William Penn unveils 'Focus Forward and Beyond' strategic plan, includes student-developed portrait of a graduate

William Penn School District leaders presented a revised strategic plan, “Focus Forward and Beyond,” to the board on April 28, highlighting three sustained priorities — academic excellence, cohesiveness, and efficiency and effectiveness — and a student-developed portrait of a graduate.

The superintendent described a one-page summary called the William Penn Promise and said the district produced a longer plan available online and a limited number of printed copies for board members. The superintendent said the plan’s portrait of a graduate “was actually developed by our students.”

A short video shown during the meeting summarized core commitments: preparing students to be career- or college-ready, strengthening partnerships with families and the community, and demonstrating financial accountability. The board and staff thanked students, parents and staff who served on the strategic planning committee and recognized student contributors by name; student narrator Morgan Askew Green was singled out as the main narrator of the video.

Implementation and communication: the superintendent said staff have assigned strategy leads who will create project plans and that updates will be provided quarterly and posted online; the district also plans to distribute updates through ParentSquare and other channels. Board members were given a hard copy of the full plan but the superintendent said the district limited printing to control costs.

Discussion versus decisions: the presentation was informational; the board expressed support for the plan but did not take an adoption vote at the April 28 business meeting. Superintendent and staff will bring implementation updates and assigned project plans to the board for future review.