Moving Our Strategic Plan Forward

As students return to their classrooms, teachers will be ready to help them grow as readers, building a foundation for success.

“We have been focused on making sure that all students have access to grade-level learning every day,” said Jeona Jensen, Fontenelle Elementary principal.

As our 2026-30 Strategic Plan moves into its first full year, literacy remains our central focus. The plan outlines how we reach our Moonshot goal: all students reading on grade level by 2030.

“Every child can do it,” said Jensen. “Every child has the capacity to learn and to read.”

At a Board of Education workshop in July, district leaders shared how elementary and middle schools are implementing the plan in classrooms and tracking student progress along the way.

“Reading is essential to success and must occur in every subject and at every grade level,” said Deanna Moisset, Omaha Public Schools executive director of secondary education.

Feedback from students, families and educators across our district shows that strong instructional practices exist, but student experiences may differ from school to school.

“The key to forward movement is transitioning from islands of excellence to one aligned system and district-wide improvement," Moisset explained.

Teachers are creating lessons that integrate reading, writing, discussion and vocabulary development every day.

“We use structured literacy every day, which I think has really helped our kids become more confident in reading,” said Angie Jindra, Chandler View Elementary second grade teacher.

Students are engaging with texts, talking about what they learned and strengthening comprehension through connected literacy experiences. At the same time, school leaders are structuring schedules, so literacy instruction is prioritized and uninterrupted.

Attendance, student engagement, positive school environments and strong partnerships with families and our community all play an important role in helping students succeed.

“Building stronger partnerships is what helps improve attendance and keep students connected to learning,” said Andrew Karmazin, Omaha Public Schools middle school principal supervisor.

Our district will measure the Strategic Plan’s success by monitoring student reading growth, classroom instruction, attendance and student engagement throughout the year. This will help leaders ensure schools are making meaningful progress and providing high-quality instruction for every student.

“The purpose is to keep the work visible and connected to the strategic plan,” said Karmazin.

Literacy is the foundation for success in every subject. This work supports our district’s commitment to providing every student with the skills they need for success in school and beyond.

To learn more about our 2026-30 Strategic Plan, visit www.ops.org/strategicplan.