Civil Municipal - May 2024

of creating a learning environment where every student feels a sense of belonging and has access to opportunities for growth.“What that means is that we engage, and no matter what your demographic circumstances are, we create an opportunity for growth. We position our students to thrive in what we know to be the most diverse global society that has ever existed,” he portrays. PRIORITIZING LITERACY Central to the district’s approach is a focus on literacy which is carried across the entire organization, empowering students to become active participants in their education and the world around them. Dr. Clardy, asserts,“We know that it is more than just the ability to read, it encompasses the ability to be free. There’s no way to navigate our society, as a citizen of the United States, if you don’t have the literacy skills to be able to have critical thinking abilities, to be able to navigate and understand information, and to be able to disseminate your own opinions into the world.” BUILDING A STRONG FOUNDATION In the early childhood years, Verona Area School District partners with families, businesses, and caregivers who are part of the child’s early development, to support strong foundations for learning from the start. “It is a priority for us. It is something that we know doesn’t just happen naturally, we have to have intentional strategies that allow that work to happen,” says Dr. Clardy. “We have one of the most amazing early childhood coordinators that I’ve ever worked with, Jennifer Larson. It’s been a strong partnership. And we are getting stronger with each year that we put on the organization.” EQUITABLE OPPORTUNITIES With a robust STEAM curriculum, ensuring equitable access to all students is top of mind in the district. “One of the things that we are intentionally looking for is not just access overall, but who’s accessing it,” Dr. Clardy, says.“We’ve noticed in some demographic data trends that the level of access broken down by race and also especially down by gender has not been equitable.” By focusing on marketing, engaging with families, and supporting students, they aim to 243 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 05, ISSUE 05 VERONA AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT