Shawnee Mission board hears progress on strategic plan action teams; district to embed interpersonal skills in curriculum

The Shawnee Mission School District Board of Education on Thursday received updates on several action teams working to implement the district's strategic plan, including a group recommending how to embed interpersonal skills across curriculum maps, teams focused on certified-staff retention and evaluation, and a classified advisory council building a data set on recruitment and turnover.

The presentations outlined what the action teams have completed so far and next steps. Doctor Veil, who leads the district strategic-plan effort, said the work is broad: “By the end of quarter 3, which will be in March, we will have convened 20 action teams to begin their work,” and two more teams will begin in quarter 4.

Board members were told the interpersonal-skills team defined the term and narrowed a long list of abilities to a smaller set the group considers essential. Karen King, an SMSD parent and district professional with WaterOne, said the team’s consensus definition: “the practices used to communicate, interact, and work effectively with others.” The team listed skills including communication, problem solving, perseverance, collaboration, empathy, initiative, critical thinking, conflict management, personal responsibility and curiosity, and recommended using existing curriculum resources and targeted professional development rather than adding new separate…