Salt River Schools—which serves 900 students in the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community outside Phoenix, Arizona—is focused on creating a strong system of shared accountability where all staff understand their role and impact on student success. Last year, the Education Board developed a five-year plan incorporating four focus areas with accompanying goals to provide high-quality educational opportunities to learners of all ages.
Student Performance, Support, and Curriculum: Every student will meet or exceed state and national standards.
- Inspire all students to strive for academic excellence and personal success.
- Support the individual needs of each student.
- Provide resources and knowledge within the schools for the Community’s two Native American tribes: the Pima, “Akimel O’Odham,” and the Maricopa, “Xalychidom Piipaash.”
- Communication: Open and effective communication across all levels while providing professional and courteous customer service to all.
- Personnel: Recruit, hire, and retain highly qualified and effective personnel with an emphasis on Salt River Community members.
- Resources: Seek, organize, and optimize resources for improved academic results.
- Create and maintain a safe and nurturing environment for staff and students.
- Assure adequate operating resources and ensure fiscal responsibility and stewardship of all school and Community assets.
The Education Board used these goals to guide their recent search for new superintendent, Dr. Jeff Williamson, as well as structure his contract and associated performance measures. In addition, every department and school building in Salt River Schools, under the guidance of the superintendent, have developed a set of measures that matter aligned to the district’s focus areas, goals, and priorities which are reported on quarterly. These measures include:
Transparent reporting and ongoing communication with staff, students, and Community members has been essential to securing buy-in and successfully navigating this cultural shift. Salt River Schools has already seen positive results. Community support and engagement have increased significantly. In addition, departments and school buildings are beginning to share regular, data-infused reports with the Education Board and Tribal Council on the district’s new goals, priorities, and measures of success.
Salt River Schools plans to use the data to share progress, celebrate successes along the way, and inform goals for the 2016‒2017 school year, ensuring the district’s ongoing commitment to improving education for all students in the Salt River Community.
Learn more about Salt River Schools at www.srpmic-ed.org.