This integration ensures effective resource sharing, enabling all students, regardless of which school they attend, to benefit from consistent, high-quality education. “We’re really committed to engaging all of our students with rigorous, hands-on, individualized learning. We support that, especially with our high school students, through multiple pathways to graduation. Our portrait of the ideal graduate focuses on transferable skills like clear and effective communication, for example,” says Superintendent Brooke Olsen-Farrell. Olsen-Farrell and the rest of Slate Valley’s leadership focus on aligning every decision with the district’s mission of preparing students to continue to learn and lead after they graduate. Naturally, that requires a lot from Slate Valley’s leaders and teachers, so collaboration is the foundation of operations within the district. From teachers and staff to parents and community members, everyone plays a vital role in shaping the educational experience. Coming out of the pandemic, Slate Valley recognized the impact of disrupted learning, particularly in early literacy and socialization. However, the district has long since implemented strategies to remedy the issue. “We’ve worked really hard in this district, with the help of our instructional coaches and multi-tiered system of support (MTSS) coach to develop a system to meet our student’s academic, behavioral, social, and emotional needs,” Olsen-Farrell states. Similarly, teacher retention remains a challenge in rural areas like Slate Valley. With limited housing, economic opportunities, and resources, recruiting and retaining qualified educators is a large feat. “We used to have teachers with more than 25 years of experience in this district. Now most of our teaching staff is less than 10 years… so having those job-embedded coaches who help newer teachers gain experience and learn the instructional practices needed to meet students where they are has been so important for our district,” Olsen-Farrell explains. 298 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 01
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