Superintendent's Entry Plan
Building on Success. Focused on Priorities. Together for Students.
Having had the privilege of serving our students, staff, and families in Washoe County, I step into this role with both a deep understanding of our district and an unwavering commitment to ensuring every child graduates prepared for the future they choose. I am inspired by the opportunity ahead of us and grounded in a clear purpose: to build on our strengths while shaping an even stronger future together.
As superintendent, my work will be guided by a simple yet powerful framework: Collaborate. Elevate. Innovate.
I firmly believe that our greatest progress will come through collaboration—working in partnership with students, families, educators, staff, and our broader community. By actively listening, fostering trust, and engaging diverse perspectives, we can ensure that our decisions reflect the voices and needs of those we serve.
We must also elevate our work—holding ourselves to the highest expectations for student achievement, organizational effectiveness, and service to our community. Every action we take must lead to improved outcomes for students. This means strengthening instruction, supporting our educators, and creating systems that consistently deliver excellence across every school and department.
At the same time, we are called to innovate—to think differently about how we meet the needs of our students in a changing world. Innovation will require us to challenge assumptions, leverage new ideas, and continuously improve our practices so that we can provide meaningful and relevant learning experiences for every student.
As I begin my tenure, I remain grounded in a fundamental belief: the success and well-being of our students must be at the center of every decision we make.
I have seen firsthand the extraordinary talent and dedication within Washoe County School District. Our educators, support staff, leaders, families, and community partners are deeply committed to students, and it is through our collective efforts that we will continue to move forward together.
In the early phases of my leadership, I will prioritize building strong relationships and continuing to learn from our community. Listening will be essential to understanding both our successes and the opportunities ahead. These insights will help guide our work as we align our efforts to the district’s strategic priorities and focus on what matters most—student learning and growth.
Our students deserve the very best we can offer—every day, in every classroom, in every school. Together, we will continue to build a system where all students feel valued, supported, and empowered to reach their full potential.
I look forward to working alongside you as we collaborate, elevate, and innovate to ensure a stronger future for Washoe County School District.
With gratitude and commitment,
Tiffany McMaster
Superintendent
Washoe County School District
Year One Priorities
Five areas this entry plan will prioritize for collaboration, elevation and innovation.
- Strong, trusted leadership
Steady, transparent leadership at every level that works from a place of trust, open-mindedness, and commitment to growth. - Clearer ways of working
Simpler systems and efficiency so our time is dedicated to the work that matters most for students. - Student success
Strengthen student outcomes through aligned instruction and student support systems based in strong data and evidence. - Open communication
Clear communication with staff, families, and students that builds trust and opens many opportunities for conversation. - A district that feels like home
A culture where students, staff, and families feel safe, seen, heard, and proud to be here.
Collaborate. Elevate. Innovate.
A simple but powerful framework for the work ahead.
During my first year as superintendent, we will take intentional steps to:
- Engage multiple viewpoints early and often
Offer many and varied opportunities for students, staff, families, and community to provide voice on topics that matter most. Use listen and learn opportunities to inform strategic plan refresh. - Build trust
Build a consistent process for change management that ensures the fine details of change and their impact are deeply considered, and that communication on all major changes happens in a consistent, inclusive, predictable ways. - Foster belonging and pride in WCSD
Ensure our community knows about our successes, is excited about our changes, and feels a sense of pride among students, families, and staff that they belong to our district.
- Strengthen instructional system and supports
Communicate and uphold systemwide expectations for high-quality instruction while building capacity for leaders to support strong instruction visions. - Strong, trusted leadership
Invest intentionally in building the capacity of school leadership through aligned professional learning around a core set of critical instruction priorities. - Clearer ways of working
Reduce complexity, improve operational efficiency, and free staff to focus on teaching and learning. - Fortify stewardship
Build capacity among school and district leaders through professional learning and relevant laws, regulations, and policies.
- Use data to guide decision-making in new ways
Build out new systems to track and monitor our progress and continuously improve (e.g. instructional walkthrough platform, AI Teacher hub, strategic plan dashboard). - Refine our strategic plan
Refresh our strategic plan in collaboration with our community so it meets our needs, inspires new action and innovation, and ensures a clear vision for the future. - Prepare students for future opportunities
New partnerships and advocacy efforts to ensure students are prepared for the future filled with possibilities. - Reimagine solutions to emerging challenges.
Review the process for digital tool adoption and screen time in schools to align with best-practice guidelines.
Every student deserves hope, opportunity, and a future filled with possibilities.