JCPS outlines strategic plan for upcoming school year, coming years

Jefferson City Public Schools presented its strategic plan Monday for the upcoming school year and the years ahead.

Superintendent Larry Linthacum laid out his short and long term goals for the district during the work session for the board of education.

Short term, Linthacum said he wants to improve the district’s attendance rate which was about 85 percent this past school year.

That was down a little bit from the two school years before, according to district officials.

Long term, the superintendent wants to get all students to read at or above their grade level. Data from the past school year is not yet finalized.

The rest of the work session centered around what teachers and staff will be doing to help students meet those goals.

For example, ABC 17 News reported that JCPS is hiring 17 additional full time employees for the upcoming school year. That will allow the district to have instructional coaches or supports in every building to assist with learning and behavior issues.

The district also spent $900,000 on new math resources with the tax levy that voters passed in April.

“We want 100 percent of our students reading on grade level or better,” said Steve Bruce, the president of the board of education. “… If a chart is showing a trend line in a different direction that we’re not very happy with or that we would otherwise like to see something better, it’s important that we have those conversations.”

The board also approved a lease-purchase agreement for new devices across the district Monday. The increased tax levy is also allowing the district to provide more Chromebooks and iPads for students in grades K-8.

The board additionally selected Nebholz Corporation for construction management at risk for the construction of the second high school. Negotiations with the strict are set to start soon along with a more detailed timeline for construction.