Amy’s Passport: Progress Report No. 2, December 2019
This is the second progress report to the Passport that was originally published in 2018. Since then, I’m proud to say the Henrico County Public Schools team has completed 15 community-supported items while making significant progress on many additional promises we’ve made to the teachers, students, families and citizens of our community.
If you’re new to my journey, here’s a recap:
I began my tenure as superintendent in July 2018. That’s when I started listening: To our teachers and staff, to our students and families, and to our community stakeholders who appreciate the value of the excellent public education Henrico’s students receive. Those interactions formed the backbone of my vision for the future. In December 2018, we chronicled my introduction to Henrico in a booklet known as “Amy’s Passport.” We chose the name because of Henrico’s diversity, a place where I feel I can travel the world without ever leaving home. The “Passport” documented my reflections on those “travels,” and it outlined a series of recommendations and next steps to improve our already great school division.
Available now is the “one year later” progress report that shows some tremendous accomplishments in the areas of Teaching and Learning, Safety and Student Instructional Support Services, Equity and Diversity, Organizational Efficiency, and Financial Planning. The update can be easily “skimmed” for the major highlights, and I do hope you’ll be pleased with what’s new.
Please let me know what you think! Contact me anytime at superintendent@henrico.k12.va.us.
Amy’s Passport Progress Report: Click on the digital booklet
Click arrows to follow our progress
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Revisit the division’s literacy plan
Revisit the division’s literacy plan, and ensure that schools have... -
Reading teachers
Staff elementary and middle schools with a reading teacher who... -
Robust library of guided reading materials
Develop a plan to ensure a robust library of guided... -
Align curricula to deeper learning model
Ensure that the curricula for pre-K through grade 12 are... -
Provide personalized learning pathways
Ensure that the curriculum provides personalized learning pathways and opportunities,... -
Streamlined, balanced assessments
Examine the division’s assessment system for redundancy of purpose and... -
Establish teacher design teams
Establish teacher design teams that will create a vision to... -
Measure progress toward deeper learning
Design a way of measuring the division’s progress toward implementing... -
Redesign academic and career planning
Redesign the academic and career planning process for pre-K through... -
Improve course planning guide
Improve the middle and high school course Planning Guide to... -
Infuse coding and computer science concepts
Infuse coding and computer science concepts into the kindergarten-grade 5... -
Elementary health and physical education curriculum
Examine the elementary health and physical education curriculum and delivery... -
More opportunities to cover mental health and wellness
Examine the middle and high school health and physical education... -
Expand opportunities for higher level, rigorous courses
Expand course offerings and subsequent support structures at each high... -
Re-imagine learning models to be more student-centered
Examine high school programs in an effort to re-imagine learning... -
Prototype for a “high school of the future”
Develop and implement a prototype for a “high school of... -
Re-examine structure of STEAM elementary teacher positions
Re-examine structure of STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics)... -
Individualized Education Program (IEP) Meeting Process
Determine a model to capture parent input and suggestions related... -
Multiyear plan for Special Education
Develop a multiyear plan with clearly stated desired goals and... -
Conflict management and relationship restoration
Develop a plan for key staff in all schools to... -
Tools and expertise for mediation
Develop a plan to ensure that all schools and key... -
Evaluate behavior intervention programs
Evaluate behavior intervention programs, which provide additional services to students... -
Examine trauma-informed-care support systems
Examine the current model for mental health and trauma-informed-care support... -
Ensure buildings are safe and conducive to learning
Develop a long-range plan for the Henrico County capital/meals tax... -
School climate survey
Implement an annual school climate survey to include components that... -
Promote multicultural awareness
Ensure curricula are relevant, authentic and provide resources that promote... -
Cultural sensitivity; implicit and explicit bias
Require training for all staff, delivered online annually, that covers... -
Race, equity, access and cultural responsiveness
Develop a multiyear professional development plan for working with all... -
Recruit and retain a diverse workforce
Develop a plan to actively recruit and retain a diverse... -
Equity Ambassadors
Create a group framework for new Equity Ambassadors serving in... -
Full-service community school model
Research best practices for the full-service community school model, which... -
Communicate measures and progress toward strategic goals
Create a mechanism for community stakeholders to easily understand the... -
Teacher Retention
Develop a comprehensive approach to teacher retention that includes: personalized/differentiated... -
Stronger structure for school improvement
Examine and create a stronger structure for school improvement. Progress... -
Professional learning pathways for all employees
Develop professional learning pathways for all employee groups (e.g., clerical,... -
Consistent staffing models for elementary schools
Examine, audit and subsequently establish consistent staffing models for elementary... -
Elementary clerical staffing numbers
Examine the adequacy of the elementary clerical staffing numbers. Progress... -
New employee orientation
Revamp new employee orientation to be less paper-intensive and to... -
Teacher licensure and microcredentialing
Develop a coordinated process and system for monitoring teacher application,... -
Bus communication for parents
Improve bus communication for parents, guardians and students; add staff... -
Programming for English as a second language
Add educational specialists to oversee programming for English as a... -
Compliance on internal policies and regulatory requirements
Add a staff member dedicated to compliance on internal policies... -
Policies are current, transparent and easily accessible
Ensure that policies are current, transparent and easily accessible to... -
Eliminate student laptop fees and other instructional fees
Develop a financial plan that eliminates student laptop fees and... -
Restore prerecession funding levels
Restore prerecession funding levels that more accurately meet the division’s... -
Eliminate the burden and reliance on PTAs and other fundraising efforts
Eliminate the burden and reliance on PTAs and other fundraising... -
Twice-a-month pay structure for employees
Move to a twice-a-month pay structure for employees instead of... -
Long-term financial strategy
Develop a long-term strategy, such as a five-year financial plan... -
Examine facilities for replacement or renovation
Engage with a third-party expert to examine facilities and determine... -
Annually examine employee compensation matters
Establish a joint government and schools committee to annually examine...