Hemet Unified School District is making great strides in providing a learning environment in which all students can succeed. Recently, the district received recognition from the Riverside County Office of Education and was awarded two Models of Excellence for its work in providing a Culture of Continuous Improvement and Integrated Systems Framework Development.
Idyllwild’s trustee on the HUSD governing board, Vic Scavarda, said, “I think these two awards represent a serious effort on the part of the district to provide support for site principals and staff according to what they identify as resources they need to help their kids.
“A lot of thought and effort has gone into this, and it is gratifying that Riverside County recognized this,” he continued in his email.
At the 16th-annual Riverside County Education Summit, HUSD staff led two workshops to describe their progress in Continuous Improvement and Integrated Systems Framework Development.
HUSD Superintendent Christi Barrett and Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services Tracy Chambers led the first workshop — Culture of Continuous Improvement: Implementation of Academic Standards, School Climate, Student Achievement and Student Engagement.
They described the district’s need to create systems and processes to refine the work of staff to improve the outcomes for all students. They went into detail about new systems, which were put in place, such as the district office becoming a structure of support for staff instead of the district office telling sites how they should run.
Barrett and Chambers also described the work-around action plans and how data show support staff’s decisions for implementation and revisions.
Assistant Superintendent of Student Services Dr. Karen Valdes and Director of Student Support Services Dr. Tracy Piper led the Integrated Systems Framework workshop. This workshop focused on the district’s development to weave Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports Response into Intervention, and physical/mental health services, into a tiered system.
This system was designed to enhance school climate, school-based services and community collaboration, and meet the needs of all students academically, behaviorally and socio-emotionally. The two described the work-around community collaboration and its partnerships with various organizations that can further support the needs of students and their families.
Barrett has said, “With the continued support of the community, we know we will reach our goal of becoming the Premier Choice School District.”
