LM Nov-Dec.2019

Blankenship ... cont’d. In a few short years, Scott-

Morgan CUSD #2 transitioned from a district that lagged behind technology to a 21st century learning environment. “We have flooded our school with technology,” Kuhlmann says. Aligning Curriculum and Improving Assessment Scores

Professional development, however, is never a finished product in Scott-Morgan CUSD #2. Beginning this school year, the district’s leadership team plans to focus more on studying individual student growth versus whole classroom growth to better understand how each student is performing and to develop learning plans tailored toward each student. “Our district fostered countless hours of professional development that was provided by experts in the field and made the commitment to our staff to make the needed changes,” Blankenship says. Passed Two Referendums

Outdated textbooks and a curriculum that wasn’t aligned across grade levels was another focus for Blankenship. Under his leadership, Scott-Morgan CUSD #2 updated textbooks and curriculum and created a multi-year plan where teachers worked collaboratively to design new math, reading and ELA curricula. “We provided a stable, consistent, core curriculum to all students, which allowed our teachers and students to grow personally and professionally both in school and out,” Blankenship says. Improving scores on local, state and national assessments, especially at the high school level, was another priority for Blankenship. When he was hired, the average ACT score in Scott-Morgan CUSD #2 was below 16. Over the course of five years, scores increased 25 percent to an average of 20. In addition to technology enhancements and having an aligned curriculum, Blankenship credits the jump in assessment scores to transitioning the district toward a professional and student growth model of teacher and principal evaluation. Teachers in Scott-Morgan CUSD #2 are regularly evaluated and encouraged to reflect on their evaluations and develop individual professional development plans based on the feedback. The district also increased the amount of collaboration time teachers have to learn and grow with each other.

Also during his time as superintendent at Scott- Morgan CUSD #2, the district passed a property tax referendum to increase local funding. The increase in local revenue allowed the district to avoid eliminating positions or reducing programs at a time when pro-ration in general state aid forced many school districts to cut costs.

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LM Month 2019