First 100 Days: 60-Day Checkpoint

Three main initiatives continue to guide Dr. Watlington’s first 100 days as superintendent: the 100-day plan, the Listening and Learning tour, and the Transition Team. Dr. Watlington will use the findings from these three efforts to inform the development of a five-year strategic plan.

100-Day Plan

Dr. Watlington continues to work toward accomplishing all 38 action steps included in his 100-day plan. Since the 30-day checkpoint in mid-July, Dr. Watlington and District leadership have completed the following action steps:

• Engaged in 25 additional Listening and Learning sessions with students, parents, teachers, school leaders and staff, and central office staff.
• Hired a Grassroots Community Liaison who will report to Dr. Watlington and coordinate grassroots communication and District responses to community issues
• Conducted the first senior staff retreat, where Dr. Watlington and senior leaders convened to analyze District data and discuss successes, challenges, and needed improvements
• Scheduled the second senior staff retreat for December, where Dr. Watlington and senior leaders will build upon findings from the first retreat and discuss next steps toward achieving the Goals and Guardrails

Listening and Learning Tour

Dr. Watlington has engaged in 63 total Listening and Learning sessions in his first 60 days, including informal sessions with advocacy groups and community leaders. He engaged with more than 380 school leaders, 370 teachers and school-based staff, and 170 central office staff members across 28 total sessions. Dr. Watlington also held 14 sessions with over 420 city and community leaders in his first 60 days, and will continue to host sessions with community groups through the end of September. Student and family sessions are underway and will continue throughout the summer and beginning of the school year.

Transition Team

The Transition Team continues to meet in sub-committees focused on five key areas: student achievement, operations, anti-racist District culture, community engagement and communications, and well-rounded school experiences. Several sub-committees now include student members whose input and perspectives ensure that the Transition Team’s work is rooted in the student experience. Over the past 60 days, sub-committees have reviewed data and conducted focus groups with various stakeholders. In the next several weeks, sub-committees will use their findings and draft recommendations to be included in the final Transition Team report to be released in early October.