SCSD Plan for Excellence 2030

IN THE FALL OF 2022-23, THE SOMERS CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT EMBARKED ON A DELIBERATE JOURNEY TO REEXAMINE AND REFINE ITS MISSION, VISION, AND COLLECTIVE COMMITMENTS

District and school leaders engaged in collaborative discussions with various stakeholders, including parents, students, teachers, and community members.

During each workshop, participants were guided through an Appreciative Inquiry process to explore their aspirations for the district’s future and help shape how the district will move Forward in Excellence.

In each session, small groups identified the district’s strengths, providing concrete evidence and recounting “high point” stories. These stories were then used to identify overarching themes that SCSD must uphold in the future.

After sharing ways to enhance SCSD, each group created a headline for a fictitious news publication that captured the essence of the district’s future. The headlines were accompanied by subheadings that represented aspirations for how we move into the future as a district.

These objectives were then aligned with the Elements of Excellence, thus providing a critical component of the SCSD 2030 Plan for Excellence. The last brick was laid when the “evidence of excellence” was defined for each element, providing an achievement roadmap. The result is the SCSD 2030 PLAN FOR EXCELLENCE which will guide SCSD in the coming years to ensure that all students from pre- kindergarten through high school move Forward in Excellence.

We desire to be a school district that...

• Values diversity, equity, and inclusion across all schools.
• Promotes our schools as the center of our community – a safe place to be and grow.
• Leads by example and encourages students to follow their passions.
• Develops a k-12 curriculum, instructional resources, and assessments intended to prepare students to thrive in a global community.
• Recognizes and celebrates the collective efforts and achievements of the Somers community and embraces a healthy balance of participation from all stakeholders.
• Holds high expectations for student achievement and character.
• Supports social, emotional, and physical wellness as much as academic achievement.
• Recognizes the arts as part of the core curriculum.
• Gives back to the community through service to others.
• Understands the law, the constitution, and our civic, ethical and personal responsibilities to each other.
• Develops relationships that are characterized by honesty, respect, and integrity.
• Learns from and works collaboratively with individuals from diverse cultures, religions, and lifestyles in a spirit of mutual respect and open dialogue.
• Supports and encourages professional collaboration, district wide and with local organizations, to promote student learning.
• Is driven by a sense of continuous improvement.

The district uses the Elements of Excellence to define goals and to guide decision making. Each of the six elements is derived from the mission of SCSD and focuses on the development of the Whole Child.

The SCSD Plan for Excellence is built on two foundational principles: excellence for all and the International Baccalaureate (IB) Programme. These principles ensure that every student meets or exceeds universally high goals in a safe, nurturing, inclusive learning environment. IB establishes an internationally recognized educational framework for kindergarten through 12th grade that aligns with New York State Standards.

In 2013, the district recognized that IB complements the SCSD mission, vision, and collective commitments. The program supports the best instructional practices and a rigorous curriculum, emphasizing creative problem- solving, hands-on projects, inquiry- based learning, and community service.

After three years of intense preparation, the IB Diplomma Program was implemented at Somers High School in 2016. By fall of 2022, the middle school became an accredited IB Middle Years Programme (MYP).

The district expects MYP accreditation at the high school for grades 9 and 10 in 2024 and is currently exploring the Primary Years Programme for kindergarten through fifth grade.

The four distinguished IB programmes develop inquiring, knowledgeable, and caring young people who are motivated to succeed.

IB is a whole child approach that gives students distinct advantages by building their critical thinking skills, nurturing their curiosity, and their ability to solve complex problems. Somers schools and the IB programmes foster strong academic skills and healthy social and emotional dispositions.

Read more about the International Baccaulareate Programme, including key research findings and the IB Continuum.

IB Learners

• are encouraged to think critically and solve complex problems
• drive their own learning
• are more culturally aware through the development of a second language
• can engage with people in an increasingly globalized, rapidly changing world

Aspirations for SCSD 2030

• Become accredited International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (k-fifth grade)
• Become recognized as an International Baccalaureate Continuum district
• Become an accredited International Baccalaureate Career Programme (11th and 12th grades)