Greetings from the Ignacio School District,
The staff and students are excited to get started this school year. We are committed to making this year one of the best yet. We are in year four of our District’s Strategic Plan which was developed in collaboration with parents, staff, and community stakeholders. The plan has smart goals in each of four focus areas which include Academic Achievement, Climate and Culture, Staff Retention and Development, and Facilities. Our mission remains steadfast: “Together, we will Engage, Empower, and Prepare all of our Learners for the Future.”
School is starting early this year. Aug. 11 will be a transition day for students who are new to each building. On that day, Kindergarten, 6th grade, 9th grade, and all brand-new students will be required to attend school at their buildings. School will start for all grades on Aug. 12. Both days have a normal start and release time.
Attendance at school is very important and one of the district goals is to decrease the chronic absenteeism rate. Chronic absenteeism is defined as a student who has missed 15 days or more during the school year whether excused or unexcused. Children who achieve a rate of 93% attendance or higher consistently have strong academic growth and are more prepared for the next grade level. Parents can help by ensuring students have a good night’s sleep and show up at school on time and ready to learn. Please reach out to your building leadership if you need support getting your children to school.
All of our district principals and directors are returning this year. Consistent and effective leadership is very important to any system. This group of leaders is committed to improving our schools and supporting our community. Each school building will be focused on improving academic growth through tiered support for our students by challenging and supporting them.
Our continued focus for the coming school year is to enhance student engagement through research-based strategies. Regularly scheduled Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) will utilize data to refine skill-specific instruction. We will concentrate on improving student academics by implementing safety nets for struggling and/or advanced learners across the district. Professional development this year will also focus on formative and summative assessments to gauge student growth and understanding. We are fortunate to have such an incredibly talented and dedicated staff who have already done much of the groundwork in these areas.
We look forward to an excellent school year. We are committed to making a positive impact on every child who walks through our doors. Together, we will engage, empower, and prepare all our learners for the future.