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Battle Creek board reviews student-centered strategic plan draft; trustees to weigh mission words
Summary
Consultant Dr. Campbell presented a draft strategic plan centered on a new 'vision of the student experience,' proposed four long-term goals and a graduate profile, and asked trustees to submit 3–4 words to inform a one‑sentence mission statement ahead of further drafting.
Dr. Campbell, brought in to lead Battle Creek Public Schools’ strategic-planning work, told the school board on Dec. 9 that the process is designed to center student voice and produce a small set of measurable priorities the district will keep for six years. The plan outlines a student-facing “vision of the student experience,” three core values (Equity, Community and Academic Excellence), a graduate profile and a theory of action tying educator, school leader and central-office responsibilities to student outcomes.
Board members were asked to identify short words or phrases that should appear in a revised district mission; Dr. Campbell said the district leadership team (DLT) would translate board input into a mission statement draft and that the DLT would also finalize performance targets after administrators calculate baseline data. “The work has to be done with the district — lots of different committees — so the product is reflective of dozens, if not hundreds, of people,” Dr. Campbell said.
The draft identifies four goal areas: Positive School Experience (whole-child supports), Building Foundations and Achieving Excellence (elementary foundations), Grade-level Mastery (middle grades) and Career/College/Community Ready (high school). Dr. Campbell said the district would choose a limited menu of research‑based classroom practices and have teams of teachers design units tied to the graduate profile so school-level instruction aligns with district goals. Trustees questioned how the word “increase” in outcome statements will be measured; Dr. Campbell replied performance targets will be framed by the district’s assessment staff after they calculate current baselines.
The board paused the presentation to recognize student musicians and to present the student artwork that will appear on the district’s holiday card. Dr. Campbell agreed to circulate an abbreviated slide packet and a short mission‑statement prompt to trustees and to work with the DLT to return a mission-statement draft for board review at a future meeting. The superintendent said trustees will have an opportunity to provide words and phrases that will be used to draft the single-sentence mission.
