Skip to main content
LGUSD 2020-2026 Strategic Plan » LGUSD Strategic Plan Progress

LGUSD Strategic Plan Progress

 

Objective

planned, underway, completed/ongoing

 Comments/Notes

#1  Student Wellness 

All students will learn in an environment that prioritizes the importance of social emotional development.

Embed the LGUSD Student Success Profile (SSP) into the culture of the school district/community and successfully implement.  
Indicator of Success:
  • Students will demonstrate growth toward proficiency of the attributes found in the LGUSD Student Success Profile (SSP) as reflected on multiple measures. (i.e. rubrics, portfolios, exhibitions, etc.)
 Yellow Traffic Light
The District focuses on one attribute each school year. Student Success Profile attributes were highlighted with posters around the District. We have shared Empathy, Learner’s Mindset, and are rolling out Collaboration for 22-23. 
 
STEAM and PBL engagement lend themselves to teaching the SSP.
Consistently utilize a Social Emotional Learning (SEL) program in all grades which is vetted through K-8 CIA.   
Indicator of Success:
  • The LGUSD climate survey will indicate “depth of SEL” growth in addition to site grade level team and administrator feedback.  
 Green Traffic Light

In progress and implemented through counselors and classroom teachers.

Middle school is exploring the recent updates to the Project Cornerstone Middle School curriculum.  The middle school is implementing Healthy Minds Thriving Kids–Mental Health Skills Building for all 6th and 7th graders this year.  

 

This work is reiterated in the Digitial Citizenship lessons that will be done in all grades by October 2022.
Strengthen mental health support for LGUSD students.
Indicator of Success:
  • The ratio of counselor to students will make progress towards the ratio recommended by the National School Counselor Standards. (ASCA) 
  • LGUSD will add additional counseling support.
 Green Traffic Light

The counseling staff conducted additional outreach to students in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and has significantly increased Tier 1 foundational mental health support in classrooms for all students.

One counselor was hired at the beginning of the 2020-2021 school year.

One additional counselor was hired at the beginning of the 2021-2022 school year.

One additional coordinator/counselor was hired at the beginning of the 2022-2023 school year.

With all current counseling resources, we have 6.5 counseling FTEs–bringing our District wide ratio to 415:1. 
The LGUSD Homework Policy will be re-evaluated and updated to provide the most effective support and relevancy to students.
Indicator of Success:
  • A research process will be conducted that will yield a new board policy that will be presented to the community.  This issue will be examined in articulation meetings between LGUSD and LGHS.
 Green and Yellow Traffic Light
After input from all stakeholders, a policy was presented to the Board at the April meeting and approved in May 2022.
 
AR is up for the current 22/23 year.

#2  STEAM and Social Innovation

Provide a learning environment that emphasizes design thinking/inquiry-based learning, where students have the ability to creatively design projects in STEAM laboratory settings and classrooms.

An articulated K-8 Design Thinking for STEAM curriculum will be implemented with teacher support and resources at all schools.  
Indicator of Success:
  • A cohesive K-8 curriculum will be adopted and implemented.   Exhibition Fairs/Festivals will highlight student design achievements.  
 Yellow Traffic Light
A STEAM committee was formed in 2021-2022.
 
Two STEAM Teachers on Special Assignment (TOSA) were hired for the 2022-2023 school year.
 
STEAM pilots taking off this year (22/23)
Design Thinking for Social Innovation.  

Utilize design thinking strategies into curriculum design in all subject areas.   Provide teacher support and training in these strategies.  

Indicator of Success:
  • Monitor success using the Student Success Profile (SSP) assessments.  Exhibition Fairs/Festivals will highlight student design achievements.  
 Red and Yellow Traffic Light

There have been design thinking activities as part of the STEAM committee meetings and admin meetings.

This effort is underway.

#3  Community & Global Citizenship 

Students will participate in learning opportunities that foster “Service Above Self” (Community Service) and Global Mindedness/Citizenship.
Students will engage in “Service Above Self” Service Learning opportunities at all LGUSD schools to better the Los Gatos and global community.      
Indicator of Success:
  • A clearly articulated scope & sequence of community service in K-8 will be adopted and projects will improve community life in Los Gatos and positively impact the world we live in.  Leverage community partnerships.
 Yellow Traffic Light
All students had an opportunity to participate in a first-ever, district-wide service project in spring 2022.

 

A relationship was established to adopt schools in Santo Tomas and Mazatenango, Guatemala.  

22/23:

  • Through a partnership with Rotary, place computers and RACHEL WIFI hotspots in Mazatenango and Santo Tomas schools, discarded furniture into classrooms, and provide quality teacher training.  
  • Consider classroom and school-wide service projects as part of the Rotary Service Above Self resource identified during the past school year. 
Student learning opportunities will foster international mindedness such as perspective taking, empathy building, valuing inclusivity and diversity, investigating the world, communicating effectively, and taking action.
Indicator of Success:
  • Adopt and infuse “Educating for Global Competency” (California Department of Education) as a global studies framework that serves as a guide for future site and district global studies efforts.  Student community service projects will reflect this objective.  
 Red and Yellow Traffic Light

Global Studies are in their infancy.   Students are beginning to embrace community service projects, but the main bulk of work will be launched during the 23/24 school year.
Explore and implement the addition of World Language instruction in grades K-5.  Strengthen Middle School world language offerings. 
Indicator of Success:
  • A World Language Exploratory Committee will create a methodical well-articulated implementation plan to include goals (fluency vs. exposure), effectiveness measures, and language(s) selection rationale.  The beginning phases of the plan will be implemented. 
 Green and Yellow Traffic Light

Introductory Spanish to launch in current 22/23 school year.
Cultivate a “Culture of Giving” among LGUSD families, teachers, and staff in volunteerism and support for the Los Gatos Education Foundation (LGEF) and the Home & School Clubs (H&SC).  
Indicator of Success:
  • The percentage of families supporting the LGEF and H&SC will make progress towards the average of comparable school districts. 
 Green Traffic Light One Community Los Gatos had a successful launch with more parent participation and LGEF succeeding its goal in 2021-2022.
Offer more cross-school site collaboration among students to develop their sense of community.  
Indicator of Success:
  • Joint school site collaboration and learning opportunities will increase year to year.  
 Red Traffic Light This focus in the strategic plan was a pandemic delay.

#4  Academic Excellence/Curriculum & Instruction

All students will learn in an environment that promotes student engagement and prepares students to be successful.
LGUSD educators will differentiate instruction to ensure that ALL students make progress towards the mastery of the California Common Core Standards. 
Indicator of Success:
  • Instructional practices will be research based and data informed.  Staff will provide an analysis of progress towards meeting the standards for ALL student groups. 
 Red and Yellow Traffic Light

Data conversations at the elementary level  help guide instruction. 

The District will implement the beginning phase of MTSS and a data management system to help track and insure progress of ALL students.
Every student will have an opportunity to experience high quality Project-Based Learning (PBL). 
Indicator of Success:
  • LGUSD will become a PBL trained school district.  Projects will be spotlighted in showcase/exhibition format utilizing a variety of approaches (i.e. Individual/Team, Genius Hour, Passion Projects).
 Yellow Traffic Light

Beginning Steps:

Two rounds of teachers have been trained prior to the 22/23 school year.  Leadership training is ongoing.   Planning is methodical and calculated for implementation success.
The K-8 math curriculum will be re-evaluated and a clear communication plan for parents will be developed.
Indicator of Success:
  • Clear articulated K-12 communication points will be shared out widely to staff and parents.
 
 Yellow Traffic Light

Clear progress has been made on making advanced Fisher math classes available to all students.  Articulation efforts began in 2021-2022. The elementary math specialists visited the middle school math classes. Middle school math teachers provided feedback to the elementary math speciaists on instructional needs for incoming middle school students.
Enhanced electives supporting the LGUSD Strategic Plan will be explored and implemented. 
Indicator of Success:
  • The Fisher Middle School master schedule will be analyzed, adapted, and increased elective courses offered.   
  • Community partnerships will be strengthened and expanded, specifically with LGS Recreation for grades K-5.
 Red Traffic Light Review of electives is on the scope of work for middle school CIA in  22/23.
Visual arts will be strengthened and expanded in the elementary grades.  
Indicator of Success:
  • Elementary students will have increased opportunities for creation of art in a “studio-based” art program with credentialed art teachers.  
 Green and Yellow Traffic Light Amazing progress and poised to double art for K-5 students this year!   Due to the success of LGEF fund raising through the One Community campaign.
Strengthen training and support for elementary physical education.
Indicator of Success:
  • Each site will have common resources, materials, and quality credentialed instruction to support a more robust PE program.
 Red Traffic Light Committee reviewing PE program in the 24/25 school year.

#5  Staff Professional Growth and Support

Continue to attract and retain “top-tier” teachers and develop excellent staff in a supportive and quality work environment.
Target staff “total compensation” in the top decile of comparable districts.   
Indicator of Success:
  • Provide an annual District Compensation Comparables report and a plan for bridging possible gaps and making progress in moving towards the top decile.  
 Green Traffic Light The latest negotiated agreements resulted in top decile compensation for most employee groups.
Cultivate a “Culture of Opportunity” for the teaching staff to research and try new innovative practices.  
Indicator of Success:
  • New opportunities will be measured by the successful administration of Innovation Opportunity Grants and providing teachers with the flexibility and support to pilot new practices.
 Green Traffic Light After the second year of Innovation Opportunity Grants, a colloquium was held for employees to share outcomes. This was very successful!
Strengthen collaboration by uniting grades K-5 with grades 6-8.  Strengthen articulation with Los Gatos High School. 
Indicator of Success:
  • Success will be measured by a significant increase in articulation opportunities between K-5 and 6-8, in addition to LGHS.  As a result, jointly articulated communication (in areas of mutual interest) will be shared with parents.  Progress will be communicated out to all stakeholders. 
 Yellow Traffic Light Joint collaboration is planned for the first time on three minimum days this year.
Foster a positive District culture of mutual staff appreciation, recognition, inclusivity, diversity, fun, and joy. 
Indicator of Success:
  • Implement additional ways of recognizing the contributions and achievements of LGUSD staff.  
 Yellow Traffic Light
A Culture Committee was established in 2021-2022 and piloted a few programs that were successul.
Staff accompishments and achievements are recognized at the annual Employee Celebration.

#6   Sustainable Finance & Infrastructure

Sustainably manage the financial infrastructure and ongoing prioritization of district resources to accomplish the mission, vision, and strategic plan of the District. 

The Financial Advisory Committee (FAC) will determine and recommend a sustainable shared solutions funding model that will allow LGUSD to meet its strategic goals, furthering its educational excellence.  
Indicator of Success:
  • The Los Gatos Community will support a shared financial solution including a sustainable parcel tax that maintains educational excellence and parent donations which support and expand enrichment and innovation programs.  
 Green Traffic Light
A renewed parcel tax with inflationary adjustor was passed in November 2022.
One Community LG had a successful launch with LGEF succeeding its goal.
A Facilities Master Plan will determine and put in place a plan for the refurbishment of fields, implementation of sustainable solar, strengthening of school site safety plans, improving technology infrastructure, adapting the learning environment to meet the strategic objectives, and the update of HVAC building systems.  
Indicator of Success:
  • A new Facilities Master Plan will plot out improvements and the Financial Advisory Committee (FAC) will recommend potential funding sources, including best use of existing resources.  
 Green and Yellow Traffic Light

Massive facilities infrastructure upgrades are currently under construction.  


Field renovations at two sites contracted and scheduled.
Re-evaluate and strengthen school site safety protocols and emergency procedures.  
Indicator of Success:
  • A safety plan will be manifested in new school site safety measures and regular safety drills at both the school and district level.  
 Yellow Traffic Light Audit by Knowledge Saves Lives (KSL) and recommendations currently under consideration.