be scheduled during the 2021-2022 school year to support these efforts, as GVC development is intended to be an ongoing cycle of refinement.

We will strengthen our Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS). This includes districtwide practices, processes, and structures specific to academic intervention and enrichment services.

The school year began reviewing Hawthorn’s current Multi-Tiered System of Supports (practices, processes and structures) and creating a plan for revision and refinement. Utilizing  two years of deeply embedded PLC foundational learning, a MTSS Handbook that defines the process and organizes all forms and procedures in one central location has been created. The original drafts were shared with specific departments for feedback. After many feedback loops, the completed handbook will be shared with all staff at the beginning of next school year.  Additionally, an MTSS Team, composed of representatives from each of our buildings, has been chosen and an introductory meeting occurred with this team on May’s Early Release Day. In August, these representatives will participate in a half day of MTSS training. Additional learning sessions have been planned for this team throughout the 2021-22 school year. The MTSS Team will utilize their learning to lead all aspects of MTSS implementation including providing professional development and support at the building level. 

District 73 will begin the 2020-2021 school year by implementing our Remote Learning Plan. We will work with the Lake County Department of Health to determine when it is safe to begin phasing in on-campus learning options. Within our Remote Learning Plan, students and staff will follow structured synchronous and asynchronous learning schedules each school day.  

We will collaboratively engage in a systematic process to review our current Licensed Staff Evaluation procedures and develop a comprehensive evaluation handbook to reflect the Hawthorn District 73 system.

Discussions have occurred with HEA leadership to outline necessary components and steps to capture our current Licensed Staff Evaluation procedures in a handbook.  This handbook includes Hawthorn’s evaluation procedures as well as agreed upon timelines and required forms to be completed through our online, My Learning Plan, system.  This document will be available for all Licensed staff to begin the 2021-22 school year.

Collaborate with the Village of Vernon Hills to develop and implement a Standardized Crisis Plan.

In collaboration with the Village of Vernon Hills Police Department, the District developed a Standardized Crisis Plan. The Hawthorn plan evolved utilizing the model from Vernon Hills High School District 128 at the suggestion of the Vernon Hills Police Department. Each building modified the District plan to consider building specific needs. Currently, each building in the District has a Standardized Crisis Plan for their respective building.

Develop a Professional Learning Community (PLC) Leadership Team to collaboratively guide systemic implementation of PLC practices and structures across the district.

PLC Year-Long Plan: In the spring of 2019, a year-long PLC Implementation timeline for the 2019-20 school year was created. The plan identified clear outcomes and listed evidence of district-wide implementation to ensure systematic execution of PLC practices and structures across the district. Throughout this school year, the plan has been implemented and evaluated as written on a monthly basis with minor adjustments. The three Early Release Days and monthly faculty meetings have been guided by this roadmap. The district-wide plan includes:

•  System-wide district outcomes for each month. 
• Objectives, outcomes, and products were identified as evidence of implementation for each of the Early Release Days.
• District-wide, all staff book clubs use the text, “Learning by Doing” to support foundational understanding of PLCs and the deep implementation of PLCs at the building level.
• The connection and team level implementation of the district’s PLC plan communicated to staff members utilizing the supporting PLC text, “Learning by Doing” in the building’s monthly Faculty Meetings. Each and every building participates in the same monthly plan for Faculty Meetings.

Because of the plan and the ongoing implementation, all levels of the organization can see the connection of their work to the ultimate outcome of collaboration in PLCs to increase student achievement. Additionally, this system-aligned plan has provided all stakeholders with clarity of the district’s commitment to PLC implementation and each member’s role and responsibility in completing this goal.

The year-long, district-wide plan with monthly goals and outcomes for district-wide PLCS was followed and implemented until the closing of school buildings in March 2020. Similarly, the text, “Learning by Doing, was also used, up until March 2020, as a guide for discussion and reflection in monthly Faculty Meetings. All buildings led their meetings using the instructions created by the T&L Team to ensure continuity of essential outcomes from each chapter. In regards to the plan’s outcomes and goals for our early release days, four of the six Early Release Day monthly goals and outcomes were completed. Two Early Release Days were canceled due to the closure of schools, The four Early Release Days were facilitated by Dr. King, from Solution Tree. Dr. King utilized a differentiated approach with multiple stakeholder groups to guide specific learning. Dr. King led the differentiated groups through cycles of learning, implementing, reflecting and revising to increase results in student learning. The canceled April and May Early Release Days, that were contracted with Solution Tree, will be rolled over into the 2020-21 school year. These days will be used in the 2020-21 school year to continue the important implementation of PLCs district-wide. .  

Review instructional practices, assessments, and resource allocations to close the achievement gap for our English Language Learners and students in special education.

Hawthorn School District 73 utilizes a system of state and local assessments to monitor student achievement and growth. Using this combination of assessment data allows us to identify strengths and areas for growth so that individualized learning and instruction can occur for each student. 

Based on the 2019 Illinois Report Card, Hawthorn School District 73 serves approximately 4,102 students of which 24% are identified as English Language Learners (multilingual learners). In the area of English Language Arts, approximately 10% of the students identified as English Language Learners were identified as proficient as measured by the Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR). In the area of Math, 14% of English Language Learners were identified as proficient as measured by IAR. 

The ACCESS for ELLs 2.0 suite of assessments are secure large-scale English language proficiency assessments administered to kindergarten through 12th-grade students identified as English Language Learners (ELLs). The test is given annually in Illinois to monitor students' progress in acquiring academic English. ACCESS assesses students’ proficiency in each of the four language domains of listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Students receive an overall composite score. An overall composite score of 4.8 and above allows students to exit from ELL and bilingual services. 

 
Increasing student performance for English Language Learners on the IAR is directly linked to increasing their English Language Proficiency scores. To that end, District 73 has facilitated and supported a number of professional development opportunities for staff members in an instructional approach designed to make content more comprehensible for English Language Learners. Professional development in the Sheltered Instructional Observational Protocol (SIOP) has been offered in the summer and fall to over 100 staff members. The Teaching and Learning Department will partner with the School of Dual Language to identify specific targets and plans to facilitate district implementation of SIOP. 

The Bilingual Education and Language Acquisition Department has also increased the number of licenses for IMAGINE LEARNING, a computer-based instructional software designed to support English Language Learning. In addition, we are currently conducting an inventory of our Spanish Language Arts materials (Maravillias) to determine if we have all the necessary components to facilitate the full implementation of this curricular resource. 

Based on the 2019 Illinois Report Card, approximately 15% of our students receive special education and related services in accordance with their Individual Education Program (IEP).

While our population has students qualifying for special education services under many different eligibility categories, the Illinois School Board of Education found the District to have an over-representation of students from Hispanic backgrounds that have been identified under the eligibility category of Specific Learning Disability. In order to address this disproportionality, we have been working on providing professional development to help staff, both general and special education, address this concern. 

We are expanding our SIOP training beyond the Hawthorn School of Dual Language and in collaboration with the Teaching and Learning and Bilingual Education and Language Acquisition Departments have trained over 30 general and special education teachers around the district in SIOP. By the end of the 2019-2020 school year, over 60 staff members will be trained. The goal of this professional development opportunity is to improve instructional strategies for our English Language Learners with the expectation that, by doing so, students will not require special education services.

The Special Services Department is also working collaboratively with the Teaching and Learning Department on the math pilot and will be assisting with the purchase of supplemental instructional materials to support differentiated math instruction in Tier 1.

The efforts outlined above augment the work that is currently being addressed within our PLC efforts, School Improvement Plans, piloting/purchasing Tier I materials and our dedicated work in refining and refreshing our guaranteed viable curriculum. All of these efforts provide the foundation for access and equity for all students. 

Next Steps: Professional development in the Sheltered Instructional Observational Protocol (SIOP) was provided in the summer and fall to over 100 staff members. This professional opportunity will continue into the fall of 2020. The Teaching and Learning Department will partner with the schools in 2020-21 to identify specific targets and plans to facilitate a consistent implementation of SIOP across the school district.

Prioritize and align learning standards to define essential outcomes in English Language Arts (preK-8) and math (6-8).

The purpose of our GVC Leadership Team is to advance student growth and learning by prioritizing and aligning learning standards K-8. We use these prioritized standards (essential outcomes) to refresh and refine our unit plans, pacing calendars, and assessments. Our dedicated GVC Leadership Team members participate in half-day sessions to engage in this important work. Each session includes new learning of GVC development processes and provides collaboration time to implement that learning. At this time, we have selected essential outcomes for ELA (elementary and middle school levels) and math (middle school level) with attention to vertical alignment. During our revision cycles, we used formal feedback from GVC Leadership Team members and grade-level teams across the district to ensure consistency and collaboration. We have also started the process of auditing our units of study by aligning our newly identified essential outcomes with each existing unit. This helps us discover which units may need to be changed or replaced to ensure a focus on agreed-upon outcomes. 

The team participated in three half-day and two full-day sessions of professional development and planning to prioritize and align learning standards. We then used our prioritized standards (essential outcomes) to refresh and refine our pacing calendars and unit plans. Each of our GVC Leadership Team training and planning sessions began with a review of our team’s purpose, responsibilities, and norms. Different Kagan cooperative learning strategies were then used to ensure a shared understanding of concepts presented in previous sessions; team members had an opportunity to learn and practice these impactful instructional strategies for future implementation in the classroom setting. The majority of our time together was dedicated to the introduction and subsequent application of skills or steps related to the rebooting of our GVC. At the conclusion of each session, a set of common slides and talking points were developed. GVC Leadership Team members used these tools to facilitate structured information sharing and/or feedback cycles with their colleagues. This served to ensure consistency and collaboration throughout the district.

Once our essential outcomes were selected for elementary ELA, representatives from the School of Dual Language met for a special session dedicated to the identification of essential Spanish Language Arts (SLA) standards. We identified the SLA standards that mirrored our ELA standards to ensure consistent learning outcomes for students. Provisions were made for standards distinctive to the Spanish language.

Engage in a pilot analysis of Tier 1 math materials within a modified curriculum review cycle to select a foundational resource in math for district-wide, K-5 implementation

High-quality Tier I materials support teachers’ implementation of the curriculum, ensuring equity and access to grade-level content for all students. We primarily used EdReports to identify two Tier I materials for our math pilot: Bridges in Mathematics and Eureka Math. Math Pilot Team members were assigned to pilot one of these resources and participated in a full-day training session to support their understanding and implementation. Throughout the pilot, our team engaged in formal feedback loops and were also invited to informally share their questions, thoughts, and experiences. Formal feedback data were regularly shared with our Math Pilot Team members and building administrators to ensure transparency. Following the completion of our pilot, building and district administrators met to analyze the resulting data in an effort to identify a preferred resource for recommendation to the Board of Education. Particular emphasis was placed on feedback provided by our Math Pilot Team at the conclusion of our pilot period, their Final Reflection and Analysis. We reached a consensus around a proposal to recommend Bridges in Mathematics to the Board of Education for K-5 adoption. This recommendation was shared with all staff via a summary document that communicated our purpose, process, and outcome. The next steps included preparing our proposal for the Board of Education, selecting needed manipulatives and materials for purchase, building a staff training plan, identifying needed resources to support parents, and much more.

Members of the Math Pilot Team presented our recommendation for the K-5 adoption of Bridges in Mathematics to the Board of Education this spring, and our plan was approved. Working in consultation with representatives from our Math Pilot Team and the Bridges consultants, and using the results of an elementary staff survey, a comprehensive set of manipulatives and materials were ordered. A detailed inventory was provided to our elementary teams to help ensure readiness for expected resources. Due to the pandemic, our original staff training schedule was revised; once the Math Learning Center (Bridges in Mathematics) finalized its plans for remote professional development, we secured dates for our staff. Specifically, training was scheduled for all elementary general education classroom teachers, special education teachers (resource and L.O.P.), ELL teachers, specialists/interventionists, and building administrators. Our reading specialists also attended the training, as this builds staff capacity and provides greater flexibility in how services are delivered across the district. The Math Learning Center’s newly revamped professional development program includes a sequence of both self-directed learning modules and live training sessions (via Zoom). The training is paced in a specific sequence, and we planned accordingly. Remote learning planning days were allocated for the self-directed modules. In addition, all trained staff were provided with access to the Bridges Educators Site. This site includes all curricular materials for both teachers and students in a digital format.

Next Steps: All materials have arrived and are currently in storage. They need to be unpacked, sorted by grade level and school, tagged with an ID number, and organized for distribution. While we had a multi-step plan for this process, this work will be adjusted to accommodate for social distancing and any further guidance from ISBE regarding the 2020-2021 school year. Planning is also underway for parent/guardian communication, remote use of the resources (if needed), training of any staff hired over the summer, continued professional development, implementation expectations, and more.

Review our middle school academic schedules to ensure they reflect district goals and priorities.

Per the professional agreement, a committee of HEA members and district administrators will convene in the 2022-2023 school year to plan for the increase in our instructional day. All parties acknowledge and accept that the outcome of this committee will be the establishment of a 7-hour school day to begin at the start of the 2023-2024 school year.

Use the results of our technology audit to develop an instructional technology plan

A Director of Instructional Technology was hired on October 17. A committee is being formed starting in February to assist in the development of a multi-year technology plan that will work in tandem with the results of the Strategic Planning Committee. Tech department responsibilities have been restructured to better serve the needs of all buildings equitably and to address issues related to network security (in coordination with Net56 beginning January 2020). 

The tech department has also developed a system for consistency across the district with regard to outside presenters and internal presentation or event setups. Strategies and equipment have been implemented to improve the overall quality of presentations across the district. There are significant changes in student data privacy laws that will go into effect July 1, 2021. The tech department has initiated steps to plan for these changes and how they will affect classroom technology usage in the future.

Technology needs for the Hawthorn School for Young Learners were reviewed and members of the technology department have coordinated with DLR and LAMP to ensure consistency in communication and planning. We are currently evaluating future building upgrade needs (sound systems, projection, etc.) Several other steps have been taken to streamline tech processes and systems based on audit results.

A technology committee was formed and began to meet in February. The purpose is to gather staff feedback as we form long-term technology plans that include collaboration between Teaching & Learning and Instructional Technology, as well as feedback on potential technology utilization throughout the district. The COVID-19 pandemic cut these meetings short and the committee will reconvene in the fall. The pandemic response has also prompted the tech department to reevaluate past and current practices with an eye toward adjusting to the needs of continued remote learning and developing a work and educational environment that can respond quickly to any such situations in the future.

At the May 2020 Board of Education meeting, the Director of Instructional Technology presented a proposal for needed device purchases to help support both in-person and remote learning. This will allow the district to retire many older devices that were being used in our schools despite being beyond their expected life cycle. It will also provide us with the assurance that our staff and students have the tools needed to continue working and learning while we gather data and feedback for the long-term vision of how Hawthorn integrates and implements technology.

Collaborate with the Hawthorn Education Association to obtain a mutually agreed-upon contract

We are pleased to report that a mutually beneficial and fiscally responsible five-year collective agreement has been reached and approved.  Formal negotiations began in January of this year and concluded mid-March.  Our HEA partners voted in favor of the agreement with a vote of 87.5%  in favor.  Subsequently, it was approved by the BOE in April by a 7-0 vote.  

Plan for the opening of the Hawthorn School for Young Learners.

The opening of our HSYL is fast approaching, and we are excited to welcome students to a new learning space. We have continued to work through a number of tasks to ensure readiness for HSYL students, staff and parents. Perhaps most visible is the actual HSYL building construction, which necessitates ongoing coordination between the architectural and engineering teams, as well as our financial, facilities, and technology departments. In addition, we maintain a detailed timeline of all things kindy to keep us on track. Our spreadsheet spans multiple departments, including human resources, facilities, and teaching and learning. Tasks include, but are not limited to: analyzing incoming kindergarten enrollment and demographics to develop a comprehensive staffing plan, reviewing the technology and facilities plan for needs and updates, providing SIOP training to our Kindergarten Team, and finalizing our spring professional development plan.

The opening of the HSYL is on-track and on time to open in late June and will be ready for August’s school opening. Many departments from curriculum to staffing to building and grounds continue to work collaboratively using a monthly timeline of actions and responsibilities to keep the opening of the new school on time and to foresee and solve any upcoming problems. In late February, the staff was brought together in their first evening activity to welcome the  parents of the 2020-21 kindergarten class. Dinner was served and teachers mingled with each other, members of Hawthorn’s District Cabinet, and Board of Education. The staff has already begun to meet and plan as one. As of today, staffing is completed and all aspects of the opening are on schedule. 

Engage in the design and development of Middle School North building additions and programs.

The District has worked with our architects - Legat Architects as well as the Design Team to develop additions and programs for Middle School North.  Design, schematic, and construction plans have been presented and approved by the BOE.  The project has been successfully bid and the contracts have been awarded within budget.  Permits have also been acquired from all pertinent agencies.  The project is on track to successfully be complete and open by Fall 2021.     

Implement a data-driven “90-Day School Improvement Process” focused on math, literacy and district culture. 

A professional learning community (PLC) is defined as “an ongoing process in which educators work collaboratively in recurring cycles of collective inquiry and action research to achieve better results for the students they serve. Professional learning communities operate under the assumption that the key to improved learning for students is continuous job-embedded learning for educators.”

In October 2019, our school district launched a 90-Day School Improvement Process within each of our schools. The goal of the 90-Day School Improvement Process is to have our district administration partner with building administrators and school staff to review and analyze state and local assessments and create corresponding goals. Each of the respective schools is provided a common data deck that contains both district and school-specific assessment information. We collaboratively reviewed and analyzed data to identify collective strengths and challenges across our school system.

Within the school improvement process, building administrators work directly with school leadership and grade-level teams to discuss their school’s progress toward our District 73 goals and identify school-wide goals in the area of literacy, math and culture. The Plan-Do-Study-Act approach within the school improvement process provides a structure that allows school-based teams to engage in continuous and recurring cycles of collective inquiry focused on their school-wide goals. In addition, each of the teams is provided a series of questions designed to provide guidance and structure as each team analyzes their respective data and creates their school-wide goals. 

A significant component in the 90-day School Improvement Process focuses on having each of the respective building school improvement teams meet with district administrators to review their school’s progress towards district and school goals. The meetings are designed to prompt meaningful discussions, feedback and encourage and support reflective practice.

The foundation of the school improvement process is anchored in the constructs associated with professional learning communities. There are six essential components that are embedded within the PLC process. These processes are critical for schools and districts to embrace as they move towards creating educational environments focused on student learning.

• Shared mission, vision, values, goals
• Collaborative teams focused on learning
• Collective inquiry
• Action orientation and experimentation
• Commitment to Continuous improvement
• Results orientation 

A significant component in the 90-day School Improvement Process focuses on having each of the respective building school improvement teams meet with district administrators to review their school’s progress towards district and school goals. The meetings are designed to prompt meaningful discussions, feedback and encourage and support reflective practice.

Outlined below are the dates that the District Leadership Cabinet met with each school to review their respective School Improvement Plans:

2/11/20: Middle School South
2/19/20: Middle School North and Townline School
2/20/20: Elementary North 
2/24/20: School of Dual Language 
2/25/20: Aspen and Elementary South
3/13/20: Lincoln School - rescheduled due to remote learning planning 

The meetings were designed to prompt meaningful discussions, feedback and encourage and support reflective practices within each of the schools. The foundation of the school improvement process is anchored in the constructs associated with professional learning communities. There are six essential components that are embedded within the PLC process and that were highlighted within each School Improvement Plan. These processes are critical for schools and districts to embrace as they move towards creating educational environments focused on student learning.

• Shared mission, vision, values, goals
• Collaborative teams focused on learning
• Collective inquiry
• Action orientation and experimentation
• Commitment to Continuous improvement
• Results orientation 

Next Steps: We will continue to focus on efforts on enhancing our professional learning communities and reconvene our school leadership teams to focus our School Improvement Plans to focus on math, literacy and culture.

Collaborate with the Hawthorn 73 learning community to develop a strategic plan focused on the growth and learning of all students.

Over 50 representatives from these Hawthorn stakeholder groups; staff, administrators, school board, parents and community met in our first two-hour Strategic Plan Meeting on February 6, 2020. The meeting was held at the Vernon Hills Park District and was facilitated by Dr. King, from Solution Tree, and Dr. Hannigan. After an introduction of the process, Dr. King led the team through a series of activities and discussions to identify the type of school Hawthorn School District aspires to be for our students. This discussion helped us explore our current reality and define our mission. The chart paper with each team’s ideas were collected and shared in late February with a group of 6 representatives to create a draft Mission Statement. The additional planned two sessions (April and May) were cancelled due to COVID-19. As in our PLC work, the two contracted days with Dr. King will be rolled over into the 2020-21 school year. Discussions have already begun with Dr. King to determine the most appropriate time to reschedule. The goal is to pick up the Strategic Planning work in August 2020.