Cave Creek Unified School District No.

93

Strategic Plan for Excellence

Adopted: February 20, 2007

Mission Guiding Principle

Inspire Excellence Students First….People Always

Vision

The Cave Creek Unified School District community will provide

diverse learning experiences to challenge and inspire all students to
become thinking, responsible, contributing leaders with the passion
and energy to shape our changing world.

Beliefs

Cave Creek Unified School District Believes:

• Every student will have the opportunity to learn in a safe nurturing

environment.
• All students can learn but may learn in different ways and at different
rates. Governing Board Members
Javier Ledesma, President Susan Clancy, Member
• All students can learn and inspired teaching makes the difference.
Stephanie Reese, Clerk Lisa Doche, Member
• Dedicated staff members make a significant contribution to student
Petra Cervino, Member Casey Perkins, Member
learning.
Marv Christensen, Member Gladys Styles Johnston, Member
• Our schools must continuously improve.
• All students will benefit from a school district that engages the staff,
parents and community. Dr. Tacy C. Ashby, Superintendent
• Our school district must prepare students to become responsible
citizens and contributing members of our community. CCUSD District Office
• Our schools must be the cornerstone of our community. Physical Address: Mailing Address: Phone: 480.575.2000
• Our schools must be good neighbors, respecting the values, rights, 33606 North 60th Street P.O. Box 426 Fax: 480.488.7055
and property of all who live within our school community. Scottsdale, AZ 85262 Cave Creek, AZ 85327 www.ccusd93.org
• To best serve our students, our staff will model life-long learning
through professional development.

“throughI believepartnerships
our community is made stronger by working
and outreach. The Cave Creek “I believe
As a businessman, parent and community member,
it is critical for CCUSD to look at what it will
Unified School District outreach to the community, as need to be successful in the future. The Strategic Plan for
they formulated the strategic plan, only helps to ensure Excellence is a great vehicle through which to meet these
the highest quality of education for our children. It is
important for all levels of government to partner -- from
needs.
”
federal, state to local. By partnering we work together to
ensure top quality schools.
”
Peggy Neely Brian Kunkel
Vice Mayor, City of Phoenix President, Carefree Kiwanis
Strategic Plan for Excellence Emerging Themes: Deficiencies, Challenges and Opportunities for Growth

Initiative Facilities and Resources Excellence

#1
To ensure facilities and resources that offer the same level of excellence for all students
within a framework of financial stewardship. This will include a Long Range Facilities Plan
and a Technology and Equipment Plan.

Input From Our Communities Our District

Goals Our Action Areas

Facilities Environment 1. Long Range Facilities Plan (Committee)
• Older buildings need maintenance, • A safe • New high school
beautification environment in • Future bond planning
• Need for new facilities, i.e. swimming pool, which learning is • Maximum enrollment standards and future school needs
auditorium, tennis courts, district office never compromised. • Community partnerships on other construction projects
• Layout of schools and proximity to each • Adequacy of current facilities and grounds
other Budget Process
• Need to bridge schools with community,
2. Equipment Plan (Staff)
i.e. sharing facilities • An ongoing budget
process that • Equipment needs assessment by department and school
Safety considers (by grade level)
shareholders’ input • Prioritizing purchases for the next five years
• Traffic and safety issues, i.e. parking, and is based on
bicycles, bus routes student needs and
3. Technology Plan (Staff)
priorities.
Budget and Finances • An educational environment that integrates technology into all
Financial Plan aspects of teaching and learning
• Lack of funding • Technology resources and training for all staff
• Prioritize budget, maintain reserves • A financial plan • Web services to parents for on-line access to grades and other records
• Pursue “creative” sources, i.e. grants, bus that reflects the • Digital document storage to ensure standards compliance with
advertisements, corporate funding district’s strategic various requirements
opportunities plan. • A data warehouse for assessment and evaluation
• Business partnerships
• Attract students to district Technology
Equipment • A state-of-the-art
technology system
• Inequality between schools, i.e. technology, that captures
equipment and materials student interests
• Instructional technology for homework and enhances
• Webmasters to support teachers learning.

Strategic Plan for Excellence

Listening and Responding to You
Strategic Plan for Excellence
Initiative Student and School Excellence
#2
To ensure that each student has an equal opportunity to achieve his/her personal best
in a high performing, highly personalized school. This will occur through 12-K Program
Alignment and a Student, Staff and Community Support Plan.
Input From Our Communities Goals
Instruction
• Vertical and horizontal alignment
• Individualized learning
• Assessment of all curricular areas
• Expand successful programs
• Too much emphasis on testing
• Lack of focus on basic skills
Program Offerings
• Provide more program options
• Perceptions of differences at schools
• Band and chorus improvements
• Music and art at the elementary school
• Foreign language
• Gifted programs in younger grades
Alternative career and technical education
• Conflicts/clarity in co-curricular and
extra-curricular programs
• Pay-to-play (sports, forensics)
Students
• Effective discipline, character education
• Individual health issues
• Prevention education and intervention
options
• Transition/bridging to middle school
• Failure to meet students at both ends of the
spectrum
• Focus on the whole child
• Community service hours
Emerging Themes: Deficiencies, Challenges and Opportunities for Growth
Our District
Our Action Areas
Curriculum 4. Horizontal and Vertical Alignment (Staff)
• Curriculum alignment top down (Grade 12 to Kindergarten) matching
student needs to instructional materials and resources.
• A curriculum,
• A cultural understanding in the value of horizontal and vertical alignment.
instructional • Staff equipped with the tools, skills, and resources needed to raise student
program and achievement
assessment process
that exceeds state 5. Textbook Adoption Cycle (Staff)
standards and • An adoption process that aligns to standards, meets student needs with
inspires excellence. relevant materials, and matches resources to cycles
• Staff equipped with the skills to effectively use adopted materials and
resources
Co- and Extra- • Successful utilization of those materials and resources
Curricular 6. Foreign Language (Committee)
• Model foreign language programs and curriculum for all students.
Opportunities
• Highly qualified foreign language staff
• Additional resources for foreign language opportunities at all schools
• Co-curricular and
extra-curricular
7. Community Education Plan (Committee)
opportunities that • Identity/visibility of Desert Foothills Community Education
inspire excellence • A 5-year Community Education Business Plan
such as athletics, • The Community Education Department redefined
fine arts and
8. Comprehensive Counseling Plan (Committee)
performing arts,
and vocation/ • K-12 counseling standards and program alignment
career preparation • Successful student transition from Pre-K to K; 5th to MS; 8th to HS
• Career and advanced education planning
and other activities. • Support to students dealing with personal and social issues
• The professional development of counseling staff
9. Fine Arts (Committee)
• A variety of arts offerings to reach all students’ interests
• Consistency and accountability in arts programs at all grade levels and sites
• Community partnerships both within the education community and the
community at-large
10. Workforce Development (Committee)
• A marketing information management system to evaluate and give direction
to CTE (Career and Technical Education) programs
• Programs that meet community/student needs by providing adequate
training and facilities
• Strategic partnerships with the business community and local trade schools
Strategic Plan for Excellence
Listening and Responding to You
Strategic Plan for Excellence Emerging Themes: Deficiencies, Challenges and Opportunities for Growth

Initiative Employee Excellence

#3
To ensure that outstanding employees are attracted to the district and retained
through a number of incentives, including opportunities for leadership and learning.
This initiative will address both attracting and retaining all employee groups.

Input From Our Communities Our District Our Action Areas

Goals
Employee Attraction Retain the Best 11. Employee Attraction (Staff)
• Incentives, signing bonus • A learning • A targeted marketing strategy
• Lack of applicants in certain areas community that • An on-line, paperless hiring process
• Include non-monetary benefits attracts and retains • Expanded hiring incentives
• Learn from past/best practices the best. • Partnerships with local colleges and universities
• Promote CCUSD with colleges
Customer Service 12. Employee Retention (Staff)
Employee Retention
• Outstanding • Understanding employees and their needs
• Avoid burnout customer service in • Enhanced professional working conditions
• Continuity of administrators all aspects of • Employee recognition opportunities and other incentives
• Lack of opportunities to advance operations. • Individual professional growth and development
• Evaluation system
• More celebrations/recognition Leadership 13. Comprehensive Staff Development Plan (Staff)
[Part of Initiative #2; Coordinates with Employee Excellence]
Professional Development • A district that
builds and creates • The development of professional learning communities
• Need for quality professional growth opportunities for • A cultural understanding in the value of professional development
• Professional development that does not take principled, • Staff equipped with the tools, skills, and resources needed to raise
away from classroom time. visionary and student achievement
• Teamwork disciplined • Training aligned to district and school site goals
leadership at all
levels.

“is theStrategic Planning

critical link of Professional
continuity we need as a Development
District to help prepare
our students to compete • A professional
in the global economy.
” growth process
that inspires
excellence.
Debby Horton
Elementary Teacher

Strategic Plan for Excellence

Listening and Responding to You
Strategic Plan for Excellence Emerging Themes: Deficiencies, Challenges and Opportunities for Growth

Initiative Communications and Community

#4 Engagement Excellence
To ensure on-going, quality, two-way communication and to actively engage the community
in continuous improvement efforts. This piece will address communications as well as
how to engage the entire Cave Creek community.

Our District
Input From Our Communities Goals Our Action Areas

Community Collaboration Communication 14. Communications (Staff)

• Increased communication and involvement to parents and the
• Cultivate advocates for schools • A comprehensive community
• Build trust, grassroots support communication • Timely and accurate information to the public
• Team with community leaders for positive plan and process • Timely and relevant communication to employees
public engagement that provides for • Cultivating district spirit, promoting achievements and good news
• Guest speakers, professional artists dialogue among
• Intergovernmental relations all district
shareholders.
15. Community Engagement (Committee)
Public Education and Awareness • An inclusive, on-going process of community input and involvement
Engagement that reaches out to non-parents, service organizations, businesses
• Knowledge of mission and goals • Bringing the community into schools (volunteers) and vice versa
• Needs and issues • A district that is (student community service)
• Rumors vs. facts proactive in • Formal community partnerships of mutual benefit
• Funding, tax credits and elections engaging • Quality customer service
• Curriculum, instruction and co-curricular community
activities partnerships.

Means of Communication

• Website, school newsletters “Superintendent

I appreciate
Ashby’s
• Teacher talks, forums, phone trees leadership. Strategic
• Board that welcomes input planning is imperative
to the long-term success
Parent Involvement of any organization and
provides a guidepost for
• Frequent progress reports both present and future
• Teacher - parent partnerships
Meribeth Reeves
School Parent
”
decisions.

Strategic Plan for Excellence

Listening and Responding to You
Strategic Plan for Excellence Cave Creek Unified School District No. 93

Executive Summary
A Roadmap for the Future
The Cave Creek Unified School District has embarked on a new Strategic Plan for Excellence, its first since
1999. Beginning in March 2006, a series of Focus on Education Forums were held to enable various stake-
holders to share their ideas and thoughts on how to assist CCUSD in planning for a successful future. From
these forums came four major emerging themes and trends that have set the stage for the planning process.
On October 10, 2006, the Cave Creek Unified School District Governing Board approved the strategic
framework to develop the plan. Since then, several committees have been working on action plans for the
four key initiative areas and twelve goals established by the Governing Board. The end result is a Strategic
Plan for Excellence that will guide decisions for resources, budgets and administrative priorities for the next
five years that will put Students First...People Always!

Initiative Our District Goals Committee/Staff Work

Facilities and Resources
Excellence
To ensure facilities and resources that offer the
same level of excellence for all students within a
framework of financial stewardship. This will include
a Long Range Facilities Plan and a Technology and
Equipment Plan.
• Goal 1: A safe environment in which learning is • Long Range Facilities Plan Subcommittees:
never compromised. • High School
• Future Bond Planning
• Goal 6: A state of the art technology system that
captures student interests and enhances learning. • CCUSD Maximum Enrollment
Standards & Future School Needs
• Goal 10: An ongoing budget process that
considers shareholders’ input and is based on • Community Partnerships/Other
Construction Projects
student needs and priorities.
• Goal 11: A financial plan that reflects the • Adequacy of Current Facilities & Grounds
district’s strategic plan. • Technology Plan (Committee)
• Equipment Plan (staff )

Student & School Excellence
To ensure that each student has an equal opportu-
nity to achieve his/her personal best in a high per-
forming, highly personalized school. This will occur
through 12-K Program Alignment and a Student,
Staff and Community Support Plan.
• Goal 2: A curriculum, instructional program and
assessment process that exceeds state standards
and inspires excellence.
• Goal 5: Co-curricular and extra-curricular
opportunities that inspire excellence such as
athletics, fine and performing arts, and vocation/
career preparation and other activities.
• Goal 12: A district that is proactive in engaging
community partnerships.
12-K Program Alignment
• Workforce Development (Committee)
• Foreign Language (Committee)
• Fine Arts (Committee)
• Textbook Adoption Cycle (Staff )
• Horizontal and Vertical Alignment (Staff )
• New for 2008: Schools of Opportunity
(Committee)

• Goal 5: We support co-curricular and extra- Student and Community Support

curricular opportunities that inspire excellence
such as athletics, fine and performing arts, and
vocation/career preparation and other activities.
• Goal 12: A district that is proactive in engaging
community partnerships.
• 12-K Comprehensive Counseling Plan
(Committee)
• Community Education Plan (Staff )

Employee Excellence
To ensure that outstanding employees are attracted
to the district and retained through a number of in-
centives, including opportunities for leadership and
learning. This initiative will address both attracting
and retaining all employee groups.
• Goal 3: A district that builds and creates • Employee Attraction (Staff )
opportunities for principled, visionary and • Employee Retention (Staff )
disciplined leadership at all levels. • Comprehensive Staff Development Plan
• Goal 4: A professional growth process that (Staff )
inspires excellence.
• Goal 8: A learning community that attracts and
retains the best.
• Goal 9: Outstanding customer service in all
aspects of operations.

Communications & Community • Goal 7: A comprehensive communication plan • Communications (Staff )

Engagement Excellence and process that provides for dialogue among all • Community Engagement (Committee)
To ensure on-going, quality, two-way communica- district shareholders.
tion and to actively engage the community in con- • Goal 9: Outstanding customer service in all
tinuous improvement efforts. This piece will address aspects of operations.
communications as well as how to engage the entire • Goal 12: A district that is proactive in engaging
Cave Creek community. community partnerships.