East Chicago school board begins strategic-planning work session on mission, vision and core values

The School City of East Chicago Board of Trustees met in a work session to begin a strategic planning process that will include stakeholder sessions the following day and produce draft mission/vision options and core values for the board to consider.

Dr. Greg Hutchings of consulting partner Revolutionary Ed led the session and opened with a group icebreaker before reviewing the planning timeline and data sources, which he said included the superintendent's hundred-day plan and state report card information. Dr. Hutchings told trustees the board should “be guiding the strategic plan.”

Why it matters: the board said the work session will shape the strategic plan that in turn will guide district goals, accountability and actions that affect students, staff and families across the district.

Trustees reviewed the district’s current mission and vision statements aloud during the meeting. The board read the mission as: “The School City of East Chicago is committed to developing a community of lifelong learners who were empowered to access, process, evaluate, and ethically apply information in an ever changing global society.” The vision read: “The schools throughout East Chicago are dynamic, motivating, flexible, and cooperative community of students, parents, educators, residents, agencies, and businesses, learning, dialoguing, and sharing.”

Trustees and the superintendent discussed whether those statements reflect the district’s current practice or are more aspirational. Trustee Gomez said the district is “very provincial” and questioned whether the district empowers lifelong learners, calling for more community education and outreach to raise local awareness about best practices for students. Trustee Smith emphasized career pathways and social-emotional supports, saying students need preparation and “a vision” for postsecondary or technical paths and called for programs that better equip students and involve parents.

Other trustees raised related concerns. Trustee Rodriguez urged linking academics and athletics rather than treating them as separate priorities. Trustee Taylor said the mission language suggested “foundation,” growth and innovation. Superintendent Dr. Borne (facilitating the work session) and Dr. Hutchings both suggested that some mission or vision language could become part of the district’s core values rather than being expanded within the mission statement itself.

The board conducted an exercise to capture trustees’ short reactions on sticky notes and then grouped those items into candidate core-value categories. Dr. Hutchings summarized several draft core-value areas he planned to carry forward with the strategic-planning team, saying he expected four broad areas and listing resources, high-quality instruction and accountability among them.

No formal policy or ordinance was adopted during the session; the board’s actions were limited to guided discussion, feedback on wording and an exercise to inform drafting. Trustees were told that stakeholder input gathered at upcoming sessions (including students, families, staff and community partners) will be combined with the board’s input to produce two or three draft mission/vision options for the board to consider.

At the close of the work session the chair requested a motion to adjourn. “Motion made by Trustee Rodriguez,” a trustee said, and “Second by Trustee Taylor.” The transcript does not record a roll-call vote tally for the adjournment motion.

Next steps: facilitators said they will incorporate the board’s feedback and stakeholder input to present draft mission/vision options and recommended core-value categories to the board in advance of upcoming meetings; the facilitator noted the board could expect to move from values to specific goals and action steps in subsequent months.