• Our new school year’s resolution – growing student achievement

    Memo GraphicIt is common for people to make resolutions when they are approaching a new year.

    Utica Community is not any different with a new school year just around the corner.

    This year, our UCS team is committing itself to making substantial changes in the way we do business to improve student achievement.

    These improvements are driven by our UCS Empowered Strategic Plan. Since its inception more than two years ago, the plan has led to data-driven initiatives across the district that improve safety, teaching and learning, and student and staff mental health services.

    This year we are taking those initiatives to the next level with a study designed around raising the academic bar for all students, particularly those with disabilities.

    The purpose of this study is to provide district leaders with a more complete understanding of the many demands and needs of UCS staff and how the district might better support schools to effectively deliver services to students with varying needs.

    After the conclusion of this effort in early winter, action items resulting from the study will be shared with the community.

    Our collective goal is to improve outcomes for students who struggle, while making the work of teachers and paraprofessionals more sustainable.

    This thoughtful evolution is how we honor the long legacy of learning in UCS by moving us even closer to the ambitious vision we set out for ourselves in 2023 – to ensure all of our students are empowered to change their future and the world.