Civil Municipal - Feb 2024

collaborative culture, and results orientation, where we’re using data to inform what we do,” maintains VanDaff. A balanced assessment system is also key, with formative assessment information guiding the next steps of instruction. Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) ensure that students’ academic needs are met, as well as extending beyond academics to address social-emotional needs, demonstrating a commitment to overall student well-being. INFRASTRUCTURE AND SAFETY INITIATIVES With district funding predominantly determined based on pupil count, Goss admits that most of these dollars are used to fund the daily operations of the district, leaving little leftover for infrastructure improvements. “Like most districts in the state of Michigan, we will go to the public periodically, for voter-approved bond issues that are repaid through property taxes, specifically earmarked for debt issues,” he recounts. accelerated instruction and learning initiatives, through a partnership with the Kalamazoo Regional Educational Service Agency (KRESA). He mentions that the district also has a robust and growing robotics program that spans the elementary and high school levels. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND METHODOLOGY Vicksburg Community Schools has initiated a five- year strategic plan with a focus on staff retention and a focus on professional development through cohort-based instructional skills courses “What those classes are designed to do is calibrate our teaching, our assessment, our instruction, all of that, so that all our teachers are speaking the same language,” O’Neill explains. The district’s methodology aims for consistency, ensuring all students receive the same quality education. “That falls within the framework and the principles of a professional learning community, looking at ensuring that all students learn, 216 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 5, ISSUE 02