Strategic Plan

Our strategic plan is research-based and has been developed with input from community stakeholders. Eagle County School District continues to make progress in developing implementing and evolving our strategic plan. Processes and practices have been established and budgeting has been prioritized against strategic goals.
This plan is a starting point from which we make continuous decisions in response to conditions. No amount of written direction can encompass the highly complicated process of education children. We rely on our staff and their creative, conceptual, and rational abilities, along with the direct application of their education, experience, and judgment to activate this plan. We trust teachers to motivate and reach each student.

For lasting improvement across our district, each school must identify its unique culture along with the necessary changes in practice to provide the most significant impact for their students, parents, and staff. The School Improvement Plan serves as the annual guide for schools to achieve their goals. The district must respect and support those plans to provide an environment for success.

With our diverse student population, it is essential to provide culturally inclusive, respectful, and supportive learning environments. By enhancing our cultural competence and connecting with the hearts of our students first, we believe their minds will be more open to engaging in the academic work necessary to graduate with global-ready skills.

For the next three years, we are focused on Wellness, Engagement, and Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS).

Strategic Plan Goals by Roles

Teachers

Teachers & Classrooms: Deliver a System of Customized Learning

Multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS)*

Utilize MTSS to meet the diverse needs of our students. MTSS includes:

Customized Pathways
English Language Acquisition
Tailored Instruction for Students with exceptional needs
Identify and leverage opportunities for online & blended learning for students and teachers

WELLNESS*

Learning and service disruptions that resulted from the global pandemic will require staff to be vigilant to social/emotional and physical health needs of staff and students. (Governance Policy E-3)

Belonging and engagement*

Create classroom environments that promote respect and kindness, fair access and opportunity for all, and high achievement for all students regardless of race, gender, economic status, gender identity, sexual orientation, and exceptional needs.

MULTI-LINGUAL EDUCATION

Encourage multi-lingual opportunities across the district so that every graduating student can speak multiple languages.

EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION

Provide high quality Early Care and Education to give students the best start possible.

INTEGRATE TECHNOLOGY

Leverage technology to redefine the student learning experience. Continually strive to build better lessons and experiences through technology.

PARENT ENGAGEMENT

Proactively engage and involve parents and families around class work, student behavior, and opportunities for involvement through a family-specific communication plan.

GRASSROOTS ADVOCACY

Grow efforts to increase support, understanding, and appreciation of public education as the primary influence for a community’s future.

*Priority tactics

Principals

Principals & Schools: Advance a Professional Model of Teaching

School Improvement Plans*

Develop and implement School Improvement Plans that are aligned to the District Unified Improvement Plan and are responsive to the specific needs of students and staff in each school.

WELLNESS*

Design and implement school/department wellness plans to address the needs of students and staff. (Governance Policy E-3)

RECRUIT QUALITY EDUCATORS

Recruit and select high-quality educators with the assistance of Human Resources.

RETAIN QUALITY EDUCATORS

Retain quality educators through competitive compensation, recognition, and support.

EMPOWER EDUCATORS

Empower educators by providing professional development that improves content knowledge and pedagogy.

*Priority tactics

District Leadership

District Leadership Team: Align Curriculum and Practices to High Standards

Multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS)*

Provide teachers, counselors, and principals with reliable and consistent structures for MTSS.

WELLNESS*

Prioritize physical and mental health as antecedents to academic engagement and achievement. Align district and community resources to support physical and mental health. (Governance Policy E-3)

Standards-Based Instruction*

Provide standards-based instruction and grading district-wide that aligns standards with lessons and assessments, ensures timely and actionable feedback, and empowers students, parents, and staff to improve student achievement.

ALIGN CURRICULUM AND RESOURCES

Follow established cycles to align curriculum, formative assessments, and resources in all content areas with the Colorado Academic Standards.

Ensure that students and teachers are engaging in tasks aligned to global-ready skills.

COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS

Partner with community organizations to align efforts, increase capacity, and advance the goals of all.

PATHWAYS IN EDUCATION

Create a locally grown Eagle County School District educator pool from current Eagle County students, staff, and residents.

EXTEND AND EXPAND LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES

Extend and expand learning opportunities to supplement classroom learning experiences. This includes maximizing learning opportunities with community organizations.

Academic Achievement

Each student will develop the skills to be resourceful, independent learners and critical, innovative thinkers who can advocate for themselves and problem-solve effectively. Each student will apply knowledge and skills across core academic disciplines in alignment with the State of Colorado’s academic standards (Governance Policy E-1).

*Priority tactics

Departments

Operations

Facilities

Utilize best practices in the design, construction, maintenance, and operation of district facilities with a focus on the health, safety, and security for students and staff.

TRANSPORTATION

Facilitate the provision of safe, secure, and consistently on-time delivery of student transportation services for those students entrusted in our care, so that all school-aged children can equally access education.

NUTRITION

Increase access to nutritional services and education in order to equip students with higher quality nutritional habits that support student health and academic achievement.

EARLY CHILDHOOD SERVICES

Provide a comprehensive and robust community-wide system around early childhood education.

FINANCE

STRATEGIC FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

Develop a long-term budget plan focused on funding for Equity, Transparency, and Flexibility that optimizes student achievement within available resources.

FINANCIAL TRANSPARENCY

Inform participants, stakeholders, and the general public about how the budget process works, why each decision was made and how to provide input in the process.

FACILITIES MASTER PLAN

Maintain a long-range Facilities Master Plan in concert with the academic program.

HOUSING MASTER PLAN

Continually pursue affordable housing opportunities as defined by the Employee Housing Master Plan.

COMMUNICATIONS

COMMUNICATIONS PLAN

Maintain a proactive & comprehensive communications plan to meet information needs of core audiences: students, teachers, parents, and community.

EMERGENCY AND SAFETY COMMUNICATIONS

Maintain a systematic and efficient emergency-level communications and safety protocol focused on preparedness and in-the-moment response that can easily be executed by various DLT/ Admin members depending on response time necessary.

TECHNOLOGY

STUDENT DEVICES

Provide safe & secure devices for each student that can enhance learning.

INFRASTRUCTURE

Enhance and maintain a secure, scalable infrastructure to support a dynamic learning environment. Develop systems and staff mitigations against global cyberattacks.

CENTRALIZED DATA STRUCTURE

Develop a central location for data that enables better analysis and visualization. This data can then be used to inform stakeholders and assist in educational improvements & interventions for students at all levels.

Students

First page of the downloadable PDF file of the ECSD Strategic Plan.

MISSION

In safe environments, we teach the children of Eagle County to have creative and active minds, compassion for others, enthusiasm for lifelong learning, and the courage to act on their dreams.

VISION

Global-Ready Graduates

VALUES

• Engaged Learners
• Inspired Professionals
• A Commitment to Equity
• A Sense of Adventure
• A Caring Community

Progress Made

Eagle County School District leads Colorado in mental health support, career readiness, early college access, and affordable housing. ECSD partners with Your Hope Center to position 17 mental health therapists in ECSD schools to provide intensive mental health support for students. ECSD implements universal mental health screenings, and district-wide social/emotional learning. CareerX and CareerWise combine to provide our students with one of Colorado’s most productive job-shadow, internship, and apprenticeship programs. ECSD has more dual language schools than any district in the state, producing many graduates who earn the “Seal of Biliteracy”. The district has made great strides in affordable housing, opening 37 rental units in Edwards, constructed without raising taxes, and 16 for-purchase units in Eagle. ECSD also has developed one of Colorado’s most robust early college access programs. ECSD students earn over 7,000 college credit annually, while still enrolled as high school students, equivalent to $10M in college tuition.

Fluidity

Weather changes. Trails close. This plan is a starting point from which we make continuous decisions in response to conditions. Just like teaching a lesson plan, this plan is not a static mandate.

Strategic Plan

MISSION

VISION

VALUES

Situational Update, Week of 9-16 / Actualización a la situación, semana del 16 de septiembre