Principal Jessica Hughes, a graduate of the Fond du Lac Class of 1995, returned to the district 24 years ago and is a dedicated and valued member of the school community. She started her career as a middle school teacher, working her way up to assistant principal and eventually becoming the proud principal of Riverside Elementary. She has witnessed firsthand the transformative changes that have reshaped the district’s approach to education and are, therefore, changing outcomes.

Just five years ago, many of Fondy’s schools were grappling with academic challenges, unable to consistently meet statewide standards. Students across the district were falling behind, and there was no unified vision for how to improve their outcomes. “We never had the same language throughout our entire district,” says Principal Hughes. Without this shared understanding, it was impossible to align efforts, preventing teachers and staff from working toward a collective goal of changing student outcomes.

The district has undergone significant changes designed to ensure students are at the heart of every decision made. These changes have been creating uniformity, consistent expectations, and a clear vision for educational excellence across the district.

The transformation in Fondy’s school culture has been remarkable and, according to Principal Hughes, felt district-wide. “Uniformity is now seen everywhere you go,” she says. “We can have conversations about instructional topics, and it's going to sound the same no matter what building you're in. It also provides and streamlines our instruction for our students. It allows us to provide the best education every single day. Our community support and teamwork are greater because of the systems that are in place.”

Principal Hughes proudly highlights some of the major academic improvements since the transformation, with report card scores increasing by as much as 25% to 75% across the district. The curriculum has also changed to meet the needs of students, and it is rigorous enough to help them reach their goals. This progress shows the dramatic impact of these changes.

By leveraging data, student progress can continue being evaluated to ensure these outcomes continue: “The academic data helps us see where a child is at, realign the instruction to meet them specifically where they are, and then close any gaps, as well as help them achieve above and beyond grade level,” Principal Hughes says.

“The systems are working—our report card data, our academic data, and our student success proves it. We know that what we have in place is currently what we need to sustain.” – Principal Hughes