District movin’ on up

The Laguna Beach Unified school board and district leadership revamped their goal-setting process at a Monday study session.

Rather than take a fast-track approach, as it did in this first year of Supt. Robert Fraisse’s leadership, the district will conduct assessments and talk with stakeholders before deciding on their next actions.

Fraisse put the onus on the district to be responsible for its own improvement.

“No one is going to develop a better path,” he said. “The state in general is in trouble, and we’re in a different place. We’re in a better place.”

He shared recent data that 51% of the state’s high school students drop out before graduating; Laguna Beach’s graduation rate is typically 100%.

“We could not be in a better position to move up to the next level, in my opinion,” Fraisse said.

As his top suggestion, Fraisse suggested the development of succession plans for top teachers and staff.

When acclaimed high school dance teacher Tod Kubo departed last year from the high school with no successor named or trained, parents alleged the dance department fell into disarray.

“It’s hard to do in a month,” Fraisse said of the succession process.

Other suggested areas of improvement include the district’s foreign language program; developing a world-class writing program; an evidence-based drug and alcohol prevention program; the best ways to serve English learners; the use of technology to support instruction; and reviewing current math program data before the textbook adoption cycle ends.

In addition, Fraisse suggested support and training for Professional Learning Communities; articulated instructional and support services; creation of a District Advisory Council; and his own pet project: a possible sister-school arrangement with Coronado High School and the creation of a consortium of top-performing schools, to be headed by the Laguna district.

“They’re looking for us to be in the lead,” he said.

Board members enthusiastically supported Fraisse’s suggestion, saying the district has appeared insular for too long.

The named action items would need to be voiced as well by other district stakeholders in order to become districtwide initiatives, Fraisse said.

A series of focus groups will be conducted to see what the community’s hot buttons are.

For each priority area, or “pillar” — academic excellence, whole child focus, learning environment, personnel and business functions, communication systems and student wellness — an “anchor” goal will be developed and approved.

The district will hold a series of talks with stakeholders and conduct a strengths/ weaknesses/opportunities/ targets scan, where leaders from throughout the district — ranging from PTA parents to principals — will suggest areas of improvement. Teams will be formed to enact each action plan.

Previously, as they were in a hurry to get the first school year underway, the board and district leadership selected its “low-hanging fruit” action initiatives without as much input from stakeholders, Fraisse said; he began his employment July 1 of last year.

The results of their efforts include the increase of English language learner-certified teachers from 53% to 98.6%, and extensive improvements to the district’s emergency safety plans.

The district’s current mission statement, with the exception of minor changes to the names of the six “pillars,” was not revised.