Dr. Eric Williams, who is in his second year as the superintendent of Loudoun County Public Schools, recently signed a contract extension which will tenure him until 2020. Below, he shares some of his plans for the next 4 years:

Q: What do you believe were your greatest successes last school year were? How do you plan on building upon them this year?

A: Examples of significant LCPS accomplishments last year include high school achievement, expanded full day kindergarten opportunities, and enhanced teacher compensation. Student achievement on state and national standardized tests remained high. This occurred even as teachers placed a greater emphasis on engaging students in solving authentic, challenging problems rather than just test-prep.

Last year approximately 34% of Kindergarten students were served in full-day Kindergarten, up from 11% the previous year. This year we are serving more than half our Kindergarten students in full-day Kindergarten.

Our investment in teacher compensation allowed us to maintain starting teacher salaries that are higher than many other divisions, while also improving salaries for mid-career teachers. However, significant improvements in teacher compensation are still needed.

Q: Where do you envision LCPS in 2020? What specific improvements do you hope to make?

Last June the School Board approved thirteen strategic actions in support of the three goals of our strategic plan. The strategic actions relate to a variety of matters, such as the following:

• Implementing effective inclusive practices to support students with disabilities
• Further expanding full-day Kindergarten
• Opening the Academies of Loudoun in the fall of 2018
• Further enhancing teacher compensation
• Improving and enhancing the capabilities of the Phoenix Gradebook

Our strategic plan includes specific milestones for each year and a desired outcome for 2020. For example, by 2020, LCPS will operate full day Kindergarten classes that provide capacity to serve 85% of its Kindergarten students in full day Kindergarten and will have a plan to provide 100% of its Kindergarten students the opportunity to attend full day kindergarten.

Q: What is your favorite part about working as a part of LCPS?

I love the commitment to continuous improvement. We don’t just wait to sustain our excellence, we want to build on it. Working in an environment that emphasizes continuous improvement is very rewarding.