Medford subcommittee outlines survey, focus-group plan to shape district strategic plan

Medford Public Schools subcommittee members on a strategic and capital planning panel agreed on a two‑phase approach to update the district strategic plan, starting with broad community input through a written survey and a series of focus groups.

The meeting, held remotely, centered on how to gather representative feedback to rewrite the district mission statement and set priorities that will feed a later action plan. Subcommittee member Jenny Grama, who led the discussion, said the first phase should “ask the community what the community wants their schools to look like.”

Why it matters: The community input is intended to guide both the district's short‑ and long‑term priorities and to provide context for leadership decisions, including criteria the community expects in district leadership. The subcommittee discussed timing so the work can inform an education plan due in January tied to the ongoing MSBA (Massachusetts School Building Authority) process for the new high school.

Members described a two‑part effort. Phase one focuses on eliciting what residents, families, students and caregivers want (using a survey and focus groups); phase two will translate those priorities into…