On Wednesday, September 25, 2024, the Pueblo D60 District Accountability Committee (DAC) met for the first time this school year to examine performance data and to provide input on the district's plan for improving student academic achievement and for providing positive learning environments in our schools.
A diverse group of over 100 members of the DAC attended on Wednesday, with members including teachers, classified staff, families, community members, and school and district administrators. Mr. Ted Johnson, Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning, facilitated a visioning activity with the group, during which members worked in collaborative groups to answer three key questions:
1. What does success look like?
2. What should we continue doing?
3. What are additional action steps we should take?
The entire group then prioritized responses from the smaller collaborative groups, which yielded key action steps for the district to include in its Unified District Improvement Plan for the 2024-2025 school year.
Key actions identified by the group included auditing and evaluating the assessment tools the district is using, providing proactive supports for students, providing targeted professional development for all staff to support students in academics, social-emotional learning, and attendance, and focusing upon ensuring students attend school on-time daily, ready to learn.
This feedback is crucial in helping the district prioritize actions for improvement.
"We were very excited by the large and enthusiastic turnout this evening. The input provided by the District Accountability Committee regarding our Unified District Improvement Plan is very helpful as we begin to outline key actions for the coming year," Assistant Superintendent Ted Johnson said.
The DAC is charged with providing input to the Board of Education and District 60 regarding budgeting, improvement planning, use of assessments, family engagement planning, and reviewing charter school applications and renewals.
Thus, this committee of volunteers plays a crucial role in the operation of District 60. The committee meets 4-6 times per year, depending upon needs for input.
Superintendent Dr. Barbara Kimzey shared that she is "deeply appreciative of the work of these volunteers in moving our district forward in our quest 'To become a high performing school district that inspires community confidence.'"
