Eudora Schools Strategic Plan 2010-2012
Adopted by the Eudora Board of Education in January 2010
At Eudora Schools, we take education personally.
This is a place where children and professionals grow. A place where adults and students connect for the benefit of all.
In this district, success means collaboration, partnerships and community. Children of all ages, backgrounds and interests are valued and worthy of our deepest investment. A commitment to 21st Century learning means technology and much more.
A strategic plan is a tool by which we can continue to aim for greater effectiveness. With an effective strategic plan in place, we can target our efforts in all areas — in and out of the classroom — and further commit to being stewards of the resources in our district and in the community of Eudora.
In this district, we all have a stake in our collective achievement. At Eudora Schools, we take education personally.
Read more about...
- The five target areas of the plan
- The history of our success
- The district's core values
- Looking ahead to the future
- Contributors to the strategic planning process
Or click here to download a complete copy of the plan.
The five target areas of the plan
Click on any of the target areas below to read the action steps that lead to the completion of each goal.
- Technology
Continue to implement 21st Century technologies in Eudora schools and classrooms. - Facilities/operations/maintenance
Research and implement efficiencies in maintenance and operations. - Student learning and whole child education
Research and implement effective instruction for the academic and social/emotional development of our students. - Human resources and professional development
Continued recruitment and retention of high quality staff. - Community partnerships and communications
Continue to improve and increase community partnerships and communication.
The history of our success
In Eudora, we have experienced extraordinary growth in student achievement, and we enjoy an ever-increasing ability to attract and retain some of the state’s most talented teachers. But these things have not happened by accident. They have been the result, in very large part, of the planning, goal setting and decision-making process of the Eudora Board of Education.
Through the years, the Eudora Board of Education has been committed to making decisions based on research and planning. Whether instructional or scheduling changes to better meet the needs of students and teachers, or facility planning to accommodate district growth, the Board has made a concerted effort over time to use district resources in the most effective and responsible manner. District resources are varied, including such important elements as tax dollars, teachers and staff, existing facilities and even our students. The direction of the district always should be respectful of these resources. Those leading the district, after all, act in stewardship, using the resources in a way that benefits us both now and in the future.
The district's core values
In January 2009, the Eudora Board of Education reflected on the core values of the district, recognizing that the district’s outstanding achievements over the past several years were not the result of circumstance or good luck. Rather, the success was based on focused, innovative, research-based programs. In short, these core values are at the foundation of the district’s professional environment and at the heart of what Eudora students have achieved:
- Collaboration, that challenges and growth are best approached through teamwork and sharing to create mutual benefits that extend beyond the individual.
- Class Size, that all students — across age, gender and socioeconomic status — achieve higher rates of success when they are in smaller classes and have increased individual interaction with educators.
- Personalized Education, that because each student is unique, the task of educating the whole child requires individualized instruction, at-risk programs, academically rigorous electives, career and technical education and extra-curricular activities.
- Early Childhood Programs, that high-quality early care and education can have perhaps the greatest measurable impact on low-income three and four year olds, dramatically increasing their quality of life in school and beyond, and ultimately saving taxpayer dollars.
Looking ahead
The district’s success to date is worthy of recognition. But methods of success must continue to evolve to keep up with changing mandates, new research and an ever-growing and ever-changing population in Eudora. For this reason, the Eudora Board of Education began work in October 2009 to develop a three-year strategic plan. The goal in this work was both to assess the current state of the school district and also to articulate the steps required to further build upon the district’s success to date.
The plan developed during this process should be viewed in the context of the challenges that the district faces currently and into the future. Most critically, the state of public school financing in Kansas — and the condition of the economy as a whole — will play a significant role in how these goals are approached and to what extent they are able to be completed. As long as the state legislature continues to restrict and reduce funding to public school districts, district leaders will be forced to reduce initiatives, programs, and most probably, staffing levels. While leaders will make every effort to minimize the effect of these reductions on student learning and the priorities outlined in this plan, continuing cuts at the state level cannot help but have a negative impact.
External forces, such as school finance, must be reckoned with in the next three years. Challenges are very likely to include a changing student population, shifting education legislation and the very real stress that a troubled economy can put on our staff members, our families and our students.
However, challenges are a fact of life and work, and the Eudora Schools leaders are prepared to move forward. Regardless of the challenges that must be faced, the goals and priorities in this plan are the vision of how our district can continue its mission of student-centered learning and reach new levels of success in the process.
The voices represented
The 2010-2012 strategic plan represents input from patrons, parents, employees and members of the Eudora Board of Education. A debt of gratitude is particularly owed to the volunteers and staff members who provided invaluable input and participation during the strategic planning process. Here are the participants and their role or job title at the time the plan was adopted:
Ron Abel, Technical education principal and EHS assistant principal
Carmen Bakarich, Parent
Janell Barnow, CAP director
Natalee Beck, Parent
Aaron Boden, Community representative
Matt Bova, Teacher
Gina Brunton, Parent
Peg Buchanan, Finance director
Kay Byrne, Community representative
Mark Chrislip, Eudora Board of Education
John Conrad, Parent
Eva Deonier, Board clerk/administrative services director
Shelley Dougherty, Assistant principal
Amy Durkin, Parent
Dave Durkin, Activities director
Jody Gregory, Parent
Don Grosdidier, Superintendent of schools
John Harrenstein, Eudora city administrator
Vicky Hofer, Mentor teacher
Jason Hoover, Eudora Schools Foundation
Ruth Hughs, Mentor teacher
Jan Irby, Principal
Cindy Johnson, Food services director
Marla Johnson, Curriculum director
Vicki Johnson, District secretary
Mike Kelso, Eudora Board of Education
Denise Kendall, Teacher
Elva Kindred, Community member
Laura Klotz, Parent
Mac Knight, Teacher
Barbara Kruger, Parent
Dan Kuhlman, Teacher
Jim Lauer, Principal
Heather Lawrence, Teacher
Ron Long, Technology director
Carol Lounsbury, Parent
Jim Lynch, Teacher
Kristin Magette, Communications director
Christina Mann, Safe Schools/Healthy Students director
Kim Maples, Parent
Kenny Massey, Eudora Board of Education
Brock Miller, Parent
Angie Miller, Community Learning Center
Keith Nowland, Eudora Board of Education
Sara Platt, School psychologist
Rich Proffitt, Principal
Joe Pyle, Eudora Board of Education
Belinda Rehmer, Eudora Board of Education
Judd Remmers, Grounds crew
Hal Reusch, Operations director
Janet Reynolds, Paraprofessional
Niki Rheuport, Teacher
Amy Rosewicz, Parent
Bob Sailler, Teacher
Dale Sample, Principal
Abby Scheu, Teacher
Gretchen Schreiner, Teacher
Leahann Snow, Parent
Marj Spence, Secretary
Julie Stewart, Parent
Janice Storey, Community representative
Beth Swanson, Teacher
Jennifer Sweany, Teacher
Kim Thevarajoo, Parent
Michael Tomson-DeGreeff, Parent
Eric Votaw, Eudora Board of Education
Stacy Walters, Parent
Erin Wellman, Parent
Becky White, Technology support specialist
