Consultant outlines five‑year strategic‑planning process for Cornwall Central

HYA Associates laid out a multi‑phase strategic‑planning process to the Cornwall Central School District Board on Feb. 9, asking the board to participate in individual interviews, focus groups and a community survey to shape a five‑year plan.

Karen Shaw of HYA Associates described the process as customized for the district and emphasized stakeholder input. Dr. Susan Guiney, HYA associate and former superintendent, said the work will include an organizational readiness phase, inclusive community engagement, prioritized goal‑setting and implementation with quarterly check‑ins once the plan is adopted.

The consultants proposed one‑hour individual interviews with each board member, roughly 15 focus groups, an anonymous community survey in March and a data scan using New York State and district data in February and March. Deliverables will include a communication toolkit, a qualitative report from interviews and focus groups, and a data‑scan report to inform a SWOT analysis and a final draft for board approval in June.

Board members were invited to volunteer for a two‑member working group that would participate in a multi‑day working session expected in April to convert the data into actionable priorities. "We have templates and a communication toolkit that we'll share with the district," Dr. Guiney said during the presentation.

The board and consultants agreed on next steps: HYA will schedule the board interviews, release the March survey, and return with interim results; the district will help identify focus‑group participants. The board will review the draft plan in May and move toward formal approval in June, with implementation activities planned for June–July.