Redford Union board agrees to seek strategic-planning proposals, schedules self-assessment discussion

Redford Union Schools District No. 1 board members heard a presentation on approaches to strategic planning, agreed to request a proposal from the Michigan Association of School Boards and to solicit other providers, and scheduled a discussion about a board self-assessment for the next meeting.

The presentation outlined retreat-style and multi-session planning models, estimated costs and timelines, and linked the strategic-plan work to the district’s existing “portrait of a graduate.” The board directed staff to obtain a proposal from MASB, said it would gather additional vendor proposals for comparison, and put a self-assessment item on the next meeting agenda for discussion.

Why it matters: The board’s decision will shape how the district defines goals and measurable actions for the coming years and whether stakeholders beyond district staff are included in creating the plan. Board consideration of a self-assessment also signals attention to governance practices ahead of any formal planning effort.

At the meeting, a presenter described typical planning formats and asked the board to include a range of stakeholders. “Strategic planning is a vision exercise,” the presenter said, explaining options that ranged from a single-day retreat with external facilitation to multi-session approaches that break down annual and quarterly steps. The presenter said a full turnkey retreat process could cost “roughly $7,000” and that a shorter, three-hour option the presenter quoted at “$808.25.”

Board members discussed how the district’s previously adopted portrait of a graduate ties into a broader strategic plan. “If we know what we want a Redford Union graduate to be and to look like, then we can set our strategic plan to feed into that,” one board member said, noting the portrait should inform priorities such as community engagement and school culture.

Board member Mrs. Martin said she would circulate the proposal request and keep Superintendent Jason and the board secretary copied. “I will copy Jason, and we will … ask for a proposal from you, and then we'll look into who else does it,” she said. The board agreed that proposals would be reviewed at a regular meeting and any decision about which partner to use would come later.

The board also agreed to discuss a board self-assessment at its next meeting. Members said the item would be a discussion item that does not require immediate action; if a majority of the board is comfortable, the district will proceed with a self-assessment process.

The board received additional operational information about trainings available through Wayne County Association of School Boards and MASB, including upcoming Zoom sessions on governance topics. The meeting concluded with routine scheduling and an adjournment vote.

Quotes in context are drawn from the meeting presentation and board discussion; direct quotations are attributed to speakers as identified in the meeting record.