Wahpeton Elementary School

School Strategy Map

Map Name: 2025-2026 Wahpeton Elementary Continuous Improvement Plan
Time Period: 6/1/2025 - 6/1/2026
Vision

We empower learners with the tools and skills needed for success. Our vision is to develop effective communicators with strong social skills who demonstrate respect for themselves, others, and the world around them. We foster critical thinkers who approach problems with curiosity and resilience.

Mission

Empowering Lifelong Learning

Beliefs
"
  • Prioritizing learners, educators, and families because they are the core of our school.
  • Providing opportunities that shape personal learning and growth.
  • Fostering communication and teamwork towards a shared vision.
  • Creating a safe place for learners to thrive.
  • Pursuing knowledge, skills, and growth.
"
School Culture & Climate
Creating and maintaining a safe, supportive, and inclusive school environment will help students reach their goals.
Opportunities to Learn
Creating and maintaining academic programs that challenge all students will prepare them for their future.
Growth & Fulfilment
Respond to staff needs to maintain a positive and supportive work environment.
Objectives
  • Foster a safe, inclusive, and supportive environment that promotes student well-being and engagement.
Objectives
  • Ensure all students have access to high-quality, standards-based instruction that prepares them for future success.
Objectives
  • Support continuous professional growth and collaboration among educators to improve instructional practices.
Critical Initiative
  • Attendance Initiative – Implement a building-wide attendance campaign to reduce chronic absenteeism through incentives, parent engagement, and partnerships with outside agencies.
  • Implement Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) to promote positive behavior.
  • JET Student Mentoring Program – Partner with Wahpeton High School students to mentor targeted elementary students, promoting leadership, positive role modeling, and connectedness across grade levels.
  • Kindergarten–1st Grade Transition Activities – Facilitate K–1 transition activities to promote readiness and reduce anxiety.
  • Lunch Buddies Program – Build cross-generational relationships by pairing students with adult mentors during lunch to foster social-emotional growth and belonging.
Critical Initiative
  • Continue integration of Science of Reading practices, including LETRS and Keys to Vocabulary, to strengthen foundational literacy skills across all grade levels.
  • Enhance learning opportunities by embedding technology into instruction, including Project Lead the Way, Makerspace Lab and other STEM-based programs.
  • Implement Everyday Math (grade 1) IXL Takeoff (grades 2-5) ensuring alignment with state standards.
  • Maximize the impact of Schoolwide Title I by targeting resources and instructional supports to ensure equity in access and achievement.
  • Provide targeted, aligned MTSS interventions across all tiers with responsive Tier 1 instruction and progress monitoring using STAR and data tools.
  • Strengthen collaborative professional learning structures: Grade level PLCs, Vertical PLCs, Data-driven Monthly PLCs, Grade Level Common Planning
  • Utilize instructional coaching and content-specific professional development to support effective use of new resources and ensure fidelity of implementation.
Critical Initiative
  • Facilitate weekly Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) for collaborative planning and data analysis.
  • Offer content-specific professional development.
  • Recognize and celebrate staff achievements to promote a positive work environment.
Key Measures
  • Mentoring Participation Numbers
  • Student Attendance and Chronic Absenteeism
  • SWIS Data
Key Measures
  • Evidence of Aligned PLC work
  • ND A+ Data
  • STAR Math and Reading Data
  • Tier 2/3 intervention progress monitoring
Key Measures
  • Collaborative Planning through PLC evidence
  • Curriculum Fidelity Checks and Look Fors
  • Instructional Improvement: PLC documentation
Family Involvement
To increase family involvement school-wide
Objectives
  • To provide opportunities for families to be engaged in their child's academic, social and emotional
Critical Initiative
  • Communication with families through principal's weekly online newsletter
  • Partnering for Attendance and School Success
  • Provide monthly family involvement activities school-wide
Key Measures
  • Participation rate in family events
  • Schoolwide Title I Parent Survey Results
  • Student Attendance and Chronic Absenteeism
  • SWIS Data
The Strategy Map has been created in collaboration with The North Dakota Department of Public Instruction and Cognia™.

All schools in North Dakota participate in a Continuous Improvement process. Continuous Improvement means examining a school’s current reality including demographics, culture, technology, finances, and academic progress, among many other factors. In addition, Continuous Improvement means looking into the future and predicting what may change – what will be different a year from now, or 10 years from now.

 

During the 2018-2019 school year, all schools in North Dakota participated in this Continuous Improvement journey. School personnel participated in training and collaborated with diverse stakeholders such as community members, teachers, parents and students to map out what the school’s priorities are, what the school’s objectives are and what critical initiatives needed to be implemented to achieve those objectives. This planning process resulted in a Strategy Map – a 3 to 5-year plan for the school.

 

It is important to note that the Strategy Map is a snapshot in time. It is documentation of what the school’s priorities were the past school year. In this case the Strategy Map below was captured and submitted on May 1, 2019. It is equally important to note that the Strategy Map below may have changed since its submittal. This is because priorities may have changed quickly depending on numerous factors. Factors can include, but are not limited to, a natural disaster, a high staff turn-over rate, or an influx or decrease of students. To obtain a copy of this schools current and update Strategy Map, please contact the local school administrator.



Please contact North Dakota's Department of Public Instruction with any questions and feedback via email to the following address: dpidashboard@nd.gov