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Strategic Plan
New Strategic Plan
WASHINGTON
TOWNSHIP
SCHOOLS
Strategic Plan 2025-2030
A Message from the Superintendent
Dear Members of the Washington Township Schools Community,
It is with great pride and enthusiasm that I present our new 5-Year Strategic Plan, a visioning document that charts the future of our dynamic metropolitan school district. Grounded in our unwavering commitment to student success, this plan reflects the voices, hopes, and aspirations of the people who make our schools exceptional — our students, families, educators, staff, and community.
At the heart of this work is our Mission: to nurture our students into tomorrow’s leaders by cultivating learning environments that ignite innovation, amplify diverse and critical thinking, and inspire growth and achievement. Our vision is bold and clear — Every Panther, Every Day – Connected, Challenged, and Celebrated! These guiding ideas are more than just words; they define our purpose and our path forward.
This plan is the result of an extraordinary and inclusive engagement process. Over the past year, more than 5,000 survey responses were collected from stakeholders including students, staff, and parents or caregivers, 10 focus groups composed of various stakeholders were convened, and more than 80 school-based meetings with staff in various roles were held during site visits. In addition, we hosted three community listening tours to ensure we captured the breadth and depth of our community’s assessment and vision for our schools.
I want to extend my deepest gratitude to our Strategic Plan Steering Committee, a dedicated group of educators, leaders, parents, and community members who gave up multiple days to help shape the architecture of this plan. Their insight, passion, and commitment to excellence were invaluable. Thank you for taking a “Dream Big, but Focus Small” approach for our students and staff.
As we launch this plan, we embark on a journey rooted in purpose, unity, and high expectations. With strategic goals that support every learner, empower our staff, and strengthen community connections, we are positioned to reach new heights over the next five years. Together, We Grow Panthers — from Pre-K to graduation — by delivering exceptional learning experiences cultivating the leaders of tomorrow.
In partnership,
Dr. Sean Taylor
Superintendent of Schools
MSD of Washington Township
MISSION
Our mission is to nurture our students into tomorrow’s leaders by cultivating learning environments that ignite innovation, amplify diverse and critical thinking, and inspire growth and achievement.
VISION
Every Panther, Every Day - Connected, Challenged, and Celebrated
PANTHERS ARE
Compassionate:
Possess a big heart, value empathy, and create a supportive, respectful environment for all.
Well-Rounded:
Demonstrate strong leadership, versatile skills, and global awareness, prepared to thrive anywhere.
Critical Thinkers:
Approach problems creatively and make thoughtful decisions in and beyond the classroom.
Collaborative:
Value teamwork, respect diverse perspectives, and build strong relationships.
Lifelong Learners:
Embrace curiosity, adapt to change, and continuously seek growth.
We Grow Panthers!
Rigorous Learning for All
We will elevate academic excellence by providing engaging, challenging, and equitable learning experiences that meet each student’s unique academic and social-emotional needs, ensuring all learners grow, thrive, and reach their full potential.
We will…
Implement a guaranteed and viable blueprint for learning that enhances rigor and engagement across academic disciplines.
Provide equitable access to opportunities and resources through our multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS), while elevating students as active partners in the process.
Create a cohesive, data-driven student support system that aligns our student services with district-wide priorities, enhances cross-functional collaboration, and maximizes community partnerships.
Expand access to Pre-K, Dual Language Immersion (DLI), Science Technology Engineering Arts and Mathematics (STEAM), Career and Technical Education (CTE), and Dual Credit programming.
Community and Connection
We will foster a connected and inclusive school community where students, staff, and families feel valued, respected, and supported.
We will…
Create a Panther Guide for each grade level that outlines expectations and opportunities for all stakeholders.
Develop effective and standardized student and family orientation opportunities.
Prioritize community engagement opportunities that are accessible and that allow all stakeholders to engage in the mission and vision of our school district.
Effective Communication
We will ensure transparent, timely, purposeful, and accessible streamlined communication that keeps families, staff, and the broader community informed, engaged, and aligned with the district’s mission.
We will…
Develop a communications plan governing internal and external communications for stakeholder groups ensuring accessibility, clear cadence, important information, and archiving.
Communicate with secondary students through school district applications so that students receive important information.
Incorporate positive stories into regular messaging so that students, families, and the community are aware.
Organizational Growth and Development
We will invest in growth, enhance retention, align priorities, and streamline systems to cultivate engagement and leadership among students, staff, and families.
We will…
Develop and implement a portal to streamline information useful to employee success.
Implement systematic and responsive professional learning to improve instructional leadership.
Expand and align recognition of staff and students.
Cultivate a deliberate approach to promote a student-to-staff pipeline.
Our Goals
to target by 2030
Attendance
Attendance rate improves from 94.3% to 97%
Community and Connection
Stakeholder satisfaction surveys demonstrate improved experiences in our schools
Discipline
Percentage of students who commit fewer than two discipline offenses annually improves from 81.2% to 95%
Employee Retention
Effective and Highly Effective Teacher retention rate increases from 88.8% to 95%
Enrollment
Enrollment of students living in Washington Township who choose our schools increases from 82% to 90%
Graduation Rate
Graduation rate improves from 90.4% to 95%
Honors Seal
Every North Central senior earns an Honors Seal on their high school diploma
ILEARN
Combined English Language Arts (ELA) and Math ILEARN proficiency improves from 26% to 70%
IREAD-3
IREAD-3 proficiency improves from 83.9% to 95%
A Special Thank You
to our project steering team
- Erica Beard, Parent/Elementary Principal
- Tim Blom, Director of Teaching and Learning, Grades K-5
- Josh Bolles, Parent/ Assistant Director of Operations
- Jess Bowyer, Parent/ Parent Council Network Representative
- Angela Britain-Smith, Director of Operations
- Anthony Dean, Washington Township Education Association President/Elementary Teacher
- Crystal Haslett, Coordinator of Student Support Services
- Emily Kaiser, Parent/Washington Township Schools Foundation Executive Director
- Dr. Matt Kaiser, Parent/Assistant Superintendent of Operational Services
- Mike Kneebone, Director of Technology
- Tracey Horth Krueger, School Board Liaison
- Elizabeth Perez, Parent/School Office Personnel
- Dr. Nataki Pettigrew, Assistant Superintendent of Academic Services
- Jagga Rent, Parent/High School Principal
- Ellen Rogers, Communications Manager
- Dr. Rachel Sever, Director of Teaching and Learning, Grades 9-12
- Dr. Wendy Skibinski, Director of Student Services
- Becky Smith, Chief Financial Officer
- Dr. Sean Taylor, Superintendent
- Dr. Crystal Thorpe, Director of Teaching and Learning, Grades 6-8
For more information, visit
https://www.msdwt.k12.in.us
Washington Township Schools
@whywtschools
@msdwt
Strategic Plan Download
Download a PDF of our 2025-2030 Strategic Plan here.