Interim SuperintendentTianay Amat 30-60-90 Plan

Dear CPS Families, Staff and Community: I am honored to step into the role of interim superintendent. It might be summer, but we are full speed ahead at Cincinnati Public Schools! I want to take a moment to recognize our dedicated staff and families, share our plans for the next academic year as well as my 30-60-90 day plan.

The month-long CPS Summer Scholars program is wrapping up, and it has been wonderful for our students to spend extra time in classrooms on both academics and enrichment. As I’ve visited schools these last few weeks, the smiles on the faces of our young people say it all.

After a year like no other, I am so thankful for our principals, teachers and staff who have stepped up to create such a special opportunity for all of our young people.

We are incredibly grateful for our ongoing partnership with the Cincinnati Health Department, which has already provided hundreds of CPS students and families with vaccines. The Health Department provided clinics at all CPS high schools and will continue to offer vaccines at our events and schools throughout the summer. These efforts will expand once students younger than 12 become eligible for a vaccine.

We are prepared for a return to school for the fall. Our students, preschool through grade 12, will experience full-time, 5-days per week of in-person learning in the fall.

Families who prefer a remote option can enroll in our Cincinnati Digital Academy (CDA). Teachers will offer an experience that includes more frequent Google Meets than traditional online schooling. We are committed to continuing to create a safe environment for staff and students.

During the 2021-2022 academic year, not only will we return to our classrooms, but we will continue to roll out innovative and exciting updates to our strategy.This includes a focus on literacy, curriculum updates that better and more accurately reflect our CPS student population and additional social and emotional supports for our students. Our strategy refresh is outlined later in this report and found on our website. www.cps-k12.org/about-cps/strategic-plan

In order to excel in academics, we must return JOY to our classrooms and our workplace.

I know what brings me joy is our ability to collectively help all children flourish, seeing faces light up in discovery and — perhaps most exciting — when our young people finally find their own passion and path in life. I suspect this is true for all of our educators and administrators.

As we head into next year, we need to give ourselves and each other permission to not only look for joy but actively find opportunities to bring joy back into our daily lives.

I look forward to being on the journey of the next several months together, with each one of you.

With Joy,

“As I’ve visited schools these last few weeks, the smiles on the faces of our young people say it all.” Tianay AmatInterim SuperintendentCincinnati Public Schools

Tianay Amat

RETURNING

JOY TO OUR CLASSROOMS AND OUR WORKPLACE

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Tianay Amat’s Biography Tianay Amat is Interim Superintendent of Cincinnati Public Schools (CPS), Ohio’s third-largest school district, serving more than 35,000 students. Prior to being named Interim Superintendent, Ms. Amat served as CPS Deputy Superintendent. Her responsibilities included supervising directors of school leadership and school principals. She also supervised four departments: Curriculum, Early Childhood, Testing and the Office of Accountability and Research.

During the 2012-2017 school years, Ms. Amat was the principal of Hyde Park School in CPS. Ms. Amat was recognized as the Administrator of the year by the Cincinnatus Association in 2015 and the Community Builder of the Year by the Hyde Park Neighborhood Council in 2016.

Previously, Ms. Amat taught at Rockdale Academy, held administrative positions in Lakota and Princeton school districts and was a teacher within New York City public schools.

With more than 20 years of experience in education, Ms. Amat’s journey has equipped her to support the district’s vision to “ensure equitable access to a world-class education, unleashing the potential of every student.” Her diverse leadership experience includes the core belief that through collaboration with all stakeholders, we can serve and develop compassionate students who are academically and socially prepared to choose a career pathway in our ever-changing world.

Ms. Amat holds a master of science in education degree from the State University of New York and a master of science in education administration degree from the University of Cincinnati.

CPS Commitment to Equity andAnti-Racism Equity: Cincinnati Public Schools students, staff and stakeholders bring their personal backgrounds into our schools and the District is richer for it. Each has a legitimate expectation to have a barrier-free learning environment counteracting the contemporary and historical impact of bias, prejudice and discrimination which, for generations, has produced a predictability of learning outcomes based on race, class, socioeconomics, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, cognitive/physical ability, diverse language fluency and religion.

Anti-Racism: Cincinnati Public Schools rejects all forms of racism as destructive to the District’s mission, vision, values, and goals. We are committed to the following principles:

• Establishing and sustaining a school community that shares the collective responsibility to confront, eliminate, and prevent actions, decisions, and outcomes that result from and perpetuate racism.

• Embracing the racial diversity within our District while actively eliminating practices that perpetuate the racial disparities among our students so that all students have the opportunity to benefit equally.

• Acknowledging that racism is often compounded by other forms of discrimination.

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CPS Strategy Year 3 Refresh: Hope is Here The last year required a new level of creativity and agility as Cincinnati Public Schools (CPS) partnered with families, students, teachers, staff and the community to reinvent education in Cincinnati. As we incorporate our learnings into the third year of our strategic plan and beyond, we are laying the foundation for hope. We know that our students’ future is bright! Join us in imagining a destination called CPS that includes:

CommunityEngagementand Influence

Student-Centered Decision Making

Health and Safety

Growth

We put students first. Students are able to learn anytime, anywhere, including outside and in the evenings Students have new course offerings and experiences, including career pathwaysat each high school, African American literature and history, additional APcourses and life skills in earlier grades A Speak Up and Speak Out collaborativeis at every high school Diversity and inclusiveness are part of our DNA

We focus on personal well being. We elevate student social emotional health and physical well being to support learning Our high school schedulesare healthier for teenagers

We get better. CPS is a destination for top talent The science of improvement is how we work We have a model that allows for learninganytime, anywhere Our budget process prioritizes CPS’ core work School staff spends more time with students, teachers and families & less time on operational functions

We are empowered by our communities. Our communities feel heard and valued We measure success from the perspective of families English Language learners andfamilies are fully integrateddistrictwide and at school We expand the resources availableto families Our families, students and staff are our best ambassadors

We are our communities’ first choice for education.

We retain students from preschoolthrough graduation Our environments are conducive to innovation and learning as we grow

Optimized Capabilities

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The First 30-60-90 Days Purpose The purpose of this plan is to establish a system for a transparent and smooth transition as the Interim Superintendent of Cincinnati Public Schools. Listening, learning and leading are the foundations of this plan. During the next 30-60-90 days, I will make a way forward through three key areas:

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Foster a districtwide climate that focuses on student achievement for all students.

Cultivate public trust and staff relationships through collaboration and clear communication.

Continue to foster an effective district governance model and positive Board/Interim Superintendent relations.

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world” – Nelson Mandela

Cincinnati Public Schools - A Way Forward FIRST 30

JUNE FIRST 60

JULY FIRST 90 AUGUST

Educate All Students √ Assess social and emotional plans √ Create an ongoing school √ Review of academic data and adjust

for students. walkthrough calendar. improvement plans that put a spotlight on student achievement √ Assess recruitment plan for √ Create awareness of platforms for and eliminate disparities among student enrollment. principal and teacher voice (ex: student populations. principal leads, curriculum√ Classroom walkthroughs of

councils, department meetings) √ Implement 2-week cohort cycleSummer Scholars classrooms. assessments to monitor student√ Assess professional development √ Finalize student learning model academic progress. plan for coaching principals,plan and communicate to staff

directors, teachers and support √ Assess district resources for and families: in-person, CDA staff. students and families and develop a and remote.

plan for parent engagement. √ Meet with the Diversity and √ Review staffing for the fall. Inclusion Manager (first day: √ Foster key celebrations and rituals √ Career Tech, College and July 1). Discuss audit and at district and building level to

Employment will be aligned to next steps. honor staff, partners and students. teaching and learning. √ Schedule PLT school walk-throughs.

√ Establish a central office volunteer program to support Every Child Reads and 9th-grade mentorship.

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FIRST 30 JUNE

FIRST 60 JULY

FIRST 90 AUGUST

Collaborate and Communicate √ Schedule a meeting for transition

with the outgoing Superintendent. √ Participate in already scheduled

meetings with stakeholder groups with the outgoing Superintendent.

√ Schedule meeting with Health Department Director, Chief of Police and Fire Chief.

√ Assess the quality, quantity and effectiveness of all existing forms of communication with stakeholders: Board, parents, staff, partners, universities, business leaders, faith-based leaders, and student leaders.

√ Schedule ongoing meeting with the Treasurer.

√ Meet with individual PLT members. √ Join the Ohio 8 Superintendent

Network. First meeting on 6/17 & 18.

√ Join the Hamilton County Superin-tendent Network. First meeting on 6/4.

√ Attend CPS Block Party Series. First one held on 6/19 at Woodward HS.

√ Update CPS website with staff directory (phone and email) and leadership photos and information.

√ Align customer care with community and parent engagement reporting to Assistant Superintendent.

√ Develop a Districtwide Community Coalition to meet once a semester for information dissemination, feedback and community engagement.

√ Schedule meetings with school-building leadership.

√ Schedule meetings with all unions.

√ Based on research, develop a comprehensive communication plan utilizing multiple venues to engage stakeholders (digital, social media, website, email, newsletter, mail and School Messenger).

√ Issue Request for Proposal (RFP) for website redesign.

√ Mail inaugural quarterly district newsletter to parents and staff; will include back-to-school information, parent tips, stories, calendar, and contact information.

√ PLT Community Blitz to increase awareness of the CPS Strategy Refresh.

√ Establish a calendar with key school and community events.

√ Sit on Nonprofit Boards: Jr. Achievement, Art Museum, Families and Children First and Cincinnati Youth Collaborative.

√ Participate in August parent Facebook Live event.

√ Participate in quarterly Local School Decision Making Committee event.

√ Host employee and community Back-to-School events.

“Seek first to understand, then to be understood” – Stephen Covey

Board and Interim Superintendent Relations √ Share entry plan for feedback,

suggestions and approval. √ Establish ongoing meeting times

with the Board Chair. √ Schedule individual meeting times

with each Board Member. √ Establish a timely, consistent

communication system with the Board.

√ Share Interim Superintendent organizational structure for approval.

√ Update Board on negotiations for feedback and guidance.

√ Present at first Committee of the Whole meeting.

√ Participate in Board Committee Meetings: Health and Safety and Finance.

√ PLT members assigned to all Board Committees

√ Review Board policies for alignment with district mission and priorities.

√ Keep current on Ohio State Board Association support of professional development for Board and Interim Superintendent.

√ Board and Interim Superintendent participate in opening school year events: State of the District – community and staff and Teacher Induction/Staff New Hire On-Boarding.

“The future depends on what you do today” – Mahatma Gandhi

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Summary In summary, this plan will guide my work as the Interim Superintendent during the first 30-60-90 days. The priority is to build and sustain relationships with all shareholders and to collaboratively construct effective systems to support teaching and learning. The plan is a working document to ensure success and accountability and will be modified to meet the district’s priorities.

— Tianay Amat Interim Superintendent