GOAL: Ensure a differentiated education that provides a strong foundation of rigorous academic learning

STRATEGIES: 

1. Differentiate instruction and supports to ensure and monitor a strong academic foundation of challenging, meaningful, and growth-oriented experiences for all students.

2. Implement structured staff collaboration focused on data-informed practices to support rigorous achievement and growth for all students.

3. Provide differentiated professional development opportunities to support effective, innovative and growth-focused classroom practices. 

ACTION STEPS (2025-26):

1. Analyze student data in collaborative teams after each benchmark period (e.g., MAP, aimswebPlus, classroom performance, etc.), in order to make adjustments to Tier 1 instruction and identify students who require Tier 2 or Tier 3 services (intervention or enrichment) in either English Language Arts or Math.

2. Introduce foundational principles of Universal Design for Learning to support planning and use of differentiation in the classroom at the Tier 1 level.

3. Support implementation and professional learning for recently adopted curriculum. 

   1. 1. Grades K-4 Bridges math (Y2), including Number Corner (Y3)

      2. K-2 UFLI Early Literacy Foundational Skills (Y2)

      3. Grades 5-8 social studies (Y2 in grade 5; Y1 in grades 6-8)

4. Pilot and evaluate multiple curricula in Grades K-8 English Language Arts to make a recommendation for implementation in 2026-27 school year, including professional learning opportunities in spring of 2026. 

5. Expand the reach of instructional coaching through an increase in individual and team coaching cycles and ongoing professional learning. 

6. Provide teachers with goal-setting template and specific examples to use for year-round academic goal setting and reflection with students.

7. Implement and evaluate the effectiveness of a new Grades 5-8 academic schedule for 2025-26 school year. Gather feedback, and make recommendations for next steps. 

8. Curate and implement Tier 1 Executive Functioning lessons and resources for implementation in Grades 5-8 during homeroom. 

9. Reflect on and refine current Building MTSS systems and responses to improve student learning, enhance efficiency, improve response times, and address resource allocation.

Goal I action steps from previous years: 2021-22 | 2022-23 | Strategic Plan Progress Report (Fall 2023) | 2023-24 | 2024-25

GOAL: Cultivate a supportive and inclusive learning community that is responsive to the social, emotional, and behavioral needs of each student.

STRATEGIES: 

1. Implement a consistent and proactive curriculum addressing social, emotional, and behavioral needs of students.

2. Strengthen the sense of belonging, engagement, representation, and agency for students through diverse, welcoming opportunities for community building leadership and student-to-student connections.

ACTION STEPS (2025-26):

1. Implement expanded scope and sequence for Wayfinder curriculum in Grades 5-8 using new homeroom structure.

2. Pilot a reporting tool for SEL skill development at fall conferences for implementation during spring conferences in Grades K-4. 

3. Integrate monthly themes of Inclusion and Belonging into district-wide communications and activities for staff, students, and families with a focus on belonging.

4. Optimize current Building MTSS team systems and responses in developing and aligning Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3 SEL practices in order to enhance efficiency, improve response times, and address resource allocation. 

5. Provide training in CHAMPS (Grades K-4) and Restorative Practices (Grades 5-8), by identifying cohorts for a targeted system for classroom culture and management. 

6. Research and evaluate existing and available mental health and SEL screeners to identify needs and propose a selection for the 2026-27 school year.

7. Task a student advisory group at each school to engage in problem-solving, increasing sense of belonging, and idea generation, with supportive staff leadership.

Goal II action steps from previous years: 2021-22 | 2022-23 | Strategic Plan Progress Report (Fall 2023) | 2023-24 | 2024-25

GOAL: Foster a professional community that values, supports, develops, and retains highly effective staff.

STRATEGIES: 

1. Improve collaborative and shared decision-making structures to strengthen representation, engagement, and agency for staff.

2. Cultivate a more equitable and inclusive learning community by developing staff expertise to support diverse learners through differentiated instruction and culturally supportive teaching.

ACTION STEPS (2025-26):

1. Engage the District Strategic Advisory Team to monitor progress and offer suggestions for strategic goal refinement throughout the year. [Year 5] 

2. Seek information from staff regarding onboarding, mentoring and support at key moments in their D39 career to identify themes using exit interviews, surveys and focus groups. 

3. Engage and include staff members on district and/or school committees so voices and expertise are represented and contribute to a collaborative, shared decision making structure. 

4. Follow the process/procedure developed to offer all staff and administrators opportunities to share general/specific professional learning needs and priorities. 

5. Continue developing school specific action plans to address the unique culture and climate needs at each school. 

6. Plan for staff learning opportunities on the cultures of our students and impact within our classrooms and schools during institute days/staff meetings. 

7. Survey building leadership regarding new staff onboarding process and topics, resulting in a consistent, comprehensive district plan. 

8. Share faculty attendance data over the last five years with faculty and administration, collect information from staff and identify two strategies to address the concerns. 

9. Implement the following  initial recommendations from the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) Task Force:

   1. 1. Communicate the diversity of D39 families and staff 

      2. Provide continued training for all staff on how to address microaggressions and racism- consistent protocol for addressing

      3. Communicate interest in diverse student teachers when asked to accept student teachers in D39

      4. Begin to design opportunities for mentoring of new staff aligned to affinity groups/identities/interests

      5. Implement Red Rover’s capability to offer a race/ethnicity field for applicants and collect baseline for each position posted

Goal III action steps from previous years: 2021-22 | 2022-23 | Strategic Plan Progress Report (Fall 2023) | 2023-24 | 2024-25

GOAL: Strengthen partnerships by connecting, collaborating, and communicating with families and communities to advance teaching and learning.

STRATEGIES: 

1. Improve school-home communication through more consistent and effective strategies, especially those focused on communicating student performance, goal-setting, and growth monitoring. 

2. Implement strategies to better support successful transitions from 4th-5th and 6th-7th grades for students and parents.

ACTION STEPS (2025-26):

1. Expand outreach to intergenerational caring adults of current students, community members without current students, alumni, and local organizations to strengthen connections, partnerships, and support. 

2. Engage and inform families through multiple, diverse channels to provide resources and information supporting our partnership for the advancement of teaching and learning.

3. Create guidance documents for the use of Artificial Intelligence by teachers, students, and parents to support student learning.

4. Define, educate, and communicate a clear philosophy for the use of technology at school to support teaching and learning.

5. Refine and implement programming to welcome new to District 39 students and families throughout the year. 

6. Design and prepare to launch for the 2026-27 school year, transition supports for incoming 7th-grade students at Wilmette Junior High School.

Goal IV action steps from previous years: 2021-22 | 2022-23 | Strategic Plan Progress Report (Fall 2023) | 2023-24 | 2024-25

GOAL: Ensure the effective use of resources to sustain practices that promote growth.

STRATEGIES: 

1. Implement long-term capital planning focused on facility maintenance.

2. Examine resource allocation practices, including staffing, based on best instructional models and techniques. 

ACTION STEPS (2025-26):

1. Review five-year capital improvement plan bi-annually, with a focus on facility maintenance and upgrades to sustain practices that promote growth.

2. Review, plan, and prioritize building-based capital improvement projects to fit within the District’s summer building use and construction schedule. 

3. Monitor legislative adjustments related to property tax funding formulas, real estate tax appeal refunds, pension cost shifts, and other legislation from Springfield with a financial impact to anticipate, consider and plan for the potential impact on District 39 availability of resources, incorporating findings into the presentation of the annual 5-year projections.

4. Review of the use of non-traditional classroom spaces within the buildings. 

5. Review of sustainability audit and work accomplished.

Note: Action steps 1-3 are regular items on Board of Education meeting agendas throughout the year. Therefore, the information, discussions, and presentations can be found on the district website.

Goal V action steps from previous years: 2021-22 | 2022-23 | Strategic Plan Progress Report (Fall 2023) | 2023-24 | 2024-25

District Superintendent/Facilitator
Dr. Kari Cremascoli

District 39 Representatives (2)
Allyson Paflas (Member of the Board of Education)
Amy Poehling (Member of the Board of Education)

Goal Champions (6)
Goals 1-2 (Co-Champions) - Kelly Jackson (Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction) and Kristin Swanson (Assistant Superintendent for Student Services)
Goal 3 - Heather Glowacki (Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources)
Goal 4 - Tony DeMonte (Assistant Superintendent for Technology and Safety)
Goal 5 - Corey Bultemeier (Business Manager)

School Administrators (4)
Anne Bishop (Grade-Level Administrator, WJHS)
Susie Carlson (Grade-Level Administrator, Highcrest)
Dana Nasiakos (Principal, McKenzie)
Meghan Otto (Assistant Principal, Central)

District Administrators (2)
Leo Krause (Communications Director)
Joshua Swanner (Asst. Director of Curriculum and Instruction)

District Parents/Families (6)
Masha Abramovitz (McKenzie)
Sarah Fergus (Wilmette Junior High)
Shannon Meath (Harper)
Vidya Narasimhan (Wilmette Junior High)
Patrick Parmentier (Highcrest)
Annie Soohoo (Highcrest)

Wilmette Education Association (WEA) Member (6)
Heather Elliott  (Romona)
Marissah Cook (Romona)
Andrea Reiser Cummins (Central)
Sara Salomonsson (Harper)
Jackie Zorger (Highcrest)
TBA

Wilmette Support Staff Union (SSU) Members (4)
Michelle McGregor (MEC)
Angelique Cullen-Ketzback (Central)
Nina Nissan (McKenzie)
TBA