Acton-Boxborough launches 'AB Forward' strategic planning initiative; community survey open through July 11

The Acton-Boxborough Regional School District steering committee on June 12 announced a new, simplified name for its strategic planning and reorganization effort — "AB Forward: shaping our future together" — and launched a community survey to collect feedback on district strengths and challenges. The survey was opened June 12 and is scheduled to remain available through July 11.

Committee members described the initiative as a two-phase project: an initial diagnostic and strategic-plan development phase now through the summer and a fall phase (mid-September through December) that will introduce potential reorganizational principles and invite further public comment. Joe Costello of District Management Group, the consultant working with the steering committee, reported that stakeholder interviews, community surveys and focus groups are under way.

Adam Klein, the committee chair, said the steering committee decided on "AB Forward" because the word "shaping" was judged more inviting than "planning" and better suited to a community-centered process. "We ended up settling on shaping because we thought it was a more inviting word than planning, and more reflective of a community process," he said. The steering committee plans to form a smaller working group to draft mission and vision language because "20 people cannot sit around a table and agree on language," Klein said.

The steering committee’s next meeting is scheduled for Aug. 25; district staff said they will monitor survey response rates and extend the window if turnout is low. The administration also plans outreach through flyers, QR codes and social media templates, and will post summaries on the district website within 48 hours after meetings.

Committee members emphasized the importance of meeting community members where they are and using multiple engagement channels. Glenn urged distributing explanatory video content to local Facebook groups and community forums where residents are most active. The committee said no reorganization decisions have been made; the public survey is focused on framing the strategic plan that would inform any future reorganization work.