Building and District Updates

Each month brings new opportunities and challenges within the educational setting. We are thankful for the support and will continue to finds ways to support your son or daughter. In this month's update you will gain insight around the following:

1. Strategic Planning
2. What's Happening in Our Buildings?
3. Bond Updates
4. Communication Outlets (Winter weather is fast approaching)
5. Weather Related Announcements and Decisions
6. Annual Financial Report for FY24
7. Superintendent's Message: Personal Leadership Goals

Don't forget!! Monday, 11.18 and Tuesday, 11.19 are non-student attendance days!

As we strive to enhance our school system, strategic planning plays a vital role in this journey. Establishing a clear mission and vision is essential, and we are actively seeking feedback from our leadership teams to shape a comprehensive plan for the next five years. Our strategic plan will incorporate core values that guide our efforts and outline goals that align with our identified priorities. We will assess and share our progress annually as we advance. At the close of this academic year, our school board will convene with our administrative team in a collaborative work session to finalize our five-year strategic plan, which will be implemented in the fall of 2025.

Each month we will link the building level newsletter on the district wide communication. As feedback comes in, we will make adjustments as needed. Thanks!

Our community forums have been going really well, and we are excited the November 5th is nearly here! We have one forum date left, and that is THIS Sunday in the MS commons.

November 3rd @ 3:30 in the Middle School

If you have yet to check out our new Bond website, please do so by clicking HERE. It is filled with great information. Below are a few thoughts from a couple middle school students. Get out and vote this Tuesday!!

We have a variety of ways to stay connected with all things FCSD. Please check out these options connected the district as a whole, and like or follow them!

Follow us on Facebook by clicking HERE

Follow us on X by clicking HERE

Follow us on Instagram by clicking HERE

The next few months in Iowa bring challenging weather patterns, which often result in disruption to the normal school day or week. If a delay, early release or cancellation is necessary, we will do our best to make decisions early, providing you the time to make the necessary accommodations. We encourage you to download our app designed for Android or Apple, “Fairfield CSD”, for the earliest notifications.

Weather related announcements are also communicated through email, social media and local media outlets.

Informational Sources

We participate in informational meetings with the National Weather Service (NWS) out of the Quad Cities for most recent and accurate updates when severe weather is forecasted. Depending on the severity of the storm, conversations through webcast or phone occur mid-day prior and following morning at 4:30AM. Our Director of Transportation assesses roads throughout the district the evening before and next morning, while also gathering information from the Jefferson County Roads Dept. If the NWS issues an “Advisory”, we will closely monitor the weather, but not likely delay or cancel. If a “Warning” is issued by the NWS, we will cancel or delay, until the Warning expires or is downgraded.

Weather Related Announcement Timing

We do our best to make weather related announcements are made by 5:45AM. A cancellation or delay may be announced the evening before. If a 2-hour delay is announced the evening before and a change is made to cancellation, this will be announced prior to 7:30AM.

Parent Decision

We honor every family’s decision related to weather and travel. If school is not delayed or cancelled and you are uncomfortable with the current conditions, please contact your child’s school to report the weather-related absence and it will be excused. We support your decision!

Please click HERE to review the annual financial report.

As a first-year superintendent, it is clear that there is a wealth of knowledge to acquire! Part of my professional development this year is tied to the Iowa Individual Administrator Professional Development Plan. All administrators engage with this plan annually to identify avenues for improvement. As a licensed superintendent in Iowa, I am required to meet ten standards each year, known as the Iowa Standards for School Leaders (ISSL). These standards can be accessed HERE. My leadership objectives for this year are closely aligned with these standards. Below are the three goals that have been established. Throughout the year, I will receive feedback from the board regarding my progress toward these goals, culminating in a final performance review in late spring of 2025.

Goals:

1. Create a renewed mission and vision for the District that will start in the fall of 2025.

2. Collaboratively analyze the current learning goals and achievement data to understand student trends, and help initiate any steps for growth through sound professional development.

3. Gain a thorough understanding of the people, systems, institutional practices, and policies that make the FCSD what it is.

Progress indicators will be shared with the board throughout the year to maintain accountability. As always, please feel free to reach out if you have any questions.

-Mr. Wigle