Board holds goals workshop; prioritizes aligning budget with student achievement and data-driven instruction

The Board of Education held an interactive workshop to refine board goals for the coming year, using five flip-chart stations and a sticker-vote process to identify priorities.

Board member Christine led the session and described five categories for board goals — facilities, instruction, governance, culture/outreach, and finance — and gave small groups three to five minutes at each station to mark their top choices. Jamie summarized results for the full board: the most votes landed on aligning the budget with student achievement priorities and ensuring financial decisions support instructional programs; using student-performance data to inform instruction and program evaluation; long-term capital planning with community engagement; and promoting inclusive school culture and strengthened family/community engagement.

Jamie read a representative phrasing that drew support: “Ensure instructional programs are designed to raise achievement and close opportunity gaps.” Board member Christian emphasized role clarity in the discussion: “We set values, we set policy, we allocate resources, we don't run the school district,” he said, urging the board to frame goals within its governance role and to focus on measurable outcomes.

The board asked staff to consolidate the workshop results and circulate a draft of refined goals and suggested metrics ahead of a final vote at a upcoming meeting. Board members also proposed including operating standards such as a board retreat and a board self-evaluation as possible deliverables under governance goals.

No formal policy or budget action was taken; the exercise was a planning step toward a final board-goals vote at a later meeting.