What Matters for Our Schools?
Learn more about what Kathleen Richards is looking to achieve for Higley Unified School District
Goal #1:
Student Retention
Education in Arizona is unique in the wide range of “Free Choice” from other districts to charter schools and private schools. Families have a myriad of choice for whom they trust to educate their students. Not only do we need to compete for the students we don’t have enrolled, we need to fight hard to keep our students. We also need to be sure we have a clear understanding of what drives families to pull their kids out of HUSD schools in favor of a different option. Tracking all of this information will give us tremendous insight into what our families need and want as well as where we are excelling. And in the business of AZ education, this data is intrinsic to our overall success as a district.
Goal #2:
Teacher Retention
We have amazing teachers in our district, and we want to ensure that these teachers feel respected and valued for the monumental tasks they undertake in the classroom each day. For those who chose to leave, be it for a different position in education or a job outside of a school setting, we need to understand how we can do better in terms of keeping the best of the best to educate our students.
Goal #3:
Academic Achievement
Once a teacher, always a teacher. As an educator, it is always front of mind that quality academics set students up for the best successes in life. Ensuring that we are offering the best curricula available that reflect the knowledge and needs of 2024 and beyond is paramount. As so much of our teaching of students ventures into the online realms, it is imperative to teach our students how to be stewards and safe consumers of technology.
Goal #4:
Respect
Education in Arizona is unique in the wide range of “Free Choice” from other districts to charter schools and private schools. Families have a myriad of choice for whom they trust to educate their students. Not only do we need to compete for the students we don’t have enrolled, we need to fight hard to keep our students. We also need to be sure we have a clear understanding of what drives families to pull their kids out of HUSD schools in favor of a different option. Tracking all of this information will give us tremendous insight into what our families need and want as well as where we are excelling. And in the business of AZ education, this data is intrinsic to our overall success as a district.
