Clarkston board adopts 2025–2030 strategic plan after 18-month process

The Clarkston Community School District Board of Education voted to approve the district's 2025'through'2030 strategic plan on Monday, adopting four pillars and a multi-year set of goals and strategies developed over an 18-month community process.

The plan, presented by Missus Naponi and Missus Puzio, sets four pillars: academic excellence and student success; well-being and personal growth; district family and community engagement; and operational and staff excellence. The board approved the plan by voice vote after the presentation.

Why it matters: district leaders said the plan will guide district priorities for the next five years and provide measurable indicators to track progress. The presentation stated the process began in January 2024 and ran through June 2025, involved a 57-member team of staff, parents and community members, and collected almost 2,000 survey responses from the community.

The plan restates the district mission approved Dec. 9, 2024: "Clarkston Community Schools will provide a challenging, healthy, engaging, safe, and supportive educational experience in partnership with families and our community." The vision approved the same day says students "are well prepared to lead successful, fulfilling lives, and embrace their future with confidence."

Presenters highlighted specific strategies under each pillar. Under academic excellence, the plan lists actions such as improving student learning outcomes, implementing research-based tiered instruction, and refining programs. The well-being pillar includes mental health and emotional intelligence initiatives and expanded opportunities for student involvement. The new "district family and community engagement" pillar contains strategies to empower families and strengthen reciprocal partnerships with community organizations. The final pillar focuses on staff, operations and infrastructure, including retention and fiscal responsibility.

The presentation also described measurable indicators and a Gantt-style timeline of action steps; officials indicated a secondary MTSS (Multi-Tiered System of Supports) handbook will launch Oct. 10 as part of Tier 1 instructional guidance.

Board members who served on the planning committee praised the document's clarity and community input. Board member comments during the meeting described the process as time-consuming but inclusive. After minimal discussion the board approved the plan by voice vote.

The district said the plan is a draft for implementation planning and that administration will return with details and timelines tied to the plan's measurable indicators.

The board's next regular meeting is scheduled for Oct. 13; presenters said implementation steps and progress reporting will be brought to the board in future meetings.