Julia DeGroot

The Kent ISD Strategic Plan, named LEAD, serves as a foundational roadmap providing clear direction and driving meaningful impact. It is guided by core values including relationships, learning, equity, opportunities, innovation, service, and excellence. The plan establishes five key goals: positioning Kent ISD as a leader in student-centered programming and regional educational services, building an organizational culture of transparency and accountability, recruiting and retaining a thriving workforce, developing and enhancing community partnerships, and proactively addressing the evolving needs of the work environment. Its overarching vision is to build thriving communities through meaningful partnerships and equitable educational opportunities for all learners.

The Kent ISD board is considering approving United Commercial Services as the custodial contractor for several buildings, including Lincoln School, LDC, LCC, Empower U South, and KEC-Oakleigh buildings. Bids were received from 13 different bidders for a 2-year cleaning contract. United Commercial Services met or exceeded expectations for service, with a cost reflective of an appropriate staffing plan and wage scale. Their proposal was competitive when factors like turnover rates and cleaning hours were considered.

The Kent ISD Strategic Plan, LEAD, serves as a guide for the organization's mission, providing direction and actionable steps for meaningful impact. It focuses on aligning decisions, resources, and partnerships to support continuous improvement across educational systems. The plan emphasizes collaboration, educator support, and student preparedness for the future, with a commitment to strengthening education in Kent County. The plan includes goals to position Kent ISD as a leader in student-centered programming, build a culture of transparency and accountability, recruit a diverse workforce, demonstrate value as a community partner, and proactively address the evolving needs of the work environment.

This agenda item focuses on the approval of Lite Load Services LLC for parking lot and drive improvements at Kent Aviation Center and the main campus. Lite Load Services was the lowest bidder at \$327,985, offering a 15-30 year lifespan for the replacement asphalt. The poor condition of the existing parking lots and drives necessitated this project.

This document outlines a theory of action for raising literacy achievement in Michigan. It posits that high levels of student achievement result from well-defined core instructional practices, supported by educator and system-level resources. The plan emphasizes the use of essential instructional practices in literacy across all grade levels, aligned policies and resources, development of literacy leadership at various levels, embedded professional learning through coaching, and strengthening literacy instructional practices for all teachers. The ultimate goal is to ensure all Michigan children develop strong literacy knowledge, skills, and dispositions. The plan includes details on professional learning design, emphasizing job-embedded, ongoing professional learning with a blended model of online and face-to-face experiences, and a statewide literacy mentors' network.