Board sees five-year strategic priorities; staff to return with actions and measures

District leaders presented a multi-team update on a proposed five-year strategic plan framework the board will consider for approval later this spring.

David Chans (spelled in transcript as "David Chans") opened the Feb. 10 presentation and described a multi-month process involving roughly 65 participants across district and community teams that produced a proposed mission/vision, a "portrait of a graduate" and four primary strategic priorities with operational excellence woven across them. The priorities shown to the board were: academic excellence; a thriving student body; family and community engagement; and a thriving workforce. Staff said strategic actions (the operational steps and measures) will be developed after the board reviews and provides feedback.

Presenters from each work group summarized proposed goals and baseline measures: - Academic excellence (Angie Lacombe, director of teaching and learning) proposed focusing on ELA and math achievement, college and career readiness metrics (ACT composite, graduation rate, dual-credit/AP participation, industry credentials), and target-group outcomes drawn from the district report card. The group emphasized closing demographic gaps in access to AP/dual-credit courses. - Thriving student body (Katie Selzer, Director of People Services leading the group) proposed three critical elements: social-emotional wellness, personal engagement (co-curricular participation/attendance), and identity & belonging (including Seal of Biliteracy work). Baselines cited included 53.4% middle-school and 54.1% high-school co-curricular participation and a 67.4% baseline for students attending 90% or more of school days; staff proposed a goal to meet or exceed the state attendance average (80.1%). - Family & community engagement (Ingrid Parker Hill) proposed districtwide systems for family engagement, a universal family-engagement survey, and alignment of community partnerships to the portrait of a graduate. - Thriving workforce (Mike Friess and colleagues) proposed mutual supports for employees that combine employer-provided conditions and employee professional growth, including mentorship expansions, professional learning participation, and metrics for retention/absences.

Board members asked for translation from goals into initiatives, budgets and early indicators of progress. Trustee comments focused on the need for clear action steps, measurable KPIs, transportation for co-curricular participation across schools, family messaging early in student careers and attention to operational supports that enable plan execution. Staff said they will return in early March with a revised work session and, later in March, an approval item for a five-year strategic plan.

Ending: The draft framework will be refined with board feedback; staff will return with more specific action steps, timelines and measures before asking the board to adopt a five-year plan.