Blue Valley board adopts five‑year strategic plan after broad community input
Loading...
Summary
The Blue Valley Board of Education approved a final draft strategic plan 7-0 on May 12, 2025. The plan, developed by a 38‑member steering committee and informed by a district survey of 5,519 participants, sets a new mission statement, three core values and three strategic priorities to guide district goals and implementation beginning this fall.
The Blue Valley Board of Education voted 7-0 on May 12 to adopt a five‑year strategic plan that district staff said was developed from extensive community and staff input.
Dr. Merrigan, who presented the draft plan to the board, said the steering committee of 38 members reviewed survey results and drafted a concise mission: “cultivating lifelong learners prepared to navigate their future with purpose.” She told the board the initial community survey had 5,519 participants and generated more than 3,500 written thoughts and more than 3,000 ratings.
The nut graf: Board members and staff described the plan as a roadmap that pairs a shorter, more memorable mission with three core values — community, student centered and excellence — and three strategic priorities: advancing academic excellence and exceptional student experiences; fostering supportive and healthy school communities; and empowering exemplary educators and staff. The committee also identified foundational commitments, including academics, communication and trust, facilities, financial stewardship, safety and technology, that staff said are necessary to implement the priorities.
Board discussion stressed the local, homegrown nature of the work. “This is more than a strategic plan as well. They went through. They redid the mission statement,” one board member said in praise of the committee process.
The plan lists multiple action steps and measurable areas staff will report annually, including comprehensive academic achievement, student social‑emotional and behavioral metrics, personnel retention and recruitment data, facility operation reports and cyclical program evaluations. Dr. Merrigan told the board that, if approved, work would begin to develop year‑one implementation goals but that major operational planning would be handed to the incoming superintendent: “Once it is acted upon, our team would go to work and develop a comprehensive communication plan...because Dr. Chapman is coming in in July, that needs to wait for her,” she said.
The board’s formal motion to approve the strategic plan was moved and seconded during the meeting and passed 7-0.
The board will receive future reports on implementation metrics, and staff said approved elements of the plan will be implemented beginning in August following any necessary operational work over the summer.
