05/27/2026
NEWLY ADOPTED STRATEGIC PLAN LOW EXPECTATIONS, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND TRANSPARENTCY
From: Gary Crawford
Sent: Wednesday, May 27, 2026 1:18 AM
To: '[email protected]' ; '[email protected]' ; '[email protected]' ; '[email protected]' ; '[email protected]' ; '[email protected]' ; '[email protected]' ; '[email protected]' ; '[email protected]' ; '[email protected]' ; '[email protected]' ; '[email protected]'
Cc: 'GREGORY DOVERSPIKE' ; 'THOMAS MCCARTY' ; '[email protected]' ; '[email protected]' ; '[email protected]' ; 'MoTimes' ; 'Wausau Pilot & Review''
Subject: NEWLY ADOPTED STRATEGIC PLAN LOW EXPECTATIONS, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND TRANSPARENTCY
DEPARTMENT HEADS, what is your detailed job description?
An educational organizational chart visualizes the chain of command, reporting lines, and delegation of responsibilities. Within this hierarchy, the vertical structure of curriculum ensures that learning objectives and skills build sequentially from one grade level to the next, promoting academic progression.
Hierarchy of Responsibilities
Understanding the division of labor across an academic institution is critical for accountability and effective curriculum delivery.
Key Curriculum Responsibilities
Superintendent / Board Approves long-term strategic educational goals, district-wide policies, and major academic budgets.
Principal / Head of School Manages the building-level operations, evaluates teaching staff, and ensures the curriculum is implemented effectively.
Curriculum Directors Designs and aligns the overall curriculum, updates academic standards, and selects instructional materials.
Department Chairs / Leads Mentors teachers within specific subjects (e.g., Math, Science), standardizes subject-specific assessments, and coordinates resource needs.
Teachers Delivers daily instruction, tracks student progress, and adapts curriculum to meet the diverse needs of the classroom.
Vertical Curriculum Structure
While the org chart dictates administrative command, the vertical structure dictates the what and how students learn over time.
• Scaffolding & Sequencing: Concepts are built on a continuum. For example, basic arithmetic must precede algebraic concepts.
• Vertical Alignment: Ensures that the exit expectations of a third-grade math class precisely match the entry requirements and foundational knowledge expected in the fourth-grade math class.
• Seamless Progression: Prevents gaps in instruction and reduces redundant learning by mapping standards across multiple grade levels.
Administrative vs. Curricular Flow
In a standard vertical organizational structure, leadership is top-down. Strategic directives are passed from the superintendent down to principals and teachers. However, modern educational organizations often utilize a matrix structure, which encourages curriculum feedback to flow both ways. This ensures that the teachers—who interact directly with the students—can inform and adjust curriculum frameworks based on classroom performance
ADMINISTRATION CANNOT ANSWER THIS QUESTION, CAN YOU?
• Are you an advocate of norm-based assessment?
• If so, please explain in detail.
• If not, what would you recommend as an alternative assessment strategy and why?
Re norm-based assessment, DOES STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT PERTAIN TO A PREDETERMINED PEER GROUP OR A BENCHMARK?
“If we are looking at our continuous improvement process and internal goals of our district, our goal is to increase the number of students who are meeting or exceeding benchmarks as we move to the goal of all students having proficiency standards.”
ALL STUDENTS DO HAVE PROFICIENCY STANDARDS
“Looking forward our students are going to need much more than simply being proficient at low level tasks like getting a C on a multiple-choice test.”
IS IT PROFICIENCY OR A LETTER GRADE C?
Re scope and sequence shown in the link below and the current MSD curriculum model, DOES SEQUENCE REFER TO CURRICULUM OR SEAT TIME?
https://www.vpredlands.org/accnt_369372/site_369373/Documents/K-5-Math-Program.pdf
“Currently, there is no doubt that K-12 organizations are structured around seat time and passing kids along through that organized seat time. As a district we have spent the past year talking about the historical organizational structures of our system that are presenting barriers to that progress and one that certainly comes across as outdated and a true barrier to innovating in our spaces is the notion of seat time as a measure of proficiency.”
WILL SCHOOL YEAR 26/27 BE SEAT TIME OR DISCIPLINE LEARNING CENTERS?
IMPERATIVE: CURRICULUM DELIVERY, REPLACE GRADE LEVELS WITH LEARNING CENTERS.
But remember this is just the first half of the equation, YOU CAN’T APPLY KNOWLEDGE YOU DON’T HAVE
KNOWLEDGE YOU CAN’T APPLY IS USELESS is the second half and a whole different discussion.
HOW WILL I USE TOMORROW WHAT YOU TEACH ME TODAY?
A SIDE NOTE:
30 years ago, MSD had a district k-12 reading coordinator. She admitted she met with the middle school maybe twice and high school once during the school year.
I inquired to a group of teachers if there was anyone interested in a k-12 math department head. A young teacher volunteered. When asked is she had a thorough knowledge of algebra, geometry, trigonometry, and calculus she replied, “OH NO”.
Administration and the board of education lack clarity and direction. Department heads, are you getting the picture? You are the vertical structure backbone of the school district.
The administrator noted above is confused and needs to be terminated.
Gary Crawford
https://www.facebook.com/GaryCrawfordMosineeSchoolBoard
Safety, Student Achievement, & Stewardship of Taxpayer Assets. Far more takes place in the MSD than what you read in THE MOSINEE LINK, both good and not so good.
