Pewaukee School District
404 Lake St. Pewaukee
Wisconsin 53072
262.691-.100
http://pewaukeeschools.schoolfusion.us/
Build a Powerful Organization
According to Superintendent JoAnn Sternke, everyone in the Pewaukee School
District (PSD) in Pewaukee, Wisconsin focused on four critical areas: people,
planning, results, and process improvement. They continuously reviewed and
assessed customer requirements and what engaged employees. Frequent
monitoring of how they were delivering on their key responsibilities ensured
effectiveness and created student, employee, and stakeholder loyalty.
Dr. Sternke said,
Our work is a work of the heart. Everyone collaborates to create the
action plan so everyone - including teachers, custodians, bus drivers,
and cafeteria workers - understands their role in helping students
learn. We all have pride in our mission and a role in accomplishing
this “work of the heart.” We have linked our work of the heart to our
strategic plan, and about 70 stakeholders are included in developing
annual strategic plans. We display our results in a balanced scorecard
so that people understand how well we are doing and where we need
to improve. Involving internal and external stakeholders has helped
in improving system effectiveness in all areas.
PSD employed many different stakeholder listening approaches to gathering
information designed to improve processes and procedures. They used a wide
variety of print and technology tools depending on stakeholder needs. For example,
they used annual parent, employee, and student satisfaction surveys as their key
tool to obtain what they call “Voice of Customer” data. The survey covered
satisfaction and dissatisfaction data concerning engagement, service, safety,
communication, and quality. Teams identified district trends, and if appropriate,
integrated opportunities for improvement into Action Plans.
A priority at PSD as they worked to build a powerful organization was to exceed
expectations in relationships with stakeholders through frequent and regular
communications. PSD used a six-step Concern/Suggestion Tracking System that
provided a deep understanding of stakeholder problems and tracked resolutions.
All staff responded to incoming complaints within 24 hours, with a status update or
resolution provided within seven workdays.
The Pewaukee School District continuously updated student progress on its website
to keep stakeholders informed and included. School publications, district
newsletters, an annual report, school newsletters, web sites, the district electronic
calendar, Facebook, and Twitter were used to disseminate information to
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stakeholders. Comments and Likes provided feedback to help PSD personnel
understand and respond to stakeholders’ interests.
PSD results were substantial. In addition to student achievement increases,
advanced placement offerings increased, and graduates attending postsecondary
education increased. PSD won the prestigious 2013 Baldrige National Quality
Award. In 2013, according to Newsweek magazine, Pewaukee High ranked in the
top 6% of the nation’s high schools. The Washington Post named it one of the most
challenging high schools in the nation, and Dr. Sternke received recognition as the
2013 Wisconsin Superintendent of the Year.
Articles about Pewaukee School District
http://www.nist.gov/baldrige/award_recipients/pewaukee-school-district.cfm
http://asq.org/knowledge-center/case-studies-pewaukee-schools-baldrigejourney.html
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