Jeffery Billings

The strategic plan is centered around empowering every learner for a lifetime of success. It focuses on engaging, inspiring, and nurturing students through high-quality instruction, meaningful educational opportunities, and dynamic learning experiences. The plan prioritizes student experience by providing supportive learning environments, aligning curriculum with assessment, and fostering multidisciplinary STEAM learning. It also emphasizes staff experience through professional learning opportunities and wellness programs, and aims to build community strength through partnerships and service-learning activities. Additionally, the plan promotes a supportive culture that values diverse thinking and optimized resources to advance the district's vision and goals.

The Paradise Valley Unified School District's K-12 Literacy Plan focuses on equitable literacy instruction from Pre-K through grade 12, utilizing evidence-based practices aligned with shared literacy standards. The plan emphasizes developing students' critical thinking, listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills across all content areas. Key goals include implementing a guaranteed viable curriculum, strengthening literacy achievement through Professional Learning Communities, refining assessment programs, improving core literacy instruction, implementing a core writing program, providing intervention supports, and creating a professional development plan to support literacy goals.

The Governing Board meeting included consideration and approval of various items such as the 2021-2022 District Organizational Chart, personnel actions, contracts, a partnership agreement with Maricopa County Department of Public Health, field trip requests, a parent athlete handbook, purchases from cooperative contracts, and the renewal of existing contracts. The board also considered and approved resolutions related to investments for fiscal year 2022, sole source contracts, cooperative purchasing agreements, and an easement agreement with Arizona Public Service Company. Additionally, the meeting involved the acceptance of a student activities fund financial report, ratification of vouchers, and revisions to a policy on public concerns/complaints about personnel. Finally, the board considered and approved the Fiscal Year 2022 State of Arizona School District Annual Expenditure Budget and the acceptance of gifts and donations.

The meeting included a review of rules for virtual meetings, the Pledge of Allegiance, and approval of the agenda and consent agenda items. Governing board statements included expressions of gratitude to educators, parents, and staff. Awards and recognitions were presented, and public comments were summarized, covering topics such as reopening schools, health protocols, and metrics for decision-making. The Superintendent's comments covered parent-teacher conferences, a partnership with Mayo Clinic for student internships, a preschool event, and student reflections on virtual learning. Consent agenda items included approval of minutes, personnel actions, construction updates, financial reports, and contract renewals and awards. Gifts and donations were accepted. A legislative update was presented, and a PVSchools update discussed the return to in-person learning, including flexibility for families, vaccination plans for staff, metrics for future decisions, and extended learning opportunities.

The strategic plan for Paradise Valley Unified School District (PVSchools) outlines priorities and commitments to student success, incorporating input from students, staff, and stakeholders. It identifies new goal areas, including student and staff experience, educational environments, community strength, optimizing resources, and diversity, equity, and inclusion. The plan aims to provide learning environments with rich academic and extracurricular experiences, foster a supportive work environment, promote equitable educational experiences, build meaningful community relationships, and develop diverse thinking.