The Rowan-Salisbury School District is sticking to its strategic plan.

The Rowan-Salisbury Board of Education approved the district’s plan for improvement, the strategic plan put in place last year, in a 6-0 vote during Monday’s meeting.

Board member Richard Miller was not present at the time of the vote.

Because of the district’s low-performing designation, the board had to approve a plan for improvement to submit to the State Board of Education.

Last month, 19 out of 35 schools in the district were given either a D or F letter grade on their performance reviews.

Superintendent Dr. Lynn Moody suggested that the district keep the current strategic plan it has been implementing, details of which can be found on the school system’s website.

The public was allowed to comment on the plan through email or by signing up to speak during Monday’s public hearing. Only Christopher Smith, principal of Millbridge Elementary School, spoke specifically about the plan for improvement.

Smith talked about the improvements in student engagement and collaboration and the benefit of blended and personalized instruction that the strategic plan has helped to implement. He also talked about teachers now working “harder and smarter” for their students.

Smith said the district’s story is one that is still being written.

“I have complete faith it is a story that we can look back on and feel blessed and thankful we each had a small part in writing,” he said.

Moody said the state would usually come into a low-performing district and help them form a plan, but Rowan-Salisbury has already done that with the strategic plan.

“We feel really strongly about what we’ve done,” Moody said.

Board Chairman Josh Wagner said the plan just needs more time before the public sees good results.

“Unfortunately, it takes a little bit more time than what we’ve had,” Wagner said. “So I think we’re going to see some more improvement this year. It won’t be an overnight turnaround.”

The board now has five days to submit the plan to the State Board of Education.

In other board business, the board approved:

• the school district’s original 2015-2016 budget resolution, unanimously
• the board’s goals, with amendments, unanimously

The board discussed:

• what names should be added to a plaque for the Wallace Educational Forum, the new central office building for the district
• clarifying budget items

 Contact reporter Amanda Raymond at 704-797-4222.