2019-2024 Strategic Plan

Building Our Future by Building Our Strengths

The 2015-2018 Strategic Plan guided Upper Arlington Schools to many successes, including the completion of a community-driven facilities master planning process for the aging school buildings and the implementation of the districtwide one-to-one technology program.

During the 2018-2019 school year, Upper Arlington Schools began preparing for the next iteration of the strategic plan. Beginning in January 2019, the district brought together staff members, community members, students and professional experts to inform the planning process for the new strategic plan.

Approved by the Board of Education in August 2019, the 2019-2024 Strategic Plan focuses even more intently on the district’s long-running philosophy of educating and supporting the whole child. The plan is guided by a clear vision of student success that reflects the shared aspirations of our students, families, staff and community. It guides all key decisions regarding learning, instruction, resource allocation, physical environment and day-to-day operations.

The 2019-2024 Strategic Plan is grounded in our mission, our vision and three core values. 
 
Our mission: Challenge and support every student, every step of the way
Our vision: Uniquely accomplished students prepared to serve, lead and succeed
Our values: Start with heart, strength in team and contagious drive
 
The new strategic plan takes a disciplined approach to the following strategic priorities - whole learning and student and staff well-being. Continuous improvement serves as the foundational element of the plan.

Whole Learning

This priority area focuses on building on our district’s long-running philosophy of educating the whole child in order to make it a daily reality. This means greater integration of rigorous academic content with deeper learning skills through a variety of engaging experiences, environments and relationships.

Student and Staff Well-being

The district believes that well-being for both students and staff is the cornerstone for producing a safe learning environment where Upper Arlington students can thrive. During the planning process, two community and staff teams — the Well-being Inquiry Team and the Well-being Advisory Team — came together to explore this priority area. Following an extensive qualitative and qualitative inquiry process, they narrowed this focus to two fundamental aspects:

Belonging — a person’s feeling of safety and connectedness where they can be authentic, supported by an inclusive culture that intentionally promotes relationships, builds trust and celebrates individuals
Balance — a person’s feeling of harmony between school and personal time that allows for satisfaction in all areas of life.

Belonging and balance both require a comprehensive approach that includes the continuous improvement of staff and student support services.

Continuous Improvement

This serves as the foundational element of the new strategic plan. Continuous improvement means taking a disciplined and ongoing approach to improving student and system outcomes tied to our strategic priorities and whole-child philosophy.

Our Strategic Priorities in Action

Students passing out copies of Golden Bears A to Z
Whole Learning
Engaging learning experiences
Dozens of students and staff members at Greensview Elementary School spent the 2018-2019 school year writing, illustrating, editing and marketing a book called “Golden Bears A to Z.” The book celebrates the people, places and traditions that make Upper Arlington such a special community. The project immersed students in real-world learning experiences, from signing a publishing contract to marketing the book to businesses and consumers across the community. “Golden Bears A to Z” is also part of the district’s long commitment to service learning, with proceeds benefiting the Upper Arlington Education Foundation. 
 
Students doing a kindness exercise during advisory 
Student and Staff Well-being
Building relationships
Students and teachers at both middle schools look forward to their weekly advisory time. These mini-communities focus on social-emotional learning, acceptance and support of self and others, and service learning. Similar groups spanning all grade levels exist at several of the elementary schools. These groups provide time for students to build important relationships with one another and with staff members. 
 
Students celebrating with a teacher and the bear mascot for Idea Hunt 
Continuous Improvement
Soliciting improvement ideas from within
During the 2018-2019 school year, Upper Arlington High School conducted its first Big Idea Hunt, soliciting system-improvement ideas from staff members. Approximately 75 percent of staff members took part in the process, which generated 65 ideas to support continuous improvement in the building. 
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