Casa Grande Union High School District superintendent outlines priorities for student success

Jeff Lavender, superintendent of the Casa Grande Union High School District, opened the address by welcoming families and staff and stating the district’s guiding motto: “inspiring excellence.”

Lavender outlined several district priorities he said will drive decisions: fostering a culture of collective efficacy so staff work together to improve student outcomes; providing a guaranteed and viable curriculum that prepares students for college and job training; and using data as the district’s primary tool for tracking achievement and informing instruction. “Our mission in the Casa Grande Union High School District is: all of our students will graduate college and/or career ready,” he said.

Lavender described four “critical questions of learning” the district will use to guide teaching and assessment: what each student needs to learn; how the district will know a student has learned it; how staff will respond when a student doesn’t learn on the first attempt; and how they will enrich students who have mastered material. He emphasized individualized, skill-by-skill instruction and balanced assessment as components of that approach.

Equity was a central theme of the address. Lavender defined equity to include a guaranteed and viable curriculum, high-quality instruction, a balanced assessment system, additional time and support, and fair and accurate grading for all students. He framed relationships and collaboration among staff, students and families as essential to implementing those values.

Closing the remarks, Lavender said the district’s core belief is that “your children are our children,” and he invited community members to join the district’s work to “inspire excellence.”