School Board presentation - January 22, 2024

The Moon Area School Board presented its 2024 Strategic and Comprehensive Plan at a January 22 meeting, with the board expected to approve the plans at its February 26 meeting before submitting the comprehensive plan to the Pennsylvania Department of Education, which is due March 31, 2024. The board described the strategic plan as a five-year, broad-coverage document and the comprehensive plan as a three-year plan focused on educational goals from a needs assessment and tied to PDE mandates.

The presentation opened with enrollment data showing 4,106 students for the 2023-24 school year, including students in outside placements, with projections rising to 4,322 by 2027-28. The district reported a low-income student population of 26.45 percent for 2023-24, up from 15.58 percent in 2012-13, and English learner enrollment of 302 students, compared with just 11 in 2013-14, across 22 different languages.

Several strategic teams shared their action plans. The Communications team plans to survey staff on family communication and conduct a district-wide communication survey across all channels. Safety and Security outlined goals to revise emergency response plans and create a three- to five-year training plan, including a physical security audit with law enforcement. Career Education will use Smart Futures for career portfolios, promote Naviance at the high school, and strengthen the Junior Project. The English Language Development program set goals to provide a research-based language improvement plan and support student transitions, with action steps including multilingual forms and a family liaison. Teacher Induction plans to guide new staff through induction, explain Level 2 certification requirements, and conduct a district tour with the teachers' association. Student Services addressed social and emotional learning, professional development attendance, and an assessment plan to share student data with families. The meeting concluded with a question-and-answer period.