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Superintendent outlines academic goals, construction and a five‑area strategic planning framework
Summary
Superintendent Ben presented academic results, construction and resource priorities, and a proposed five‑area framework (student learning, behavior/culture, educator excellence, resource stewardship, community engagement) to guide next year’s goals and a forthcoming strategic‑planning process.
Superintendent Ben used his May 15 update to the Park Ridge CCSD 64 Board of Education to outline academic performance, resource priorities and a proposed approach to the district’s next strategic plan.
Ben reported that the district’s middle schools “met” their MAP goals this year and that elementary MAP growth was “just underneath” its targets; he described the results as positive for middle grades and said math data remains complex due to changes from the assessment provider. Ben said district leaders set “audacious” goals and credited principals and staff for their work.
Ben proposed organizing the district’s planning and goals under five broad, consistent areas: student learning; behavior and student culture; educator excellence; resource allocation and stewardship; and community engagement. He said that reframing current initiatives under those five lenses will allow the district to prioritize work, reduce unnecessary activities and create a continuous improvement process. “If you take out student learning, you have a lot of other organizations that are not schools,” he said.
On specific programs and near‑term actions, Ben said the district will fully implement the new CCLA ELA curriculum next year, continue tier‑1 MTSS (multi‑tiered systems of support) work, and roll out CHAMPS behavior training districtwide to standardize expectations and responses. He flagged construction and kitchen projects as a major operational effort and said the district is preparing for potential contingencies. Ben also noted ongoing contract negotiations and the need for further financial forecasting tied to construction and the planned elimination of full‑day kindergarten tuition.
Why it matters: the superintendent’s framework aims to align instructional work, human resources and capital projects so the district can focus on high‑impact priorities. Board members praised the approach and urged the administration to prioritize initiatives that yield the greatest return on investment in the near term.
Discussion vs. action: Ben’s presentation was informational; the board engaged in discussion and provided direction but did not adopt a new strategic plan at the meeting. Board members asked that cabinet leaders and staff set priorities inside the five areas and recommended staging work so the district does not try to implement all changes at once.
Next steps: Ben said the district will spend the coming months refining the strategic planning process, emphasizing a deeper review of current reality, clearer mission/vision/value statements, and a continuous improvement approach before producing a multi‑year implementation plan.
