Dear Plum Families,
Welcome to the 2024–2025 academic year! There is already so much discovery and delight happening in our schools. It promises to be another wonderful season of learning and growth.
One endeavor that I am particularly excited about is now underway. Recently over 80 students, parents, educators, community leaders came together to begin to sketch a Portrait of a Graduate. Together, they considered the defining values of our district and the traits a student should cultivate in order to be a thriving member of our community.
Plum brings a unique context and character that shapes our students. The Portrait of a Graduate is designed to give voice to those strengths. With the skillful guidance of the national not-for-profit Battelle for Kids, we gathered for dialogue and reflection. Battelle for Kids has a proven process to empower communities to articulate their distinctive vision for what success looks like in their schools, homes, workplaces, and organizations.
In the coming months, we will continue to refine this sketch into a Portrait of Graduate. This inventory will be a potent tool for ensuring that our instruction at every level is focused and strategic. From kindergarten through commencement our students have a unified experience that gives them the skills they need to achieve their ambitions.
A special thanks to Dr. Ashley Boyers and the Design Team for their work on this project. The energy and enthusiasm at our kick-off meeting was palpable and I know this will be a dynamic process that energizes learning in our schools.
Sincerely,
Dr. Rick A. Walsh
Superintendent, Plum Borough School District